Here is a weather graphic displaying the general snowfall totals from across Iowa for the storm spanning Jan. 29th-30th, 2013:

“Breaker-breaker-one-nine” was how truck drivers used to communicate on the citizen’s band radio, but technology has changed. The Iowa Department of Transportation is reaching out to truckers during this latest snowstorm, hoping they’ll send Tweets, pictures and video about the messes they’re encountering. Bob Younie is the D-O-T’s state maintenance engineer.  “We think it would be very useful for professional drivers and other motorists to let us know what they see,” Younie says. “We can’t be in every part of the system all the time, although we’re continually plowing snow. We think the use of social media will help us understand what people are seeing and experiencing.” The snowstorm that hit December 19th and 20th dropped nearly 14 inches of snow on parts of central Iowa. Younie says situations arose during that storm that were teachable moments where a quick note via Twitter or Facebook would have gone a long ways to helping overcome winter travel obstacles.

“People experience a condition that sometimes we don’t see, for example, a slow-down in traffic or people being unable to move or people being stranded,” Younie says. “We had some comments about that during the blizzard.  Those are the kinds of information that’s valuable to us. We want to know things we can take action on.” Today’s snowstorm is much less ferrocious than the late December blizzard, but parts of Iowa may still get six to eight inches of snow from this blast. Plus, the winds are whipping up the snow and causing white-out conditions in some areas.

Younie says, “There’s snow on the roads, snow’s blowing and people need to be concerned with their own personal safety by slowing down, giving a little extra space around them, and let’s just all travel safely.” The Iowa DOT is using the following hashtag — #iatraffic — during this event and recommends other Twitter users do the same to find relevant tweets using that key phrase. If you’re sending pictures or video, use the “geotag” function, so your location can be pinpointed. Keep up on conditions by calling 511 or visit “511ia.org”.

(Radio Iowa)

w/ Ric Hanson

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In an update to our story posted early this (Wednesday) morning on KJAN.com, the Iowa State Patrol says a Council Bluffs woman injured in an accident on Interstate 8o in Adair County Tuesday night, has succumbed to her injuries. Officials say41-year old Heather Ann Roberts, of Council Bluffs, died at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. Roberts was traveling west on I-80 at around 10:30-p.m., when her full-sized Chevy pickup went out of control.

The pickup crossed the median and entered the eastbound lanes of traffic, where it was hit on the passenger side by a 2006 Volvo semi.  Both vehicles then came to rest in the east ditch off of eastbound I-80. Roberts, who was wearing a seat belt, was transported to the hospital in Des Moines, by Stuart Rescue. The driver of the semi, 49-year old Michael P. Cole, of Oswego, IL., was not injured.

These are from various reports received through 7-a.m. by the National Weather Service and media outlets: In Atlantic (KJAN studios), 4.2″….Creston 4.5″….Glenwood  6″….Audubon  5″…Avoca  4″.. and Hamburg 4″.  The snow had begun to taper-off to flurries by 8-a.m. across most of western Iowa, but the wind was still creating some whiteout conditions.

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WINTERSET, Iowa (AP) – Former Madison County Attorney Anthony Zane Blessum has been charged with assaulting his former girlfriend.  The Des Moines Register reports that the 56-year-old Blessum has pleaded not guilty to charges of assault with intent to inflict injury and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse. He was charged on Jan. 14th.

Police reports say Blessum and the woman argued at Blessum’s house in Dallas County on June 11. A 911 call was placed from the house, and officers found the woman with several injuries. She was taken to a hospital for treatment, but Blessum was not arrested that night.  Iowa Assistant Attorney General Laura Roan is prosecuting the case.  Blessum’s attorney, Shane Michael, says Blessum acted in self-defense.

Blessum served as Madison County attorney from 1987 to 1997.

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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Snow and gusty winds are slicking roads and slowing travel in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. A winter weather advisory remained in effect Wednesday morning for the southeastern quarter of Nebraska. Weather forecasters estimated that up to 3 inches of snow had fallen by early Wednesday morning in the Omaha area, while Lincoln officials reported around 6 inches of snow. In western Iowa, roadways were covered with a mix of snow and ice, and the Iowa Department of Transportation warned of treacherous driving conditions.

Most schools from Lincoln to Omaha in Nebraska and in western Iowa canceled Wednesday classes.  The National Weather Service has also issued a winter storm warning for parts of central Iowa later Wednesday, with Cedar Rapids forecast to get up to 7 inches of snow.

One person was injured during a single-vehicle accident Tuesday night about 3.5-miles east of Stuart, on Interstate 80 in Adair County. According to the Iowa State Patrol, a 2006 Chevy Colorado pickup driven by 41-year old Heather Ann Roberts, of Council Bluffs, was traveling west on I-80 at around 10:30-p.m., when the vehicle went out of control. The pickup crossed the median and was hit broadside in the passenger side by a 2006 Volvo semi, driven by 49-year old Michael P. Cole, of Oswego, IL. Both vehicles then came to rest in the east ditch off of eastbound I-80. Roberts was transported by Stuart Rescue to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. A report on her condition is not available. The driver of the semi was not injured.