Travel outlook for Christmas holiday is good

If you're driving some time this week to visit relatives during the Christmas season, you shouldn't have major problems, so long as you're driving west or south.

The National Weather Service Office in La Crosse says snow accumulations Monday through Wednesday could total one to four inches in MInnesota and Wisconsin, but might not total one inch in Northeast Iowa, with precipitation falling as rain to the west and south.

As for filling up your gas tank, the price of gasoline nationwide has now hit a five-and-a-half year low, according to a Lundberg survey released Sunday.

Prices for regular-grade gasoline nationwide fell to $2.47 a gallon in the latest survey.  A Gas Buddy survey places Iowa's average gas price at $2.30 a gallon.  Gas in Decorah is $2.25 a gallon, while several gas stations in Dubuque and other towns are selling gas for less than $2.00 a gallon.

Gas prices are now more than $1.25 a gallon lower since peaking in May of this year.