Blizzard Warning Starts Thursday

Source: National Weather Service

The National Weather Service in Des Moines has issued a Blizzard Warning for Thursday, February 20, 2014, and it will carry over into Friday morning. The warning begins Thursday morning at 9:00 a.m. (CT), and it will continue until 6:00 a.m. Friday.

 A wintery mix of sleet and snow will develop during the overnight hours Wednesday across far Northern Iowa. The forecast calls for the front to generally develop along and north of Iowa Highway 18. Further South, rain will be common until after sunrise Thursday. The then precipitation is forecast to transition to all snow mid to late morning.

Moderate to heavy wet snow will fall through the late morning into Thursday afternoon.

Thundersnow is possible Thursday afternoon and could produce snowfall rates of two inches per hour at times.

Strong Northwest winds will develop Thursday afternoon, and it will create widespread blizzard conditions into Thursday night.

Storm total snow/ice accumulations are projected to hit five to nine inches of snow. High amounts are possible, especially if thundersnow develops Thursday afternoon.

The NWS Of Des Moines Precautionary/Preparedness:

A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS AND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO WHITEOUT CONDITIONS...MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. DO NOT TRAVEL. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU. IF YOU GET STRANDED...STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE.