(Radio Iowa) – We’re a dozen days into spring, but winter weather is possible later today (Friday) as a powerful system approaches, threatening to bring severe thunderstorms, hail, tornadoes — and yes, snow. Craig Bargfrede, the winter operations administrator for the Iowa Department of Transportation, says his crews are prepared for just about anything Mother Nature may toss at them. “This is quite unique seeing all the different types of weather — potential impacts — we can see over the next day or so,” Bargfrede says, “it is quite unusual.”

Temperatures may fall from the 70s this afternoon into the 20s and 30s tonight, switching the rain to ice, sleet and snow, but flash flooding is also possible, so D-O-T teams have barricades at the ready in cases roads are washed out. Add to the weather mix the potential for very strong straight-line winds, so some crews will have chainsaws gassed up in case their path is blocked by fallen trees.

“We’re going to be prepared to respond to whether or not we have snow, snowing, icy conditions or whether or not we have other types of conditions or damage out there as a result of the weather,” Bargfrede says. “The guys in the garages are prepared to respond and handle pretty much any situation that we have out there.” Last fall, the agency hired about 370 temporary workers for the winter, but are they still working for the D-O-T now, on March 31st? Absolutely, says Bargfrede, they’re on staff — and on stand-by — for another few weeks.

“They will be on board until April 15th, thereabouts,” Bargfrede says. “October 15th to April 15th is what we consider our winter season, and so those temporary seasonal folks are employed through that time period.” Weather forecasters say today’s storms may be moving at 50 to 60 miles an hour, leaving little time to take cover if a warning is issued. Bargfrede implores Iowans to stay on the ball throughout the day, keeping the radio on and their smartphone weather apps enabled.

“Today is going to be one of those ‘weather wise’ days with a couple of exclamation points behind it,” Bargfrede says. “So, really stress to the public that they need to be weather aware and be prepared for any kind of condition that we could see today.” A Winter Weather Advisory is posted for seven counties across northwest and north-central Iowa, where up to three inches of snow may fall tonight.

Monitor road conditions at 511-i-a-dot-org and keep up with the changing forecast at weather-dot-gov.