Weather Alert in Iowa
Winter Storm Warning issued February 19 at 2:45PM CST until February 20 at 6:00AM CST by NWS Des Moines IA
AREAS AFFECTED: Franklin; Butler; Bremer; Hamilton; Hardin; Grundy; Black Hawk; Story; Marshall; Tama; Polk
DESCRIPTION: Precipitation will spread from western into central Iowa this afternoon and evening. Initially, it may begin as a rain/snow mix across southern and western Iowa before changing to snow. A band of 5 to 8 inches of snow is expected by Friday morning from western through central to northeastern Iowa. There will be a sharp gradient of snowfall on either side of the heaviest band of snow. Snow rates may exceed 1" per hour at times this evening leading to rapid snow accumulations on roads and slick travel conditions. A small change in the location of the band could alter forecast snow amounts. * WHAT...Heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations between 5 and 8 inches. * WHERE...Portions of central and northeastern Iowa. * WHEN...From 6 PM this evening to 6 AM CST Friday. * IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult. The hazardous conditions could impact the Thursday evening commute. Heavy snow with breezy winds could lead to isolated power outages.
INSTRUCTION: If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. For the latest travel conditions, check the Iowa 511 app, www.511ia.org, or dial 511.
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Weather Topic: What is Rain?
Home - Education - Precipitation - Rain
Next Topic: Shelf Clouds
Precipitation in the form of water droplets is called rain.
Rain generally has a tendency to fall with less intensity over a greater period
of time, and when rainfall is more severe it is usually less sustained.
Rain is the most common form of precipitation and happens with greater frequency
depending on the season and regional influences. Cities have been shown to have
an observable effect on rainfall, due to an effect called the urban heat island.
Compared to upwind, monthly rainfall between twenty and forty miles downwind of
cities is 30% greater.
Next Topic: Shelf Clouds
Weather Topic: What is Sleet?
Home - Education - Precipitation - Sleet
Next Topic: Snow
Sleet is a form of precipitation in which small ice pellets are the primary
components. These ice pellets are smaller and more translucent than hailstones,
and harder than graupel. Sleet is caused by specific atmospheric conditions and
therefore typically doesn't last for extended periods of time.
The condition which leads to sleet formation requires a warmer body of air to be
wedged in between two sub-freezing bodies of air. When snow falls through a warmer
layer of air it melts, and as it falls through the next sub-freezing body of air
it freezes again, forming ice pellets known as sleet. In some cases, water
droplets don't have time to freeze before reaching the surface and the result is
freezing rain.
Next Topic: Snow
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