The National Weather Service in Des Moines has issued a Winter Storm Watch effective at 9pm Friday evening through 6am Sunday morning for the following counties, Adair, Adams, Audubon, Boone, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Crawford, Dallas, Greene, Grundy, Guthrie, Hamilton, Hardin, Humboldt, Madison, Marshall, Pocahontas, Polk, Sac, Story, Union and Webster.

TIMING…A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW WILL DEVELOP OVER THE AREA FRIDAY EVENING BEFORE SWITCHING OVER TO ALL SNOW PAST MIDNIGHT INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS SATURDAY. THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS ARE LIKELY TO OCCUR SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY AFTERNOON…BEFORE THE SNOW BEGINS TO DIMINISH SATURDAY EVENING.

STORM TOTAL SNOW…SNOWFALL AMOUNTS FROM 4 TO 7 INCHES ARE ANTICIPATED ACROSS THE WATCH AREA BY SATURDAY EVENING.

WINDS/VISIBILITY…NORTHEAST WINDS AT 20 TO 30 MPH WITH POSSIBLY HIGHER GUSTS WILL CAUSE SIGNIFICANT VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS AND DRIFTING OF SNOW ON SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW…SLEET…OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS