Winter storm hits state with loads of snow

Despite high temperatures yesterday in the 40s and 50s, much of Iowa is seeing snowflakes fly today and some parts of the state are being buried. Jeff Wallenfang, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, says most of the state is under either a weather watch or warning.Western and southern Iowa are under Winter Storm Warnings through midnight, while Winter Weather Advisories stretch from Jefferson and Des Moines to Knoxville and Oskaloosa. Wallenfang says the snow’s already sticking on the ground in some places and it’s piling up elsewhere — and could be quite deep in some areas before Tuesday arrives.The heaviest snow will fall in an area from Sioux City to Denison and Atlantic, perhaps ten inches, while an area from Carroll to Des Moines may see three to six inches, and less to the north and east. While some recall the curse of the state high school basketball tournaments — that it snows whenever the contests are underway, Wallenfang says this snowstorm is -not- unusual.He says this is a rather typical storm system, following yesterday’s warmer weather. He says the snow won’t last as temperatures statewide may be back in the 50s and perhaps the 60s by the end of the week. The first day of spring is Saturday.