DES MOINES, Iowa — Snow ordinances will be in affect for most metro cities by Thursday morning, meaning now is the time to get your car off the street.

The calm February weather we have been seeing will quickly change, turning into messy commutes as road conditions become icy and slick.

And with a large crowd in downtown Des Moines for state wrestling, some people may find themselves battling winter weather to make it home.

The Iowa State Patrol said patience is key when it comes to driving in winter weather.

“We want to make sure that everyone is prepared should you have to drive through this storm,” Sergeant Alex Dinkla, the Iowa State Patrol’s public information officer said. “Ultimately, have patience. We can’t stress enough that if you have to be driving through those slick roads, have patience and lets give our DOT folks the amount of time that they need to clear those roads so that we can get them back into what we call ‘normal winter weather’ travel conditions as soon as possible.”

If you do however find yourself in a bind, Sgt. Dinkla said the best thing to do is stay calm, have your winter weather kit ready, and call for help.

“Our officers are all prepared, we are ready to go. Whether that’s assisting a broken down motorist, getting somebody out of a car or out of the ditch. We have all carried luggage, car seats, whatever that may be, we’re going to make sure that we take care of those folks in their time of need,” said Sgt. Dinkla.

Sgt. Dinkla also advises those traveling to use the Iowa 511 app to check road conditions before heading out the door.