[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbeSS2tK83o&w=640&h=480]
SNOWIN BLOWIN CHILLIN: It’s a 180 degree turnaround over what it was 24-36 hours ago across the state. Snow will be falling over the eastern 2/3rds of the state through the morning and afternoon hours before ending from west to east. 3-6″ of snow possible in a wide swath from south central Iowa into northeastern Iowa by this evening. Some areas could get heavier totals than that. The big story will then turn to the winds and the dropping temperatures to the single digits above and below zero tonight into Thursday morning. Wind Chill Advisories could be required for some counties Wednesday night and Thursday. During the day Thursday, readings will be stuck in the single digits and teens with partly to mostly cloudy skies. A few flurries are possible as well. Thursday night the bottom drops out with single and double digits below zero becoming commonplace.
UP WE GO: Temperatures will moderate heading into the weekend and early next week. Some light snow or flurries are possible late Friday night and early Saturday amounting to no more than a dusting at this point given the lack of any moisture with the disturbance. This weekend, highs will be back into the 20s to near 30 and perhaps early next week lower to middle 30s. This is dependent on snow cover which will keep temperatures down in those areas that get significant snowfall.
MORE SNOW?: GFS is hinting at a storm around the second week of February but this may and is likely to go away on the next run. We could see another shot of cold air from the arctic as well by mid-month, so we’ll have to keep our eyes on that for any trends.