COUNTIES: SAC-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-POLK-MADISON-WARREN-MARION-MONROE-DAVIS

259 PM CST WED FEB 20 2013

…WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM THURSDAY TO NOON CST FRIDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM THURSDAY TO NOON CST FRIDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* TIMING…SNOW WILL DEVELOP OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN IOWA BY MID AFTERNOON THURSDAY. THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL WILL DEVELOP QUICKLY AFTER ONSET AND LAST FOR AROUND SIX HOURS BEFORE DIMINISHING SOMEWHAT LATER THURSDAY NIGHT. LIGHT SNOW WILL STILL PERSIST INTO FRIDAY HOWEVER BEFORE COMING TO AN END ALTOGETHER LATER IN THE DAY. THE SNOW MAY ALSO MIX WITH LIGHT FREEZING RAIN OVER SOUTHEAST IOWA THURSDAY NIGHT WITH A MINOR COATING OF ICE ON TOP OF THE SNOW POSSIBLE.

* STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS…SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL RANGE FROM 6 TO 9 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE.

* WINDS/VISIBILITY…EASTERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS BY LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON…THEN DIMINISH LATER THURSDAY NIGHT. SNOWFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR COINCIDENT WITH THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY TO ONE QUARTER MILE OR LESS FOR SEVERAL HOURS.

* IMPACTS…CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE VERY RAPIDLY AS THE SNOW MOVES IN THURSDAY AFTERNOON. AT THE ONSET…VISIBILITY OF LESS THAN ONE QUARTER MILE AT TIMES CAN BE EXPECTED. TRAVEL WILL BECOME HAZARDOUS DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY AND THE ROADS RAPIDLY BECOMING ICY AND SNOW PACKED.