UPDATE: Some West Des Moines Customers Have Power Restored as Winter Storm Draco's Winds Whip Lines

Update 2:30 p.m.

Power was restored to the homes and businesses near the Val Air Ballroom on the north end of the Valley Junction area at about 1:30 p.m. today.

As of 2:30 p.m. the MidAmerican Energy website reported 1,206 West Des Moines customers remained without power, down about 400 from this morning.

The high winds continue to whip power lines and tree limbs coated with ice from last night's brief rains, and then weighed down with the 8 inches of snow the National Weather Service says fell on the city.

Residents are out across town trying to dig out driveways and sidewalks, and drag downed tree limbs out of travel areas.

Our Earlier Story

More West Des Moines customers have reported outages to MidAmerican Energy Co., which is now reporting 1,605 customers without electricity. That's about 150 more than earlier reported.

If you have an outage that hasn't been reported, call (800) 799-4443 if you're a residential customer and (800) 329-6261 if you're a business cusomter.

Motorists should avoid the Mills Civic Parkway on ramp to Interestate 35 southbound. Witnesses are reporting that a semi tractor trailer is stuck, causing traffic interruptions.

Emergency responders are helping the trucker dig out.

Roads are slick and drifting shut in residential areas, but main thoroughfares are in normal winter driving condition, West Des Moines Public Works has reported.

According to the Des Moines Register, officials have been clearing streets since the overnight hours

It may be the end of the day before all streets have been cleared. Kevin Hensley, the city's storm watch supervisor, said.

“It’s going to depend on the wind, when the snow quits and how quickly the temperature drops," he told the newspaper.

Some 1,452 customers in West Des Moines are among those without power after Draco, the first blizzard of the season, blasted through the city. MidAmerican Energy said nearly 33,000 customers in the Des Moines area are without power because of the storm.

On West Des Moines Patch's Facebook page, Patch Regional Editor Deb Belt said the neighborhood around the Val Air Ballroom, 301 Ashworth Road, had been without power since 4 a.m.

Reader Theresa Milosevic reported that power was out in Valley Junction; Todd Robertson said has been out at 63rd and Grand and Erika Hansen said lights have flickered.

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Earlier, Patch Reported:

West Des Moines is slowly digging out from Draco, the first blizzard of the season. Schools are closed and many businesses aren’t opening until around noon after Draco dumped as much as 10 inches of snow on the city.

The National Weather Service said another two inches of snow could fall before ending around noon, but blowing snow will make travel hazardous. Snow could redevelop before 3 p.m. Falling temperatures will push wind-chill values to around zero by 5 pm. Gusts from a north northwest winds of 25 to 31 miles per hour could reach 47 mph.

Tonight, it will be mostly clear with a low around 6 and wind-chill values as low as -10. Winds will decrease to 13 to 18 mph after midnight, but gusts could reach as high as 38 mph.

Add closings and delays to the list in the comments. Also upload your Winter Storm Draco pictures on Patch.

The Des Moines Register reported some of the following West Des Moines area businesses are closed.

Susan Judkins of Clive reported her cable television and phone service, both provided by Mediacom, are out and that the company said there are outages throughout the area.

All state offices are closed until noon.

DART announced earlier today that it would resume route service at 11:45 a.m. It shut down this morning for only the third time in 20 years.