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And the new forecast.........
OCCASIONAL LIGHT FREEZING RAIN OR FREEZING DRIZZLE IS POSSIBLE THIS MORNING. SNOW IS FORECAST MAINLY NORTH OF A LINE FROM POCAHONTAS THROUGH HAMPTON TO WAVERLY WITH LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES. ALONG AND SOUTH OF THIS LINE...A MIXTURE OF FREEZING RAIN...SLEET AND SNOW IS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON WITH ICING UP TO ONE TENTH OF AN INCH. BY THIS EVENING...THE ENTIRE ADVISORY AREA IS EXPECTED CHANGE TO FREEZING DRIZZLE WITH THE FREEZING DRIZZLE PERSISTING THROUGH MUCH OF THE NIGHT. AN ADDITIONAL TENTH OF SO OF ICE ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED WITH THIS PRECIPITATION.
BY LATE TONIGHT AND ESPECIALLY ON THURSDAY...SNOW IS EXPECTED TO OVERSPREAD MUCH OF THE AREA AND WILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES ALONG WITH SOME THUNDER. SNOWFALL RATES OF OVER 2 INCHES PER HOUR MAY OCCUR FOR A BRIEF TIME ON THURSDAY MORNING. THE SNOW INTENSITIES WILL DIMINISH SOMEWHAT BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON BUT PERIODS OF LIGHT TO OCCASIONALLY MODERATE SNOW ARE FORECAST TO PERSIST INTO THURSDAY NIGHT. TOTAL STORM ACCUMULATIONS WILL VARY FROM 3 TO 7 INCHES ALONG THE HIGHWAY 30 CORRIDOR FROM DENISON TO AMES WITH UP TO 12 INCHES AND LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS NEAR THE MINNESOTA BORDER.
HOWEVER...THE LARGEST THREAT WILL COME FROM THE VERY STRONG WINDS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ON THURSDAY. WEST TO NORTHWEST WILL INTENSIFY THROUGH THE DAY TO 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON. THE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST INTO FRIDAY MORNING BEFORE GRADUALLY SUBSIDING. THE COMBINATION OF THESE STRONG WINDS AND SNOW WILL PRODUCE LIFE THREATENING BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. SUBSTANTIAL BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WILL OCCUR ALONG WITH WHITEOUT CONDITIONS. TRAVEL WILL BECOME VERY DIFFICULT IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
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