Looking for road conditions

Kids (son and wife) are driving home from Fort Lewis (Tacoma WA). We were able to check weather conditions over to Billings MT and have them in good weather. The forcast I have looked at so far have him hitting snow or rain (depends on route) in the Dakotas and they only give a percent of chance, not amounts of.

If anyone along I94, I90, from Billings (I94, I90 split) to Chicago could provide local snow fall and/or interstate conditions for the next 36 hours, it would help us determind the best way to go.

Our options are either I-94 through Minneapolis to Chicago. I-90 through Rapid City, Sioux Falls and La Crosse, to Chicago. We also have the option of dropping down to I-80 (long way) and pass through Nebraska and Iowa, but from what I see it is going to be a mix of rain, ice, and snow for the next 36 hours that way.

Once they get to Chicago, they will be taking I-94 up towards Grand Rapids MI (her parents home). Does anyone kow the condition of I-94 through IN and MI?

We are just trying to avoid ice, road closures, and keep them on maintained road. A few inches of snow is no real concern. Unless is is blowing like a witch and drifting up bad.

Google the specific state and road conditions, i.e: [b:6cdfd22d49][i:6cdfd22d49]Montana road conditions [/i:6cdfd22d49][/b:6cdfd22d49]I know Ohio, Michigan and Indiana all have sites run by the individual Dept's of Transportation that are updated and reliable.

Hope they have a safe trip.

Tim

at this point MI is good. A light 3inch dusting laast night but cleaned up already. Safe trip to your family. Have a great holiday.

Head 'em south down to I80. They may encounter some weather there also, but nothing like up North, and shouldn't too many more miles to the trip.

Why not look up radio stations 3-400 mi ahead of where you are they will have conditions rite now thats what i do the forecasts arent always up to date and i want to know what its doing now. Not hard to do.

Errin, looks like fairly light amounts, 1-4" except maybe a bit more in SE S. Dakota and NE Iowa.

http://www.weather.com/weather/today/La+Crosse+WI+USWI0372
Errin I live in LaCrosse and the roads are good here. You can go to the link above and type in any city and get there weather. Merry Christmas Bob

Try these out they look like something that would work. (the second one is probably more accurate, especially if they are not driving straight through)

http://www.trippish.com/
It lets you map out your trip then tells you the weather conditions.

or this one:
http://www.weather.com/activities/driving/interstate/tripbuilder_welcome.html
This one lets you enter up to 24 cities along your route and the times you expect to be there and it gives the forcast for each for the time you specify)

Im not sure how far it goes, but in the Chicago area, AM 780 has traffic and weather on the 8's.

IIRC...I was near Macomb, Il and got above average reception on AM 780.

HTH...Merry Christmas....don t. ....

I would say I94 is good through Mn. They (road maintainance) seem to stay on top of it & get it cleaned soon.

At 2:30 pm I 90 is wide open, getting a little snow nut it's cold so it's blowing away. No ice, no rain. Should be good to Chicago for the next 24 hours. Does he have wi-fi laptop?
He can also call 511 in SD for raod conditions.

Gordo

We just got a foot of powder yesterday in Laramie, WY. I sure wouldn't want to come this way if the wind picks up.

I'll second sending them down I-80 or maybe I-90 instead of I-94.

www.511MN.org is the Minnesota DOT site for road conditions

www.511IA.org has Iowa road conditions.

In central Minnesota roads are cleared with normal winter driving (some snow pack in spots). I haven't been on the interstates.

The weather forcast here for Thursday & Thursday night is 20 to 40% chance of snow flurries and light snow showers with light accumulations of an inch or less. We have 18 inches of snow on the ground and the high today (Wed) was a warm 30F.

Relatives in Omaha say the grass is showing in spots on their lawns.

How experienced are your drivers? You may want to steer them around larger cities as much as possible.

I-90 through Minneapolis will be congested with up to 40 miles of possible stop and go conditions on the interstates from 7am to 9am and from 3pm to 7pm and later. I-696 around the north side of town will be the same distance and somewhat easier than traveling though both downtown Minneapolis and Downtown St. Paul. I-494 around the south side of town is longer and is always more congested, avoid it.

Sioux Falls, SD; Des Moines, IA; Quad Cities, Ia & IL; and Madison, WI are all medium size towns that are much easier to drive through most anytime of day.

Chicago will be a bear anytime, especially if you come from the north and drive through all the western side of town. I-80 from the west by-passes the west side. Avoid rush hour in Chicago.

Have a safe trip and a merry Christmas.

I'll second sending them down I-80 or maybe I-90 instead of I-94.

www.511MN.org is the Minnesota DOT site for road conditions

www.511IA.org has Iowa road conditions.

In central Minnesota roads are cleared with normal winter driving (some snow pack in spots). I haven't been on the interstates.

The weather forcast here for Thursday & Thursday night is 20 to 40% chance of snow flurries and light snow showers with light accumulations of an inch or less. We have 18 inches of snow on the ground and the high today (Wed) was a warm 30F.

Relatives in Omaha say the grass is showing in spots on their lawns.

How experienced are your drivers? You may want to steer them around larger cities as much as possible.

I-90 through Minneapolis will be congested with up to 40 miles of possible stop and go conditions on the interstates from 7am to 9am and from 3pm to 7pm and later. I-696 around the north side of town will be the same distance and somewhat easier than traveling though both downtown Minneapolis and Downtown St. Paul. I-494 around the south side of town is longer and is always more congested, avoid it.

Sioux Falls, SD; Des Moines, IA; Quad Cities, Ia & IL; and Madison, WI are all medium size towns that are much easier to drive through most anytime of day.

Chicago will be a bear anytime, especially if you come from the north and drive through all the western side of town. I-80 from the west by-passes the west side. Avoid rush hour in Chicago.

Have a safe trip and a merry Christmas.