Iowa has a reputation for delivering harsh winters. It also has a reputation for occasionally skipping “real” winter. Here are 10 things that locals may forget to tell newcomers about exactly how to survive our huge temperature swings and the sometimes-frigid temperatures.
- Black ice isn’t a fancy new cocktail or the name of a character on Game of Thrones.
Zach Petersen/Flickr The road may look safe, but an invisible thin layer of the world’s slickest ice awaits. Proceed with caution.
- Many of us enjoy winter.
Steve Evans/Flickr It’s much easier to live in a state with four distinct seasons if you embrace every change in the weather as it comes.
- Ice storms sometimes cause a widespread loss of power.
Elvis Kennedy/Flickr Depending on where you live, a generator could be helpful.
- No sled? No problem.
Mark Evans/Flickr Pretty much anything slides on snow, even pizza boxes.
- Visibility matters.
nugefishes/Flickr On ice, you can go slow. On snow, you can creep along and keep your distance from other cars. When Iowa winter weather causes low visibility, it’s time to stay where you are and wait it out. Four-wheel drive won’t help you if you can’t see what’s in front of your vehicle.
- Winter may make you feel a bit stir-crazy.
Phil Roeder/Flickr A walk is the anecdote. Unless the temperatures or wind-chill is really low, you’ll be fine. Bundle up and breathe in that crisp winter air.
- Iowa winters are a great time to make memories
wiserbailey/Flickr Kids around here love a snowy 30-degree day. You may be freezing, but they’ll want to stay out for hours.
- We have state-of-the art snow removal equipment.
Alan Light/Flickr But we don’t always use it right away. You may have to drive through drifts, alleys are the last places snow gets removed (if at all), and during a stretch of particularly snowy weather, you’ll be glad if you have a four-wheel drive vehicle.
- We need somewhere to put all the snow that lands on parking lots.
chanzi/Flickr Those building-sized mountains may not be completely melted by May.
- One of the best things about cold Iowa winters with lots of snow is that the world becomes your refrigerator.
118Hungary2013/Flickr Make the best of it.
Do you have any advice for surviving an Iowa winter?
Zach Petersen/Flickr
The road may look safe, but an invisible thin layer of the world’s slickest ice awaits. Proceed with caution.
Steve Evans/Flickr
It’s much easier to live in a state with four distinct seasons if you embrace every change in the weather as it comes.
Elvis Kennedy/Flickr
Depending on where you live, a generator could be helpful.
Mark Evans/Flickr
Pretty much anything slides on snow, even pizza boxes.
nugefishes/Flickr
On ice, you can go slow. On snow, you can creep along and keep your distance from other cars. When Iowa winter weather causes low visibility, it’s time to stay where you are and wait it out. Four-wheel drive won’t help you if you can’t see what’s in front of your vehicle.
Phil Roeder/Flickr
A walk is the anecdote. Unless the temperatures or wind-chill is really low, you’ll be fine. Bundle up and breathe in that crisp winter air.
wiserbailey/Flickr
Kids around here love a snowy 30-degree day. You may be freezing, but they’ll want to stay out for hours.
Alan Light/Flickr
But we don’t always use it right away. You may have to drive through drifts, alleys are the last places snow gets removed (if at all), and during a stretch of particularly snowy weather, you’ll be glad if you have a four-wheel drive vehicle.
chanzi/Flickr
Those building-sized mountains may not be completely melted by May.
118Hungary2013/Flickr
Make the best of it.
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