I-35 · MN / IA
I-35 from Minneapolis to Des Moines: road conditions right now
Minneapolis, MN to Des Moines, IA
I-35 south of the Twin Cities crosses 240 miles of open farmland where blowing snow and ice storms close the interstate, most often between Albert Lea and Ames. Both MnDOT and Iowa DOT report pavement conditions segment by segment, and this page shows them.
Conditions at Sat, 2:18 AM CDT
Highest risk along I-35: 5 of 5 (severe), departing at that time.
- No active NWS alerts on this route.
- DOT: Road closed — Cliff Rd (eastbound)
- DOT: Road closed — Cliff Rd (westbound)
The road authority linked below has the final word on closures and chain requirements.
30 min of severe risk, worst between Elko New Market, MN and Owatonna, MN (road closed, light rain)
Time in weather: 30 min severe · 30 min high · 30 min moderate · 2 h 6 min clear
Conditions: Moderate to heavy rain, Light rain, Light to moderate rain and more
Checkpoints along I-35
| Where | You pass | Weather | Risk | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis, MN | Sat 3:00 AM | 51°F | high | Heavy rain — hydroplaning risk · Sources differ: NWS says Cloudy at 51°F |
| Elko New Market, MN | Sat 3:30 AM | 48°F | severe | MnDOT 511: Road closed — Cliff Rd (eastbound) · Likely light rain |
| Owatonna, MN | Sat 4:00 AM | 48°F | moderate | Steady rain — reduced traction |
| Albert Lea, MN | Sat 4:30 AM | 48°F | low | Likely rain · Sources differ: NWS says Chance Showers And Thunderstorms at 50°F |
| Clear Lake, IA | Sat 5:00 AM | 48°F | low | Likely light rain |
| Oakland, IA | Sat 5:30 AM | 48°F | low | Likely light rain |
| Story City, IA | Sat 6:00 AM | 50°F | low | Sources differ: NWS says Chance Rain Showers at 52°F |
| Des Moines, IA | Sat 6:30 AM – 6:36 AM | 52°F | low | Nothing flagged |
Why this stretch is hard in winter
- The Iowa–Minnesota border area near Albert Lea and Clear Lake is the windiest, most-closed section.
- Freezing rain events in Iowa can glaze I-35 for hours before salt catches up.
- Drifting across the road continues long after snow ends when winds stay above 30 mph.
What this page checks
- Hourly forecast at every checkpoint for the time you would be there: temperature, precipitation type and rate, gusts, visibility.
- Active National Weather Service watches, warnings, and advisories on the route.
- Snow on the ground (NOAA SNODAS) and the Weather Prediction Center winter impact outlook.
- Pavement temperature and surface state from state DOT road sensors, when you are leaving within a few hours.
- Chain controls, closures, and winter road condition reports from state DOT feeds where they are published openly.
- Seasonal closures of mountain roads the router might otherwise use.
Official sources for this corridor
Questions drivers ask about I-35
- What do "partially covered" and "completely covered" mean?
- Those are the Iowa DOT and Midwest 511 pavement condition levels: normal, partially covered (patches of snow or ice), completely covered, travel not advised, and impassable. This page pulls the current level for every I-35 segment on the route.
Conditions change by the hour. This page is a planning aid built on public forecasts and DOT feeds; the road authority linked above has the final word on closures and chain requirements.
Other corridors: I-80 across Wyoming · I-70 through the Colorado mountains · I-80 over Donner Pass · I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass · I-84 through the Blue Mountains · I-15 over Cajon Pass · all corridors