Iowa Weather Report January 15th 2014 – Iowa Weather Network Archives

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UP AND DOWN: It’s going to be a wild few days across the state with quick moving systems, plenty of wind and temperatures going up and down. Today will be fairly calm with partly to mostly sunny skies around and highs in the 20s and 30s but with a quick moving flow, weather one day isn’t going to be the same the next and this will be the case here. Later tonight into Thursday a system will swoop into the state from the northwest bringing with it some light snow and flurries, but the main story will be the very strong winds. A high wind watch has been issued in the western half of the state. This may get extended eastward and upgraded as necessary. Winds are likely to be sustained at 30-45 miles per hours with gusts over 55mph possible. This type of wind with any snow that may be falling or has fallen will create blizzard or ground blizzard conditions in open areas. The amount of snow on Thursday isn’t expected to be a whole lot, perhaps an inch or two in the northern and northeastern counties but the wind blowing this and the snow that fell on Monday will be enough to cause travel headaches across a good portion of the state. No matter if you didn’t get snow either yesterday or from this upcoming storm on Thursday, the wind could cause some branches to come down, power to go out and loose objects in your yard to blow around. Stay tuned. Temperatures Thursday night will drop into the single digits across the area. With the winds still somewhat strong, this will lead wind chills well down below zero possibly into Wind Chill Advisory criteria. Friday will be quite chilly across the state with readings in the teens in the eastern counties to near 30 out west (where there is no snow pack and no additional snow expected from this system on Thursday)

WEEKEND UP, WORK WEEK DOWN: We continue with our up and down theme as we head into the weekend with another quick moving system coming in from the north and northwest. This could bring some accumulating snow targeting mainly the eastern half of the state. Temperatures there will likely stay in the 20s while to the west readings will make it above freezing especially in areas with no snow cover left. Sunday we’ll see plenty of sunshine around and readings in the 30s and 40s. Monday will also be warm as well ahead of another front that will come through during the day. This will come through mainly dry as the moisture will be mainly over the Great Lakes. Highs Monday will be a few degrees cooler than on Sunday but still above seasonal levels for the middle to end of January.

MORE WINTRY FUN: Another push of cold air comes down from Canada on the 23rd and 24th. The GFS is indicating that most of the moisture with this will be again over the Great Lakes at this time. However the GFS gets more active toward the end of the month with several systems approaching the area. One significant one around the 26th into the 27th could be some accumulating snow to the state. One thing is for certain and has been trending over the last several runs and days. It is going to be cold for the latter half of the month, with possible sub-zero temperatures. Winter isn’t quite done with the state yet.