More snow is expected across much of the state tonight into Wednesday. Cities like Council Bluffs, Des Moines and Waterloo can expect one to three inches, while areas south and east of that line should receive heavier amounts of snow. National Weather Service Meteorologist Mindy Albrecht says a few counties in eastern Iowa could get six or more inches of snow.
“It looks the heaviest snow could fall somewhere with around four inches at Ottumwa and then the heavier snow will be as you approach Cedar Rapids and up north of the Quad Cities area,” Albrecht said. A large chunk of eastern Iowa is under a Winter Weather Advisory, while Clinton and Jackson Counties are part of a Winter Storm Warning that extends into Illinois.
Motorists that are traveling in Iowa on the day before Christmas could run into dangerous conditions because of snow and strong winds.
Albrecht says winds of 15 to 20 miles per hour may blow and drift snow on roadways, but will not likely affect visability. Tonight’s snow will be followed with colder temperatures. Lows tonight across northern Iowa will be near zero. More precipitation is possible Christmas day through the weekend.
“There’s a system that’s going to be moving out of the Rockies, kind of coming apart in pieces as it comes across the central and eastern Plains,” Albrecht said. “It looks like there could be some mixed precipitation Thursday, but it looks like temperatures will warm and it could mostly be rain on Friday.”
Travel information is available on the Department of Transportation’s road conditions website .