The 1973 April Blizzard

Posted: April 8, 2021 at 7:07 am

48 years ago Iowa and other parts of the upper Midwest got pounded with snow.  Check out the description from National Weather Service.

In 1973, possibly the worst April blizzard on record in Iowa pounded the state from April 8-10. Snowfall totals of 20.3 inches at Belle Plaine and 19.2 inches at Dubuque set all-time storm total records at those locations. Total amounts of 16.0 inches were reported at Lansing and New Hampton, while Cedar Rapids received 14.5 inches, Iowa City 14.3 inches, and Des Moines 14.0 inches. At Des Moines 10.3 inches of their total fell just on the 9^th, making it the snowiest April day on record at that location. Winds gusting to 65 mph or higher resulted in near zero visibility and blew the snow into drifts as deep as 16 feet closing most roads in the state.