Blizzard — Delaware, Iowa

2022-12-23 to 2022-12-24 · Delaware, Iowa

Event narrative

Snow fall reports ranged from 2.5 to 3.5 inches across the county. Peak wind gusts ranged from 40 to 50 MPH with a peak wind gust at the Manchester Airport of 49 MPH. This led to widespread blowing and drifting snow across the area resulting in blizzard conditions across the area. These winds also produced a wind chill of -23 in Manchester.

Wider weather episode

A strong winter storm brought widespread snow to the region Thursday, with amounts between 1 to 4 inches. Some higher totals near 6 inches were reported in eastern Linn and Cedar counties. Strong winds also accompanied the snow, which caused significant blowing and drifting, especially in rural areas. Many accidents were reported on Interstate 80, causing frequent backups. Even stronger winds were observed on Friday across the area. Wind gusts between 40-50 mph were common, creating ground blizzard conditions primarily along and north of Interstate 80.

Additionally, temperatures dropped sharply behind the arctic cold front on Thursday and continued to fall throughout the day. Single digit temperatures with wind chills between -20 and -40 degrees were common.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1070890. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.