Another usual Iowa winter storm is on it’s way for Iowa, packing with it all types, from mainly freezing rain to a little sleet to a little snow and yes, rain.
All of the National Weather Service offices in our coverage area have issued FREEZING RAIN ADVISORIES or WINTER STORM WATCHES in advance of this winter mess. Accumulations of up to a half of an inch of freezing rain is expected in some areas, which is the reason the National Weather Service upgraded a Freezing Rain Advisory to a Winter Storm Watch in some portions of the state.
To clarify, a Winter Storm Watch does not just mean snow – it is defined as a potential for significant snow, sleet, and/or ice accumulations that would seriously impact travel.
A mixture of freezing rain to sleet will begin Sunday morning, and continue into the early evening hours, creating a hazardous weather situation for Iowa.
The Hydrometeorological Prediction Center, based in Maryland which forecasts probabilities for freezing rain and snow across the United States, is forecasting at least a 40% probability of freezing rain across Northwest to East Central Iowa, with lower probabilities elsewhere (see map to left.)
Total accumulation with this storm should range from one-fourth to one-third of a inch of freezing rain in the Winter Storm Watch, with up to about one to two tenths of an inch possible in the Freezing Rain Advisory.
Simply put, just stay inside for the day on Sunday if you can. Both local streets and highways will be impacted by this storm and if you do travel on the roads you may land yourself in an accident. We may also see power lines and poles brought down by the ice in the late afternoon on Sunday. Stay tuned for the latest updates.
Winter Storm Watch from Sunday Morning through Sunday Evening for Allamakee, Black Hawk, Bremer, Butler, Cerro Gordo, Chickasaw, Clayton, Crawford, Faribault MN, Fayette, Fillmore MN, Floyd, Franklin, Freeborn MN, Grant WI, Grundy, Hancock IA, Hardin, Houston MN, Howard, Marshall, Mitchell, Mower, Poweshiek, Tama, Vernon WI, Winnebago, Winneshiek, Worth IA, and Wright counties.
Winter Storm Watch from Sunday Morning through Late Sunday Night for Benton, Buchanan, Carroll IL, Cedar, Clinton, Delaware, Des Moines, Dubuque, Henderson IL, Iowa, Jackson, Jo Daviess IL, Johnson, Jones, Linn, Louisa, Mercer IL, Muscatine, Rock Island IL, Scott, Washington,
and Whiteside IL counties.
Winter Storm Watch from Sunday Morning through Sunday Afternoon for Clark MO, Hancock IL, Henry IA, Keokuk, Lee, Scotland MO, and Van Buren counties
Freezing Rain Advisory from 3AM to Noon Sunday for Appanoose, Audubon, Boone, Calhoun, Carroll, Clarke, Crawford, Dallas, Davis, Decatur, Emmet, Greene, Guthrie, Hamilton, Humboldt, Jasper, Kossuth, Lucas, Madison, Mahaska, Marion, Monroe, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Polk, Sac, Story, Wapello, Warren, Wayne, And Webster counties.
Freezing Rain Advisory from 3AM to 9AM Sunday for Mercer, Putnam, And Schuyler counties.
Freezing Rain Advisory from 5AM to 11AM Sunday for Buena Vista, Cherokee, Clay, Dakota, Ida, O’brien, Plymouth,
Sioux, Union, and Woodbury counties.
