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SNOW ROARING INTO MARCH: We have two systems that will be over the state over the next three days. The first one will move in today bringing some light snow to the area during the afternoon into the evening hours. Most places are likely to get up to 2 inches with some heavier totals approaching 3. Highs today will be in the teens and 20s with some 30s possible near the Iowa Missouri border. That system moves off to the east by late Friday night or early Saturday morning in time for the next system to move in from the west. This one looks more potent and could bring some heavier snows to the state. However, this run of the GFS has most of the state dry during the day on Sunday except perhaps the southern two-tiers of counties. Both the NAM and HI-Res NAM seem to agree with this solution with the 12k NAM keeping the entire state snow free after the mid-morning hours on Sunday. This would likely be due to arctic high pressure trying to nose its way into the state scouring out a lot of the moisture in the low and mid-levels. Our current thinking is that we will see snow possibly moderate to heavy at times Saturday afternoon and evening gradually tapering off through the morning hours on Sunday before ending with perhaps some light snow or scattered flurries hanging around along and South of US Hwy 34. Readings both Saturday and Sunday are expected to be chilly with single digits and teens and lows at or below zero once again. Snow amounts for the Saturday into Sunday event still are up in the air but at least a few inches are possible with the heaviest likely falling in our southern counties. The uncertainty still reigns with the chance that both the high pressure from the north moves in faster and scours the moisture out Saturday night or doesn’t come down as soon and the snow could continue farther into the day Sunday and farther north as well. We’ll continue to update as needed for this event.

INTO NEXT WEEK: The cold weather looks to remain in place to begin the new work week with readings in the teens and 20s for highs and lows in the single digits above and below zero, but this will be due to freshly fallen snow, clear skies and calm winds. It does look to warm up a little as we head into the middle of the week with some disturbances moving through. One on Tuesday could skim the northern counties with some light snow or flurries that doesn’t look to amount to much more than a dusting. Another on late on Wednesday could bring more light snow to mainly the northern half of the state. Readings by this point should make it back into the middle 20s to near 40 across the state. Another storm looks to make an appearance next Friday and Saturday which may bring some rain to start followed by some snow and then drastically colder temperatures into Next Sunday. This is still a week plus out and it likely to change so don’t think this is set in stone just yet.

EVEN FARTHER OUT: Heading into the middle of March, the GFS is showing some warmer temperatures with some brief cold shots from the northwest intermixed in. No real trends are setting up at this time but we’ll keep watching for them in the coming days.

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