Officials Warn Driving Conditions Remain Slick Following Ice Storm
OMAHA, Neb. (AP/WCCO) — The storm system that glazed much of Nebraska, Iowa and southern Minnesota with ice has mostly left the states, but officials remain cautious about traveler safety even as dire weather warnings are lifted.
Authorities say puddled water on untreated roads — especially those in residential neighborhoods — could have refrozen Monday night into Tuesday, leaving the roadways slippery. The National Weather Service says freezing drizzle and dense fog were expected in central and eastern Iowa.
In Minnesota, people were having a hard time walking Monday night, as sidewalks turned to skating rinks.
Cars and trucks have continued to lose control on highways and interstates all night. The Minnesota State Patrol has not released numbers just yet, but believe there could easily be dozens overnight in the metro alone.
A wintery mix was still falling in the Twin Cities around 5 a .m. but moved out as the morning went on.
Clouds are helping to keep temperatures mild, with most of southern Minnesota seeing temps over 30 degrees. Clearing is expected later on, which may help to bring some sun and melting to the area.
However, dozens of school districts in all three states canceled classes or planned to open later than normal Tuesday morning. University of Nebraska campuses in Kearney, Lincoln and Omaha also canceled classes.
Major utilities reported only a handful of weather-related outages.
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