Snowflakes are still flying across much of Iowa and a few more inches of snow are expected today before it stops. A Winter Storm Warning runs until 6 o’clock tonight for virtually all of Iowa, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Jim Lee.
Winds are already increasing and by afternoon, those winds may be at 25 to 30 miles an hour statewide, bringing a lot of blowing and drifting snow and reduced visibility for drivers. Just being outside can be deadly after a few minutes. Lee says temperatures will fall over the next day.
Highs during the day tomorrow (Friday) may not get above zero while wind chills will be much more frigid. Lee says even as the snow tapers off tonight, bitter cold temperatures will stream in from the northwest and will produce dangerous wind chills through Friday night, bottoming out around 25 to 35-below zero. Lee says snowfall is varied from this latest storm.
Southern Iowa reports three to four inches of snow while other areas of the state report between three and seven inches, with one to two more inches expected throughout the day today. Lee says warmer weather should be here in a few days.
A warming pattern may start to arrive on Sunday with highs in the upper teens to around 20, while next week may bring more consistent highs in the 20s. For more details, visit weather-dot-gov.
By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City