Winter Returns To The Mahaska County Area
Plow operators were working non-stop this weekend to help clear the roads. This Iowa DOT plow truck was seen making its way south on 63 through Oskaloosa on Saturday morning.
Winter Storm Gia is the second named winter storm to impact the area this year.
Oskaloosa, Iowa – The snow was coming down at a steady pace on Saturday morning. You could hear the wind pushing snow into drifts, the crunching sound of tires on snow, and the random beeper as a plow vehicle was in reverse.
As people made their way outside, taking in the muted sounds of a snowfall, starting their vehicles and preparing for the day, announcements about events began to come in.
The Oskaloosa High School had several events that were canceled, while over at Smokey Row, the smell of freshly brewed coffee made its way out front of their location, drawing in brave travelers to Eggs and Issues.
In the region, snow accumulated and caused traveling to become more difficult. Eventually, a tow ban went into effect as the road conditions worsened.
The National Weather Service reports that Oskaloosa had 5 inches of snow, but most local residents reported that at least 8 inches of snow fell in their neighborhoods.
Pella reported 8 inches of snow, while Knoxville reported 5 inches. Bussey had a reported 11 inches of snow, while Albia reported 10 inches of new snow, and Ottumwa reported 6 inches.
The powerful winter storm had its most significant impact south of Mahaska County and Iowa, where it brought nearly a foot of snow to portions of northern and eastern Missouri. In St. Louis, the storm brought traffic to a halt, while motorists waited hours on the interstates due to accidents and poor road conditions.
Mexico, Missouri received 19 inches of snow from Gia.
Shoveling off the sidewalks in downtown Oskaloosa on Saturday morning may have felt a bit futile a times, as the snow continued to come down. Area residents measured 8 inches or more of snow from the storm.
Closer to home, the tow ban remained in effect on Sunday morning, as road crews continued to work on clearing roads.
The City of Oskaloosa didn’t implement their snow ordinance this time around because of the previously warm temperatures, the roads were soft on the edges, and the concern was the plows might cause damage.
The city then decided to focus solely on the travel lanes of the roadways, said Oskaloosa City Manager Michael Schrock. “We also didn’t want to have people get ticketed or towed if we didn’t get curb to curb.”
The weather this coming week: Mahaska County may see some limited melting, as temps will mostly be in the high 20’s and low 30’s, with Tuesday’s forecast high of 36 maybe providing the best opportunity to clear out some of the worst areas.
