UPDATED at 3:50pm

The National Weather Service in the Quad Cities has issued a Freezing Rain Advisory effective until 6pm for the following counties, Benton, Buchanan, Delaware, Dubuque, Iowa, Jones and Linn.

…FREEZING RAIN OVERSPREADING EASTERN IOWA THIS AFTERNOON…

.A COMPLEX WINTER STORM SYSTEM WAS SPREADING SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS WITH FREEZING RAIN ACROSS EASTERN IOWA THIS
AFTERNOON. WITH SURFACE TEMPERATURES HOVERING AROUND FREEZING…FAST ACCUMULATIONS OF ICE ACCUMULATIONS LESS THAN A QUARTER INCH THICK ARE LIKELY…ESPECIALLY ON ELEVATED SURFACES. THE PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO DIMINISH TO DRIZZLE THIS EVENING. AT THE SAME TIME…TEMPERATURES WILL CLIMB ABOVE FREEZING…ENDING THE THREAT OF ICE ACCUMULATIONS.

* THUNDERSTORMS WITH SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD NORTHEAST ACROSS EAST CENTRAL IOWA BETWEEN 130 AND 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON.

* THUNDERSTORMS WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL WILL LAST LESS THAN 30 MINUTES…BUT WILL RESULT IN A FAST ICE ACCUMULATIONS. ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE LESS THAN A QUARTER OF AN INCH AND MOST PREVALENT ON ELEVATED SURFACES.

* MOTORISTS SHOULD PREPARE FOR RAPIDLY DETERIORATING DRIVING CONDITIONS WITH THE ONSET OF FREEZING RAIN. SLUSHY ICE ACCUMULATIONS ON ROADWAYS WILL BE POSSIBLE…AND VISIBILITY MAY BECOME POOR DUE TO FREEZING PRECIPITATION ACCUMULATING ON VEHICLES. ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE MOST LIKELY ON BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN OR FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS. SLOW DOWN AND BE CAREFUL WHILE TRAVELING.

UPDATE: There is a new Freezing Rain advisory in effect until 9pm this evening for the following counties, Harrison, Monona, Pottawattamie and Shelby. There is also a Winter Weather Advisory now in effect until Midnight for Boone, Carroll, Crawford, Greene, Marshall, Story and Tama counties.