Groundhog Day

Here we go again! More snow is headed our way as this very active pattern continues. Winter Storm Watches already in effect for counties in Iowa and Minnesota for Thursday afternoon through Friday Morning. Those areas have the potential to see 6+ inches of snow. Here is just one of the models that we typically show you. The areas shaded in green are 4+ inches of snow and the bulls eye of light blue is 10 inches of snow. As you see there, not much distance between that bulls eye and our area so that's what concerns us. Now, all that storm would have to do is jog a little bit further to the Northwest and we are talking about a drastic increase in the amount of snow that we could get.

The other part of the storm is that there will be the possibility of some sleet and freezing rain to start out the storm in Iowa and extreme southern South Dakota and Minnesota. This happens when you get over running. Over running means that relatively warm air aloft (air above freezing) moves over sub freezing temperatures at the surface. So, it can be cold enough to snow at the surface but that layer of warm air can cause the snowflake to melt before it hits the ground causing freezing rain and sleet. I have highlighted the freezing line at air that's a couple thousand feet off the surface.

You can see that the warmer air is not quite to northwest Iowa but if it were to end up just a little further north, freezing rain would be likely. Well, enjoy the sunshine today because this storm is coming tomorrow!

~KDLT Meteorologist Cody Matz