Snow covers much of Iowa, more predicted

DES MOINES (AP) — About 4 1/2 inches of snow blanketed parts of the state Thursday, prompting dangerous conditions for motorists trudging through freshly covered roads and heavy snowfall. Snow began falling early in the morning in western Iowa and continued falling in central and eastern Iowa into the evening. Several traffic accidents occurred, with dozens of vehicles sliding into ditches across the state but no major injuries reported. “It was kind of a white-knuckle drive on the way to work today,” said Steve Teachout, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Des Moines. Teachout said southern and central Iowa received most of the snowfall, with Manning and Bussey each receiving about 4 1/2 inches. Northern Iowa received signifi