…FIRST WINTER STORM OF THE SEASON TO IMPACT NORTHWEST IOWA…

.A STRONG STORM SYSTEM WILL BE MOVING INTO IOWA TONIGHT. THE STORM WILL INITIALLY BRING RAIN TO THE REGION WITH A QUICK CHANGEOVER TO SNOW ACROSS THE NORTHWEST AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. A SMALL AREA OF NORTHWEST IOWA MAY BE IMPACTED WITH 6 TO 9 INCHES OF SNOW WITH SURROUNDING LOCATIONS RECEIVING 2 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOWFALL. WINDS WILL BE ON THE INCREASE BY SATURDAY MORNING AND WILL CAUSE SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW.

A Winter Storm Watch is now in effect from late tonight through Saturday afternoon for the following counties, Emmet, Kossuth, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Humboldt, Sac, Calhoun, Webster, Crawford, Carroll, Osceola, Dickinson, O’Brien, Clay, Cherokee, Buena Vista and Ida,

* TIMING…SNOW…OR RAIN CHANGING TO SNOW WILL DEVELOP AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT AND LAST THROUGH THE DAY ON SATURDAY.

* ACCUMULATIONS…WIDESPREAD SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF NEAR 6 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WATCH AREA…WITH A LOCALIZED BAND OF HEAVY SNOW OF 6 TO 10 INCHES POSSIBLE IN THE IOWA GREAT LAKES AREA AND STORM LAKE IOWA. MOST OF HEAVY SNOW ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED TO FALL LATE TONIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING.

* WIND AND VISIBILITY…NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH ARE EXPECTED. THESE STRONG WINDS COMBINED WITH HEAVY SNOWFALL MAY CREATE VISIBILITIES OF LESS THAN A HALF MILE.