DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Weather officials are predicting several inches of snow over a large swath of Iowa, with blizzard conditions hitting the northern half of the state. The National Weather Service says anywhere from 3 to 9 inches of snow could fall in central and northern Iowa from the early hours of Thursday into the evening hours.

Meteorologist Kurt Kotenberg says the wintry mix of sleet and snow will develop Thursday morning for northern Iowa. Rain will fall in central Iowa until it transitions into snow. Heavy snow will fall from Thursday morning into the afternoon.

Kotenberg says thundersnow — an area of heavy snow with embedded thunder — could occur Thursday. The winter storm system will be largely out of the state by Friday morning as it moves northeast into Wisconsin.