Blizzard in Howard, Iowa

The combination of snow and strong winds allowed for visibilities to drop to a quarter mile or less resulting in blizzard conditions during the morning hours on March 5th in Howard County. A peak wind gust of 54 mph was at the Iowa Department of Transportation observation station in Saratoga with visibilities near or below a quarter mile across portions of the county. Snow accumulations between 1 to 3 inches were noted across the county.

During the first week of March, a powerful mid-latitude cyclone progressed through the Upper Midwest overnight on the 4th and into the morning and afternoon on the 5th. As this occurred, rain changed over to snow with increasing winds during the early morning hours on March 5th. Widespread wind gusts of 45 to 55 mph with falling snow led to visibilities falling to a quarter mile or less, resulting in blizzard conditions across portions of northeast Iowa.