Winter rebound: Second blizzard of year whips into NW Iowa

(Sentinel photo by Magdalene Landegent) Dave Puetz, of Le Mars, blows snow from his driveway onto an ever-increasing snowbank near his home on Central Avenue. This season's snowfall is already above the annual average. [Click to enlarge]

Schools were closed and drifts got higher when the sequel to the Christmas storm two weeks ago roared into town Wednesday.

This week's snowfall raises the winter total to 37.4 inches.

(Sentinel photo by Magdalene Landegent) An employee from Campbell Quality Lawn Care scoop snow on Central Avenue after Mother Nature dumped 6.5 inches of the white stuff Wednesday, then followed up with icy temperatures. [Click to enlarge]

That's beyond Le Mars' average annual snowfall -- and that's with half of the snowfall season yet to come.

In records dating back to 1896, the annual average snowfall is 31.1 inches, according the Midwestern Regional Climate Center.

December's snowfall, 25.4 inches, was close to breaking a record set more than a century ago.

In 1897, December brought 26 inches of the white stuff to Le Mars.

"This December ranks as the the second snowiest December on record," said Alan Black, service climatologist at the Midwestern Regional Climate Center.

The third snowiest December was in 1945 with 25 inches.

This week's blizzard brought 6.5 inches of snow to Le Mars, then whipped it up with driving winds.

"It was basically an Alberta clipper," said Philip Schumacher, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls. "It came down through South Dakota into Iowa, bringing 4-8 inches of snow."

The winds then switched to the north, bringing gusts of 30-35 mph, and continued blowing snow through most of today (Thursday).

"The temperatures will drop through most of the day and we'll get to the 25-40 below zero windchill range, even into Friday morning," Schumacher said.

Saturday will remain cold, with highs near 5 degrees, but there is hope for warmth -- Sunday's highs are predicted to be near 20 degrees.

The area should be done with snow, at least until Monday, when there's only a slight chance for light snow, Schumacher said.

In the meantime, Wednesday's snow and today's winds closed Le Mars schools, and cancelled activities, while law enforcement officers were busy responding to snow-related accidents.

"There have been a number of people in the ditch," said Kirk Hatting from the Plymouth County Communications Center at the Law Enforcement Center Thursday.

Fortunately, no one was injured in the accidents, he added.

Plows are out clearing the roads, but drifting snow is making it difficult.

"They're having a tough time keeping Highway 3 open with the wind," Hatting said. "The DOT (Department of Transportation) is thinking of pulling their plows and closing it."

As of Thursday morning, the Iowa State Patrol advised no travel in central south central and most of western Iowa. The agency reported that I-29 southbound from Sloan to Whiting was impassable or partially blocked and advised against travel on I-29 from Sioux City to the Missouri border due to very poor travel conditions and multiple crashes.

Plymouth County plows were pulled off the county roads at 4:30 p.m. and returned to work at 7 a.m. to clear drifting snow.

City plows started clearing city streets at 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. Thursday.

Piles are getting high around homes and businesses as people clearing sidewalks, driveways and parking areas have nowhere to go with the snow but up.

Think that's a lot of snow? Think again.

The snowiest winter in Le Mars was in 1928, when a total of 102.1 inches piled up.

Second place goes to the winter of 1931, when 81.5 inches fell.

However, with half of the snowfall season ahead of us, this winter ranks 45th in terms of amount of snow.

There's still time to break a record.