IOWA DOT WEATHER INFORMATION SYSTEM TO SUPPORT WINTER MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS

Understanding and interpreting weather information can be critical to the success of any winter snow and ice removal operation. Knowing when, where and what type of deicing material to use for a particular winter weather event can be a challenge to even the most experienced veterans. Knowing where to find the weather information needed to make decisions and what information to use can also be difficult. The Maintenance Division of the Iowa Department of Transportation has taken a number of steps over the past ten years to provide supervisors and operators with the weather information and training they need to make better snow and ice operational decisions. A fifty-site Roadway Weather Information System coupled with a satellite delivered weather information system at nearly every maintenance garage have been sources for real-time weather information. Extensive training has also been included in the process as an important element to understanding how to use this weather information for making operational decisions. The department also provides similar weather information to cities, counties, and the general public through the Internet and the rest area kiosks in an effort to educate others on how the weather information can help with their snow and ice operations and provide general traveler information to help motorists make informed decisions on travel.