Winter Storm: Dec. 1-2 -- Update #4

5:15 PM Update: The remainder of NWS offices have now upgraded the watches to warnings, as expected for Iowa areas along & south of Highway 30 for a majority are under an Ice Storm Warning. Areas to the north of their are under a Winter Storm Warning; areas under the winter storm warnings are likely not only to receive decent snowfall amounts, but also significant icing. Current forecasts continue to indicate that snow will begin for areas along and north of highway 30 during the morning hours tomorrow, by early afternoon changing over to freezing rain. Total snow accumulations ranging from 1 inch near highway 30 to near 6 inches along the IA/MN borders. Ice accumulations following may reach upwards of one-half inch, making conditions over the area quite treacherous. For the areas south of highway 30 and currently under an ice storm warning, freezing rain is expected to begin by the morning hours tomorrow; beginning its' transition to mainly rain by noon in extreme southern Iowa or by mid-afternoon near highway 30. Up to an half inch of ice is possible before transitioning to mainly rain. Any areas across the state may see sleet or ice pellets occasionally as precipitation types change over.

A detailed, city by city forecast will likely be produced tonight after the 00z model runs. This will be my final call for this event that may be one of the worst initial winter storms in some time...

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3:15 PM: The Winter Storm Watches are now starting to be turned over into various warnings across the plains states. I'll list off some of the general areas of where the new warnings are, you can click on the link to read through the latest warnings of those types. You may have to search for your local NWS office and their list, the easiest way to find your latest warning may be to use the search function and type in your county name.

Areas of KS/MO/IL have been put under a Freezing Rain Advisory.

Just north of that over portions of northern KS, southern NE, northern MO, southern IA and into central IL are now listed under an Ice Storm Warning.

Winter Storm Warnings are likely to replace the watches to the north of the freezing rain advisories/warnings. Currently areas of WI/MI/MN and Iowa have been listed under these, with more areas likely to come.

Snow Advisory for portions of northern MN also now issued.

Not all NWS offices have issued their warnings yet, currently the offices yet to upgrade the watch include LaCrosse, WI; Des Moines, IA; Sioux Falls, SD; Minneapolis, MN; Aberdeen, SD; North Platte, NE. These offices are likely to issue upgrades within the next several hours. A new forecast update will be available by midnight tonight in my next blog post. At that time I will once again cover all of the warnings that are currently issued for Iowa and the surrounding area.