Blizzard in Fayette, Iowa

During the evening hours on March 15th through the early morning hours on March 16th, the combination of falling snow and strong wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph resulted in visibilities falling below 1/4-mile in Fayette County for several hours resulting in blizzard conditions. Snowfall totals across the county ranged between 2 to 3 inches with the highest total being 3.3 inches 2 miles east of Oelwein. Additionally, the AWOS at Oelwein reported a 53 mph peak wind gust during this period.

After a transition over to snow during the afternoon on March 15th, a secondary round of snow moved into northeast Iowa with winds increasing to 30 to 40 mph. Coupled with visibility reductions to 1/4 mile or less at times during the evening and overnight hours, this resulted in a period of blizzard conditions across northeast Iowa. Snowfall amounts remained on the lighter side with amounts ranging from 2 to 5 inches across northeast Iowa.