Weather Headlines
- NEXT 9 HOURS: Lingering flurries, slick roads
- SHORT TERM: FIRST ALERT Day Today
- LONG TERM: Lots of cold
Latest Forecast
Reduced visibility and slick roads are the main concerns on Friday.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Reduced visibility and slick roads are the main concerns on Friday.
Overnight snow showers have led to partially to completely covered roads for most places north of Interstate 80 this morning. Take it slow and allow plenty of following and stopping distance as you’re driving around.
The latest scan from Pinpoint Doppler Radar.
(KCRG)
Today is a First Alert Day around eastern Iowa for the threat of areas of snow showers that could be accompanied by gusty winds at times. The combination of those two factors could lead to much reduced visibility and quick-developing slick roads where the snow is falling. It’s possible that a few of these could turn into snow squalls, which can offer especially dangerous moments in near-zero visibility and snow-covered roads.
Friday is a First Alert Day.(KCRG)
For that same reason, the National Weather Service has portions of the TV9 viewing area included in a Winter Weather Advisory. It runs from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. today. Some expansion of this advisory could occur if the NWS decides conditions warrant.
Current winter weather alerts from the National Weather Service.
(KCRG)
Due to the scattered nature of the activity we’re expecting, it’s difficult to nail down exact timing until things actually develop. Be prepared for changing weather conditions throughout the day. If travelling, use extra caution in areas where snow is falling. Slow down to give yourself more time to react in areas of reduced visibility. If a Snow Squall Warning is issued, avoid travel completely. Delay leaving, or pull off to somewhere safe to wait for the squall to pass.
Snow could add up over time, too, with accumulation between a trace and 2 inches. Again, with the scattered and random nature of the activity, it’s hard to pin down any one location’s position within that range. We do believe that our northeast zone has a somewhat higher chance of seeing higher accumulations in that range, but it’s not a guarantee.
Forecast snowfall amounts through Friday night.(KCRG)
Temperatures will be at their warmest earlier in the day on Friday, with most reaching the low to mid 30s. They’ll begin to fall in the afternoon and evening, reaching the 10s and 20s by after dark. Wind chills will be down in the single digits by then, too, so it’ll be a chilly Friday night.
Tomorrow’s First Alert Forecast.(KCRG)
Expect below-zero wind chills on Saturday morning to kick off your weekend, with some clouds and some clearer skies. Scattered showers aren’t out of the question on Saturday, though they will be harder to come by. Highs on the thermometer will be in the upper single digits to low 10s, with wind chills in the single digits above zero at their warmest.
Another disturbance brings a chance of snow to Sunday, this time favoring the afternoon and evening. Among all of this, accumulation could pick up a bit again, though it will again generally be on the lighter side. All in all, it’s likely that much of the landscape in eastern Iowa will have at least a little white to it by the end of the weekend.
Expect a wintry weekend overall.(KCRG)
Another quite cold day is likely for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, with lows hanging around zero and highs in the upper single digits to low 10s. Wind chills could be at their coldest of this forecast period on Monday morning, falling into the -10 to -20 range. That’s the type of cold that you’ll want to limit time in, and certainly will want to dress in warm layers and cover up exposed skin.
Wind chills will turn negative for much of the nighttime and morning hours from Saturday onward.(KCRG)
Temperatures turn warmer next week, with highs into the 20s likely from Tuesday through at least Friday. Lows will also improve a bit, with 10s back on the forecast. These are pretty close to seasonal averages for mid-January.
Another opportunity for some precipitation comes toward the end of our 9-day forecast. With the cold air still in place, it looks more likely to fall as snow.
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