357 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012 NWS /Des Moines

…PRECIPITATION WILL TRANSITION TO SNOW TONIGHT…

LOW PRESSURE OVER NORTHWEST ILLINOIS WILL LIFT NORTHEAST THIS MORNING AND BE OVER NORTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN BY MID DAY TODAY. COLDER AIR FILTERING IN BEHIND THE LOW WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS…SNOW…AND SOME BLOWING SNOW.

Counties in the Advisory area include….EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO-POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-FRANKLIN-BUTLER-BREMER-SAC-CALHOUN-WEBSTER-HAMILTON-HARDIN-GRUNDY-BLACK HAWK-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-BOONE-STORY-MARSHALL-TAMA-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-POLK-JASPER-POWESHIEK

…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TODAY...

* SHORT TERM TRENDS…SNOW OVER THE AREA WILL TAPER OFF GRADUALLY FROM THE SOUTHWEST. ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL END WEST OF AN OTTUMWA…DES MOINES…ESTHERVILLE LINE BY 7 AM AND OVER ALL OF CENTRAL IOWA BY 10 AM.

* STORM TOTAL SNOW/ICE ACCUMULATIONS…SOME ADDITIONAL MINOR GLAZING IS POSSIBLE EARLY THIS MORNING. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL RANGE FROM 1 TO 2 INCHES SOUTH…WITH 2 TO 3 INCHES NORTH BY MID MORNING.

* WINDS/VISIBILITY…WINDS WILL BECOME NORTHWEST AND INCREASE TONIGHT WITH SPEEDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH THIS MORNING WILL RESULT IN CONSIDERABLE DRIFTING OF SNOW AND AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW.

* IMPACTS…ICY ROADS AND VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH MID MORNING. LOCAL VISIBILITY WILL FALL TO ONE HALF MILE OR LESS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW…SLEET…OR FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITY. BLOWING SNOW MEANS THAT VISIBILITY WILL BE LIMITED DUE TO STRONG WINDS BLOWING SNOW AROUND. USE CAUTION WHEN TRAVELING…ESPECIALLY IN OPEN AREAS.