The first snowfall of the season brought more than just colder weather with at least three-dozen reported car crashes in the Des Moines metro during the weekend.

Between 3 p.m. Saturday and 6 a.m. today DMPD responded to 36 crashes, including a dozen on I-235 and at least eight hit-and-runs, according to a social media post from the department.

But Sgt. Paul Parizek, spokesperson with the Des Moines Police Department, said crashes dropped off significantly with the end of the snowfall early Sunday morning.

The National Weather Service urges drivers to use caution as the winter weather starts to pass over Iowa.

“The first accumulating snow event of the season can often cause travel problems as people adjust to the poor driving conditions,” a report from the National Weather Service said. “Allow extra travel time and use caution.”

The DMPD gave Iowa drivers winter advice in a tweet before snow started falling in the metro Saturday.

“If we all slow down, give each other a little extra space, and keep our eyes on the road, we will drastically reduce the number of crashes this winter,” Parizek said. 

Kyle Werner is a reporter for the Register. Reach him at [email protected].