Rain this morning; Snow not that far off

Reports coming in from Iowa this morning are indicating several inches of snow has already fallen, this is mainly near Des Moines.  It's a heavy, wet snow and there are reports of tree branches down.


A deepening low pressure system will continue to lift northeast out of Missouri and in Chicago by mid-morning.  As it does moisture ahead of the low will continue to fall in the form of rain across northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin.  However heavy, wet snow is already falling across central and southern Wisconsin on the northwest side of the low. 

Winter Weather Advisories have been issued for Jo Daviess county in northwest Illinois and Green county in southern Wisconsin.  Rain will continue to fall across northern Illinois through this morning but as colder air wraps in later this morning and afternoon the rain will begin to mix with snow across the Rockford area and points south and east.  Further west and northwest near Monroe, Freeport, Mt. Carroll and Sterling will hold the greatest chance of some accumulation with this.  Little accumulation is expected for the rest of the area.