Update: Snow will soon fly and winds will soon pick up

12:30pm Update: Drier air has kept much of the snow away through the morning, but there has been an increase in snow developing on the radar across Iowa and Central Illinois and some of those snowflakes may be able to reach the surface early this afternoon.  Heavy snow has been falling in Missouri and Kansas and will move into Southern Iowa and West-Central Illinois later this afternoon.  There, snowfall rates of up to one inch per hour will be possible. 

Once the snow begins after 3pm/4pm it should start off light but then pick up in intensity late this evening and overnight as the upper level low moves in.  This upper level low will provide the needed lift within the atmosphere to produce a couple hours of more moderate to heavy snow.  A Winter Weather Advisory continues for the counties south of Highway 20, and it's possible the advisory may be expanded just another county or two further north later this afternoon.  We'll have to wait and see on that.  As the snow begins to fall, the winds will also increase into the late evening from the North and Northeast.  With temperatures in the upper teens and low 20's at the time of the snowfall, the snow will be a little lighter causing it to blow and drift through tonight and Wednesday morning.  Snowfall amounts still look on track with 2" to 4" falling, although there could be a few locations that reach 5" to 6" under the heavier snow bands.  Meteorologist Brandon Arnold will be tracking the snow this afternoon and evening and continue to provide you with updates as the snow starts to fall.


7:00am Update




Carroll and Whiteside counties were already under a Winter Weather Advisory in anticipation of Tuesday's snow, but now Ogle, Lee and DeKalb counties have been added to the Winter Weather Advisory, which will go into effect at 6pm this evening.

Lighter snow falling in central Iowa this morning will remain in Iowa as a small 'bubble' of high pressure sits overhead in Northern Illinois.  Dew points at the surface and a few thousand feet above remain low and this will more than likely keep the snow at bay through the morning.  However, as we head into the afternoon dew points will rise as moisture moves in from the south.  This will allow a few flurries and even lighter snow showers to develop early this afternoon with the heavier snow falling into the evening and overnight.  Temperatures in the middle and upper teens as the snow falls will allow the snow to be a little more fluffy which, as the winds pick up from the North, will cause the snow to blow around and drift a little - especially in open and rural areas.  Updates will continue throughout the day right here on the weather blog, so be sure to keep checking back!