Hazardous weather conditions are possible with a combination of rain, snow and strong winds.Interactive Radar | Weather Alerts | Closings & delaysHere’s what to know about the expected blizzard, which has forced more than 150 schools to cancel classes Wednesday or otherwise modify their school days.Interstate 80 westbound at a standstill WednesdayAs of 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Interstate 80 westbound was still impassable, according to the Iowa DOT. The video below shows mostly semi-truck traffic at a near standstill just west of Grand Prairie Parkway in Waukee.Iowa State Patrol shows video from I-35 with semi-truck along blocked roadwayState troopers are asking Iowans to stay home for any non-emergency travel, and it’s easy to see why.A video posted on Facebook shows the whiteout conditions along I-35 near Huxley. With blocked roadways, it can be dangerous to drive, and the risk of getting stranded is higher than usual.Another post by state troopers shows one trooper’s vehicle after it was hit by a driver. The trooper was helping a stranded motorist when their vehicle was hit.Viewer shares video of crashes, stalled vehicles along I-35A KCCI viewer named Sean D. shared video with KCCI of several crashes, jackknifed semi-trucks and more stalled vehicles along Interstate 35 this morning.You can watch that video below.Power outages still impacting thousands of IowansWhile many of the power outages have been fixed, more than 10,000 Iowans are still without power through MidAmerican Energy.The outage map shows nearly 6,000 in Fort Dodge without power and a similar number in Des Moines.IAEC reporting thousands of power outagesAs of 10:30 a.m., the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives was reporting nearly 6,200 power outages across the state. Two counties had over 500 outages: Boone County: 809 Midland Power Cooperative customersHancock County: 771 Prairie Energy Cooperative customersSeventeen counties had between 100-499 customers without power:Adair County: 396Calhoun County: 300Carroll County: 292Dallas County: 171Fayette County: 145 Greene County: 428Hamilton County: 354Humboldt County: 101Madison County: 186Polk County: 127Sac County: 176Story County: 250Union County: 103Wayne County: 109Webster County: 299Winnebago County: 134Wright County: 339Interstate 35 impassable between Ames and ElkhartIf you’re trying to travel between Ames and the metro, you may be out of luck.Interstate 35 is impassable between Ames and Elkhart, according to the Iowa DOT.Highest recorded wind gusts in Iowa todayKCCI meteorologist Zane Satre compiled a list of the highest wind gusts from Wednesday’s blizzard.Interstate 80 closed west of Des MoinesA stretch of I-80 is closed shortly after 6 a.m. due to the poor road conditions and multiple crashes along the roadway.According to the Iowa DOT, I-80 from just west of the west mixmaster all the way to near Avoca is impassable. Roads have been blocked off to allow crews to respond to crashes and stalled vehicles.”That stretch of road has been a nightmare kind of all night long,” Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Alex Dinkla told KCCI.Road conditions worsen across the stateMost major roadways in western and northern Iowa, including Interstate 35 and Interstate 80 near the metro, are bad enough that the Iowa Department of Transportation lists them under its “travel not advised” category.Other highways south of Des Moines are completely covered. You can see an updated map here.The roads were expected to be bad enough to keep trucking companies from sending drivers out on the road.Power outages reported for more than 20,000 IowansMidAmerican Energy reports about 23,000 outages across the state as of 5:15 a.m.More than 13,000 in Des Moines were impacted. You can see the outage map here.Blizzard warning for most of IowaMost of Iowa, including central Iowa counties such as Polk, Dallas, Story, Boone, Madison and Warren, fall under a blizzard warning. The warning goes into effect at midnight and will last until 3 p.m. Wednesday. The warning for large areas west and north of the metro went into effect at 9 p.m. Tuesday. Wind gusts around 50 to 60 mph will be possible, and snow accumulation could be in the range of 2-4 inches for parts of the state. Areas west of Interstate 35 are more likely to see accumulation.Travel could be difficult Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. You can see the latest road conditions here.As of 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, travel was not advised in western third of the state due to the blizzard, according to the Iowa DOT. Roads just west of the metro were reportedly completely covered, with the storm moving east.Iowa schools announce closures, modified schedules ahead of expected blizzardIowa school districts are modifying Wednesday’s class schedules ahead of the expected overnight blizzard.As of 7 p.m. Tuesday, Des Moines and several other central Iowa districts have canceled classes. That also includes Ankeny, Bondurant-Farrar, Johnston, Southeast Polk, Urbandale and Waukee, among others.You can see our full list of school closings and delays here.Several other districts have announced that classes will be held virtually on Wednesday, including Bedford, Clarion-Goldfield-Dows, Davis County, Eagle Grove, Gilmore City-Bradgate, Lenox, Mount Ayr, Southwest Valley and West Bend-Mallard. Here’s how to make sure your phone provides severe weather alertsWhen storms are in the forecast, you want to make sure your mobile phone settings allow for alerts that warn you of severe weather. The U.S. Homeland Security Department says to check your phone’s settings and ensure you have “Government Alerts” or “Emergency Alert Messages” enabled.You can also keep track of the weather wherever you are with the KCCI app: Apple | Google PlayWe’ll send you weather alerts and you can track live radar right on your phone.Use caution when approaching or following a snowplowSnowplows, which generally operate at much slower speeds than other traffic, will be out in full force Wednesday. Snowplows can be forced sideways when clearing hard-packed drifts and generate a “snow cloud” that may impair the vision of drivers in nearby vehicles.Remain a safe distance behind all snowplows, pass only when clear; and never continue to drive alongside a plow. Allow plenty of space when passing the snowplow because the wing of the plow blade extends out to the side of the truck. Do not cut back into the lane of traffic too closely in front of a snowplow truck because the blade also extends in front of the truck.Remember the slogans, “Ice and Snow …Take It Slow” and “Don’t crowd the plow.”Rainfall totals Tuesday nightParts of central Iowa are reporting well over an inch of rain Tuesday evening. As of 8 p.m., we’ve gotten reports of 1.52 inches of rain in Grimes and 1.39 inches in Altoona. See a full list of rainfall totals. Check road conditions before you drive WednesdayMany Iowans will face snow- and ice-covered roads during the Wednesday morning commute. Precipitation ahead of the expected blizzard has prevented Iowa DOT snow plows from treating the roads as they normally would. You can see the latest road conditions here. Grab your ruler: Here’s how to accurately measure snowfallIf you are sending us snowfall reports, here are some good practices to use according to the National Weather Service to get the most accurate measurement possible.BEST PRACTICE: Use a snowboard (24”x16” piece of plywood), preferably white, to collect snow.A picnic table or deck without any interference from outside sources can work.If measuring from the ground, find an area with short grasses and be careful not to drive your yardstick into the ground so you don’t inflate the measurement.Use a yardstick for measuring.Avoid sheltered areas (sides of buildings & under trees).Be careful of large drifts.If snow has been blown or formed into drifts by wind, take an average of several high and low spots.SNOW PHOTOS: How to share your photos, videos with KCCIWinter driving tipsThe Iowa Department of Transportation has reminders for Iowans anytime temperatures drop and snow falls or ice builds up — conditions that make it very dangerous to be stranded in your vehicle.Those tips include making sure you’re aware of current road conditions, keeping your gas tank filled up and never using cruise control during winter weather.Girls state basketball tournament to play as scheduledWednesday’s games in the Iowa high school girls state basketball tournament will go on as scheduled, organizers say. You can find the full schedule of games here.Boys substate basketball schedule changesHere’s a list of Class 4A substate basketball schedule changes due to the weather:Dowling Catholic at Linn-Mar: Tuesday’s tip-off time moved up to 6 p.m. Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln at Waukee: Postponed to 7 p.m. WednesdaySioux City East at Waukee Northwest: Postponed to 7 p.m. WednesdayKeep an eye on weather across Iowa with KCCI’s skycamsWeather watchers can keep an eye on conditions by checking our skycam page, which shows aerial views from a dozen sites across the state.How often does it actually snow during the girls state basketball tournament?KCCI meteorologist Zane Satre did the research.» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google PlayMake sure to clear your sidewalksDes Moines municipal code requires property owners and tenants to remove snow and ice from sidewalks within 48 hours following the end of a snowfall. Property owners and tenants who do not comply are subject to a $75 administrative penalty for a first offense and larger penalties for repeat violations over a period of three years.To report a sidewalk that hasn’t been cleared after 48 hours, call our Des Moines Public Works’ 24-Hour Customer Service Center at (515) 283-4950 or file a report online using this form or on the city’s mobile app.Tips for keeping your house safe and warm during the cold weatherAs dangerously cold temperatures set in, here are some important reminders to keep your house safe and warm this winter.Do:Close your garage door.Keep your heat to at least 64 degrees.Seal cracks in windows and doors.Move furniture away from vents and radiators.Close the flue to the fireplace, if you’re not running a fire.Plug space heaters directly into a wall and not an extension cord.Keep your heat on when leaving the house. Pipes can burst if it’s too cold in your house.Don’t:Don’t use gas stoves or ovens to heat your home.Don’t use a generator in your house.KCCI’s forecast through the weekendWednesday: Windy with snow during the morning. High 30F. Winds NW at 25 to 30 mph. Gusts up to 50 mph.Wednesday night: A mostly clear sky. Low 21F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.Thursday: A mix of clouds and sun early, then becoming cloudy later in the day. High 42F. Winds shifting from NW to SW around 10 mph.Thursday night: Cloudy with rain and snow possible. Low 30F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.Friday: Cloudy with morning snow showers possible. High 39F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph.Friday night: Partly cloudy. Low 24F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.Saturday: Sunny skies. High around 45F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.Saturday night: A mostly clear sky. Low 27F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.Sunday: Mostly sunny. High 47F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.Sunday night: Clear. Low 32F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.

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