[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iftko9TlxfQ&w=640&h=480]
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.
A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for Black Hawk, Bremer, Butler, Cerro Gordo, Franklin, Grundy, Hancock, Hardin, Winnebago, Worth and Wright counties from 6:00 AM Sunday until 12:00 AM Monday.
A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for Allamakee, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Floyd, Howard, Mitchell and Winneshiek counties from 9:00 AM Sunday until 12:00 AM Monday.
A Winter Storm Watch has been issued for Benton, Buchanan, Cedar, Clinton, Delaware, Dubuque, Iowa, Jackson, Johnson, Jones, Linn, Louisa, Muscatine and Scott counties from 6:00 AM Sunday until 9:00 PM Sunday.
A Freezing Rain Advisory has been issued for Appanoose, Audubon, Boone, Calhoun, Carroll, Clarke, Crawford, Dallas, Davis, Decatur, Emmet, Greene, Guthrie, Hamilton, Humboldt, Jasper, Kossuth, Lucas, Madison, Mahaska, Marion, Marshall, Monroe, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Polk, Poweshiek, Sac, Story, Tama, Wapello, Warren, Wayne and Webster counties from 3:00 AM Sunday until 3:00 PM Sunday.
A Freezing Rain Advisory has been issued for Des Moines, Henry, Jefferson, Keokuk, Lee, Van Buren and Washington counties from 6:00 AM Sunday until 3:00 PM Sunday.
A Freezing Rain Advisory has been issued for Buena Vista, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Ida, Lyon, O’Brien, Osceola, Plymouth and Sioux counties from 7:00 AM Sunday until 6:00 PM Sunday.