Several sources are predicting Des Moines and other Iowa cities will see a warmer winter.
Forecasters say Iowa will have warmer-than-normal high temperatures for the next several days, but a cool front should arrive on Thursday, which coincides with Winter Weather Awareness Day.
Meteorologist Rod Donavon, at the National Weather Service, says the goal of the annual event is to help Iowans prepare for the season ahead.
“We’ll be discussing the hazards of winter weather as well as safety precautions and what to expect this winter season,” Donavon says.
“In addition, we’ll be having a question and answer period on Thursday evening, so if folks are around, certainly tune in to that.” Iowans can participate by visiting the Des Moines National Weather Service Facebook or Twitter pages between 6 and 7 P.M.
Donavon says several sources are predicting Iowa could see a warmer-than-normal winter ahead, though he admits, it’s very difficult to predict the precipitation for the season.
“If you just look strictly at El Nino, certainly, the chances are greater than normal for us to have at least a warmer-than-normal winter,” he says. “Precipitation and snow chances are much more tricky and we have what are called equal chances for average precipitation.” Learn more about Winter Weather Awareness Day at www.weather.gov/dmx.
(Reporting by Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City)