OTTUMWA, IOWA -- All across the Heartland residents saw winter precipitation ranging from freezing rain to sleet and snow.
Ice was building up on cars and streets all night long in Ottumwa. Now everyone is cleaning up Mother Nature’s mess.
Mike Behymer removes snow and ice for several Ottumwa businesses, like the Hotel Ottumwa.
"We’ve been out here since about 7:00 a.m. chipping ice. [It] usually takes us about an hour to do this and we've been at it for three hours and we're still not done," Behymer said.
Thick layers of ice covered sidewalks Friday morning.
"It’s a good inch, maybe more in places," Behymer added.
Manager of O.T. Communications Doug Heidebrink has all the tools to attack the ice in front of his store.
"Ice scraper, shovel and a lot of salt," said Heidebrink.
Mark Millhoff is using a lot of elbow grease to clear off his car.
"Beating the ice off of it...got a hammer?" asked Millhoff.
The ice is taking a toll on just about everyone, even the city mail carriers.
Lisa Wright told KTVO that the slick conditions were slowing her down a bit, but the ice didn’t stop her.
"Rain, sleet or snow, the mail must go," Wright said.
Despite the ice, residents did everything they could to get on with their every day business on Friday.