SCHOOL CLOSINGS – ROAD CONDITIONS – OPERATION SNOWSTORM
*** ENTIRE STATE UNDER WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL FRIDAY PM***
Excluding NW, EC, and Extreme NE Iowa who are under Winter WX Advisory
We have refined our snowfall amounts as new model runs have came in. Winter Storm Watches have been updated to warnings across the area and schools have began delaying for Thursday. So here is how it will turn out: Snow is expected across the Central and Upper Plains Wednesday before entering our area on Thursday. The system will move out of our area Friday leaving 6-10″ of blowing and drifting snow afterwards.
Due to these circumstances, the National Weather Service offices in the region have issued a WINTER STORM WARNING for nearly the entire state, with the exception for NW, EC, and extreme NE Iowa who are under a Winter WX Advisory from Thursday into Friday.
Specific amounts in Iowa differ depending on how Northeast you go. The farther Northeast, the less accumulation, but farther Southwest, nearly a foot of snow will be possible.
- Extreme Southwest Iowa: 10″+ (locally higher amounts)
- South Central, Central, Northwest Iowa: 7-10″+ (locally higher amounts).
- Southeast, Central, North Central Iowa: 5-8″ (locally higher amounts).
- East Central, Northeast Iowa: 4-6″
Another major issue with this snow that will cause significant travel impacts will be high winds on Thursday. Wind speeds are expected to gradually decrease on Friday but will remain steady at 20-25 MPH with gusts to near 40 MPH on Thursday. This will lower visibilities dramatically across the regions to nearly a fourth of a mile at times. We advise you to watch the roads carefully over the next few days and stay tuned for further updates.
Bottom line… just try to stay home. Traveling will be difficult with white-out conditions at times with moderate to heavy snow falling. We plan to launch LIVE COVERAGE beginning at 4PM tomorrow to provide further information to Iowan’s about this system.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTeQqDINFps&w=480&h=360]
UPDATE: The snow has moved into southern Iowa during the morning hours. Moderate to heavy snow at times will be sweeping across the state the rest of today into tonight. Thundersnow is a possibility especially in the southern counties. This will lead to heavier snowfall rates of 1-2″ per hour. Already numerous roads are closed around Kansas City west and southwest into the state of Kansas. Kansas City this morning had 5 inches of snow in a two hour period. Be VERY careful driving this afternoon and evening during the rush hour as the Des Moines Metro region will be seeing the snow by that time.