SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KTIV) -
The calendar says we're almost in spring, but as road crews worked to plow snow from the streets Sunday morning, the weather said it's still set on winter. Around Sioux City, residents had to play catch up to clear the snow that was still falling by midday.
"If I don't get it now, it's gonna freeze I'll never get it," Willy Lefler, Sioux City said.
Freezing rain and snow kept authorities busy responding to accidents. And when roads get slippery, so do sidewalks. That's why doctors are cautioning people to be careful when digging out of the snow.
"We're going to see skating rink types of injuries, we've already started to see them, people fall and strike their head, broken ankle, and, broken wrists," Dr. Thomas Benzoni, Mercy Regional Medical Center.
Dr. Thomas Benzoni works in the ER at Mercy Regional Medical Center. He says in some cases injuries can be prevented or less severe if you keep your hands out of your pockets while walking.
"As you start to slip, you use your hands as a counterbalance, so just having your hands available to flail around in the air can help you," Benzoni said.
Shoveling snow may also not be for the faint hearted. Dr. Benzoni says people with heart conditions should be careful.
"Snow like this is not the light fluffy stuff that we're used to, this stuff weighs a lot of pounds per shovel full, take a bunch of small shovels, take your time, relax," Dr. Benzoni said.
Benzoni advises people with heart problems who experience dizziness or chest pain while shoveling to immediately go the emergency room. He says it could be the onset of a heart attack.
People KTIV talked with said, they're taking it slowly, and hope they can put their shovels away for good soon.
Sioux City resident clearing sidewalk after late winter snow storm.
