Ames, IA -- Monday's snow squall may have caught some Iowans unaware, but the Department of Transportation was ready.
The Iowa DOT's winter season actually starts October 15th.
"We have to have a certain percentage of our trucks outfitted and ready to go. That's also the same day we start reporting road conditions, and we start filling out daily logs tracking equipment and material usage" says Iowa DOT Winter Operations Administrator Craig Bargfrede.
He says says it's not just snowplows that are ready for winter weather--the DOT has it's own on-staff meteorologist...
"Really gives some some very clear-cut--as much as possible--weather information. It helps in our predictions, helps us in forecasts, helps us in planning what we need to do with our field staff" Bargfrede says.
He says the DOT also has a lot of technology at work when it comes to keeping tabs on winter driving conditions.
"Forward-facing cameras in the plow trucks, combined with our weather station network and traffic cameras across the state--you can quickly see what is happening to help you make your (travel) decisions" Bargfrede says.
He says some snow plow crews have actually been out twice so far--Monday's snow squall and dealing with snow that fall on Central Iowa last weekend.