Public bid Ames, Iowa rock salt bids for 2026–27: $97.49–$100 a ton, delivered, on 2,500 tonsEst. contractor bulk Bulk rock salt at the yard: roughly $100–$150 a ton, depending on volume and freightEst. treated salt Pre-treated bulk salt usually runs $20–$50 a ton over plain rock saltEst. salt brine Salt brine by the gallon: roughly $0.20–$0.40, before deliveryEst. bagged rock salt Pallet of 49 × 50 lb rock salt bags: roughly $240–$330Est. ice melt pallet Pallet of 49 × 50 lb blended ice melt: roughly $430–$600Est. calcium chloride Calcium chloride pellets run $800+ a pallet. It's the cold-weather specialistNOAA normal Cedar Rapids averages 34.3 inches of snow a seasonNOAA normal Iowa City averages 27.5 inches of snow a seasonNOAA normal Des Moines averages 36.5 inches of snow a seasonRule of thumb Plain rock salt slows way down below about 15°F pavement temperatureFall pre-buy Lock in tons and pickup or delivery before the first storm, not during itPublic bid Ames, Iowa rock salt bids for 2026–27: $97.49–$100 a ton, delivered, on 2,500 tonsEst. contractor bulk Bulk rock salt at the yard: roughly $100–$150 a ton, depending on volume and freightEst. treated salt Pre-treated bulk salt usually runs $20–$50 a ton over plain rock saltEst. salt brine Salt brine by the gallon: roughly $0.20–$0.40, before deliveryEst. bagged rock salt Pallet of 49 × 50 lb rock salt bags: roughly $240–$330Est. ice melt pallet Pallet of 49 × 50 lb blended ice melt: roughly $430–$600Est. calcium chloride Calcium chloride pellets run $800+ a pallet. It's the cold-weather specialistNOAA normal Cedar Rapids averages 34.3 inches of snow a seasonNOAA normal Iowa City averages 27.5 inches of snow a seasonNOAA normal Des Moines averages 36.5 inches of snow a seasonRule of thumb Plain rock salt slows way down below about 15°F pavement temperatureFall pre-buy Lock in tons and pickup or delivery before the first storm, not during it

Price figures are estimates from public bids and published price lists, not quotes. Where these numbers come from

Home › Snow & Ice Guide › Pavement temperature beats air temperature

Pavement temperature beats air temperature

Why the number on your truck dash is the wrong number, and how to read the road instead.

Get a wholesale quote

Every deicer decision starts with one number, and it's not the one on your dash. Salt melts ice at the pavement surface, so the pavement temperature, and which way it's heading, is what decides whether your material works.12

Why air and pavement disagree

Air temperature is usually similar across a town. Pavement temperature can vary a lot from lot to lot and hour to hour. It depends on sun exposure, pavement type, what's underneath (a heated building, a bridge deck with cold air below, a parking ramp), and the weather history of the last few days.1 The same 25°F air temperature in November and January often comes with very different pavement temperatures, because November ground still holds summer heat and January ground doesn't.

Field rule: read the pavement, then read the trend. A 28°F pavement that's falling at dusk is a very different job from a 28°F pavement that's rising under a morning sun. Rate tables are built around both numbers.1

How to get a real pavement number

  • Infrared thermometers are cheap and fast. Make sure yours reads well below freezing; some are built for ovens and only read warm temperatures.1
  • Mirror- or dash-mounted pavement sensors give a running read as you drive the route.
  • Road Weather Information System (RWIS) stations run by the Iowa DOT report pavement temperature at sites along state highways. Iowa 511 and the DOT's road weather tools are worth a bookmark.3

What changes the number on your sites

SpotUsually runsWhy
Sunny, south-facing asphalt, middayWarmer than airDark pavement absorbs sunlight, even on a cold day
North side of buildings, under canopiesColder than open lotNo solar gain all day
Bridges, ramps, elevated decksColder, freezes firstCold air above and below; no ground heat
Clear, calm night after sunsetCan drop below air tempPavement radiates heat to a clear sky
Over heated spaces, near building wallsWarmerHeat leaking from below

That clear-night cooling is why frost and black ice can form on pavement when the air never hits 32°F, and why refreezing meltwater ambushes lots after midnight.

Next in the guideChoosing a deicer by temperature →

Sources

  1. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Winter Parking Lot and Sidewalk Maintenance (application rate table, Minnesota Stormwater Manual)
  2. Minnesota DOT, Anti-Icing Guide (practical vs. eutectic temperatures, brine concentrations)
  3. Iowa DOT, Winter operations and road weather information (511 and RWIS)

Figures are quoted from the sources above. Conditions on your sites vary; follow product labels and your own calibration.

Talk to real snow people

Need material for this? Get a quote

Talk to people who've run plows at 3 a.m. We know what it's like when the shed is empty, the radar is lit up and your clients expect dry walks by 7. Tell us what you need, and you'll get a straight answer and a written quote, not a sales pitch.

  • Fast delivery. Bulk dropped at your site, sized to your season, so you don't need a salt barn.
  • Storm-night loading. Extended loading hours when a big event hits.
  • Storm-priority list. Get in line for resupply before the storm, not during it.
  • See it first. Ask for a yard visit and see the treated salt in person.
  • Fall pre-buy and seasonal contracts. Lock in tons before the first flake.

Quotes are answered by a local Eastern Iowa wholesale supplier. Final prices, minimums and delivery area are on your written quote.

Contractor quote

Wholesale bulk de-icing material. Takes about a minute.

Products
Delivery or pickup
Make it easy on yourself
Thanks. Your request was sent. Expect a written quote soon.

No obligation. Your details are used only to answer this request.

Share this page TextFacebook XLinkedIn Email
Get a wholesale quote