Don’t put your shovel away just yet. The National Weather Service suggests you’ll likely need it again at least one more time this week — maybe twice.
“A large and powerful winter storm system will produce hazardous weather across [Central Iowa] in the latter half of this week,” this morning’s Hazardous Weather Statement from the National Weather Service office in Johnson said. “Moderate to heavy snowfall is expected between late Wednesday night and Thursday evening with light to moderate snow then continuing into early Friday. Freezing rain also is possible, mainly across southern Iowa, late Thursday. Strong and gusty winds will enhance these hazards by reducing visibility in blowing snow, drifting over roads and combining with any ice accumulation to damage trees and power lines.”
Forecasters with the NWS said the storm system is currently moving across the Pacific, adding that a “fair amount of uncertainty exists” with the system until it enters the continental United States. Once that occurs, the NWS radar system will be able to better assess the system and its probable track.
Last week, media reports indicated at least one storm model producing up to 20 inches of snow. But, those predictions were quickly downgraded the next day to 9 to 12 inches. However, with the level of uncertainty and the possibility of snow-limiting factors impacting the storm once it arrives in the U.S., forecasters said it was still too early to say how much “winter” was on its way.