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Folks in the Quad Cities are preparing for a winter storm to hit just ahead of Christmas weekend. StormTrack8 has been watching the system's development and is ready to provide you with real-time updates as the storm moves through the area.
Stay weather aware this week
Updates
4:11 p.m.
Meanwhile, in central Iowa, Interstate 35 is closed on both lanes from exit 111 to 194, Ames and Clear Lake respectively. The Iowa State Patrol is working around the clock to keep the roads safe!
3:16 p.m.
NWS says occasional whiteouts will continue through Friday night in rural and open areas over parts of eastern Iowa. Wind gusts are reaching up to 55 mph!
12:57 p.m.
Conditions along and north of Interstate 80 are NOT ideal. Take it slow if you are traveling!
10:35 a.m.
A Wind Chill Warning has been issued for parts of our area until Saturday morning at 9. Life-threatening wind chill values as low as -30 are likely at times. Make sure to cover all exposed skin and limit time spent outside if you must venture out!
10:12 a.m.
Wind gusts are blowing at 35 mph Friday morning. The highest gusts over the last day have been between 45-50 mph!
8:59 a.m.
A Ground Blizzard is expected on Friday across parts of Iowa, according to the NWS of the Quad Cities. Expect blowing snow, wind, bitter cold temps and wind chills across the region.
8:53 a.m.
The worst conditions Friday will happen in eastern Iowa, where a Blizzard Warning continues. Travel is not advised for some areas around Cedar Rapids and Iowa City.
8:09 a.m.
Whitey's says it's too cold out to have ice cream, apparently. That's when you know it's good to stay inside all day!
7:17 a.m.
Another crash is reported on the Iowa-bound lane of I-74.
7:12 a.m.
Lanes are back open after a crash on the Iowa-bound lane of the I-80 bridge near LeClaire.
5:21 a.m.
Yep, it's still brutally cold out Friday morning! Temps in the QC dipped to -34°! Wind gusts are expected to pick up by the afternoon to keep wind chills in that range.
7:49 p.m.
Watch out for that wind chill! Across the area, night temperatures are dipping as low as -45 degrees due to the winds! If you have to go outside, be sure to bundle all the way up with multiple layers of warm clothing!
5:07 p.m.
Snowfall is done for most of the region, but next up is the strong wind! The NWS of the Quad Cities says gusts are expected to pick up to 40-50 mph. Do not travel if you don't have to!
5:00 p.m.
Road conditions in rural areas are expected to be impacted the most Thursday night. Another crash can be seen on our BridgePointe Camera of I-74.
4:25 p.m.
A big backup on I-74 may be causing headaches for those heading home Thursday evening. It appears a car has hit the guardrail just near the top of the 7th Street onramp. This scene cleared up pretty quickly.
4:04 p.m.
Travel conditions remain dangerous even though snow is done falling around the Quad Cities. Take extreme caution if you must travel!
3:42 p.m.
Forecast update heading into the weekend.
3:11 p.m.
Wind is whipping around fast at the NWS Quad Cities post. Wind and blowing snow are the main hazards going forward.
1:54 p.m.
Snow is tapering off at this point, but wind gusts are expected to hit up to 30-40 mph. Roads and sidewalks are still slippery.
1:03 p.m.
Slick road conditions are reported across the state of Iowa and into western Illinois. Eastern Iowa is seeing the worst of it now.
12:30 p.m.
View from Illinois DOT plows in Geneseo. Yep, it's snowing!
12:25 p.m.
Snow is expected to taper off Thursday afternoon, but wind gusts up to 30-45 mph will cause some issues for travelers.
11:08 a.m.
Several accidents have been reported along I-80. StormTrack8 says no improvement in conditions is expected for Friday.
10 a.m.
The Iowa Department of Transportation urges folks to stay home since travel is not advised. Interstate 80 near Williamsburg is backed up due to a crash.
9:15 a.m.
The snow is falling, and falling quickly, with wind gusts up to 45 mph. Drive with caution, as visibility is near zero in many areas.
8:49 a.m.
Check out our livestream of the storm on our YouTube channel!
8:35 a.m.
Temperatures with wind chill are dropping to below 30 degrees in the most severe pockets of the storm. Bundle up!
8:20 a.m.
Snow is falling in the Quad Cities with visibility near zero at times. Wind gusts of up to 45 mph.
7:30 a.m.
Snowfall is expected to reach the Quad Cities within the next half hour. Visibility is reduced to zero in many areas. Drive cautiously.
7:00 a.m.
Reported snowfall is around 2-2.5" inches to the west of the Quad Cities, which is what Quad Citizens can expect once the storm hits the area.
6:30 a.m.
Winter storm is moving through the Iowa City area. Projected to reach the Quad Cities shortly after 7:30.