Winter storm warning in effect at noon

Radio farm house. Photo by Jim Elias

A winter storm warning begins at noon today as a powerful storm system will bring heavy snow, strong and gusty winds, mixed freezing rain and snow, and considerable blowing and drifting snow to the region through Tuesday morning.

Snow and freezing rain will develop toward daybreak in far southeast Iowa and west central Illinois, the National Weather Service says. Snow will slowly spread north through the day, reaching Interstate 80 and the Cedar Rapids to Quad Cities metro areas between 2 and 4 PM Monday afternoon.

Farther north, after a mainly dry afternoon, snow will arrive towards the evening commute along Highway 20 in Iowa and Illinois. At this time, much of southeast Iowa and east central Iowa into northwest Illinois is at risk for seeing 6 to 12 inches of heavy wet snow, with considerable blowing and drifting snow Tuesday night, the weather service said.

Heaviest snowfall can be expected within a band between Highways 30 and 34. Locations in the far north will see less snow, in the 3 to 6 inch range, and in the far south, a mix of snow, freezing rain and rain will limit snow amounts to the 2 to 5 inch range.

.