A Winter Storm Watch is posted for portions of north central and northeast Iowa Friday afternoon into Saturday. National Weather Service Meteorologist Jacob Beitlick says the system will bring several inches of snow to the Upper Midwest.

“Portions of far northeastern Iowa could see anywhere from six to eight inches, perhaps a little bit more in a few isolated locations,” Beitlick said. Other parts of northern and eastern Iowa can expect three to five inches, while the southeast half of the state is forecast to receive an inch or less.

The Winter Storm Watch covers the cities of Algona, Forest City, Mason City, Hampton, Waterloo, Dubuque, Anamosa, Cedar Rapids and Clinton. The snow will be followed by the coldest air of the season. “We could see our first negative readings in far northern Iowa by the end of the weekend,” Beitlick said.

High temperatures on Sunday and Monday are expected to be in the teens and 20s.

By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City