Iowa weather: Tracking rain, snow, possible blizzard conditions

Iowa weather: Blizzard warning set to go in effect Tuesday night into Wednesday

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Updated: 12:10 PM CST Mar 4, 2025

IT IS MARCH. THAT TIME OF THE YEAR. IT’S GETTING TO BE A MAGICAL TIME OF THE YEAR AND A BUMPY ONE. YES. SO WE JUST GOT TO BUCKLE UP AND LITERALLY BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES BECAUSE IT’S GOING TO GET REALLY WINDY. IT IS. AND THAT’S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT REALLY SETS THIS APART FROM OTHER BLIZZARDS THAT WE’VE SEEN. THE WINDS ARE GOING TO BE STRONGER THAN WE TYPICALLY SEE WHEN WE SEE THESE VERY STRONG WINDSTORMS MOVE ON THROUGH THESE BLIZZARDS. IT’S JUST GOING TO BE A WHOLE NOTHER LEVEL, BECAUSE WE’RE LOOKING AT A CHANCE OF GREATER THAN 60 MILE PER HOUR WIND GUSTS. NOT THE STORY AS OF RIGHT NOW. STILL DAMP ON YOUR MORNING DRIVE, BUT BREAKING IT DOWN. YOU’LL NEED THE RAIN GEAR THROUGHOUT THE DAY TODAY. WINDS AND SNOW CHANCES WILL BE CLIMBING AS WE GO THROUGHOUT THE OVERNIGHT HOURS, AND THEN BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AS WE GO THROUGHOUT TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING, AND EVEN GOING INTO PARTS OF WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE SHOWERS, WE SAW A LITTLE BIT OF THESE LIGHT SPRINKLES OVER THE METRO THAT’S STARTING TO WIND DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT. BUT ZOOMING OUT, YOU CAN TELL STILL OFF TO THE NORTH OF THE METRO. STILL A BAND OF SOME VERY LIGHT SHOWERS COULD BE LEADING TO SOME SPRINKLES ON YOUR MORNING DRIVE. FOCUSING TO THE SOUTH. MORE MOISTURE, MORE RAINFALL WILL BE MOVING IN FROM THAT DIRECTION AS WE GO LATER MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON. THIS IS 10:00. A LOT OF THOSE SCATTERED SHOWERS ALREADY MAKING THEIR WAY SOUTH OF I-80 AND THEN PUSHING INTO THE I-80 CORRIDOR, AND EVEN ALL THE WAY UP TO HIGHWAY 20 BY THE LUNCHTIME HOUR. THIS IS 12:00 FOR THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON. WE’RE UNDERNEATH THESE SHOWERS, SOME STORMS AS WELL, BUT WE’RE NOT LOOKING AT ANY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. BUT SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL CLIMBS ALREADY BY 6:00. FARTHER WEST AND NORTHWEST, WE’RE TALKING SNOW AND VERY STRONG WINDS AT THIS POINT. THAT IS GOING TO CARRY OVER EASTWARD THROUGH THE REST OF THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. 10:00 IS WHEN HERE IN THE METRO AROUND DES MOINES AND EVEN ALONG I-35 IS WHERE WE’RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THIS TO SWITCH OVER TO SNOWFALL AND ESPECIALLY AROUND AND AFTER MIDNIGHT, CONTINUING WITH VERY STRONG WINDS AND CONTINUING WITH THE SNOW BY 4 A.M. TOMORROW MORNING. THEN AFTER THAT IT STARTS TO BREAK APART. HOWEVER, ONCE THE SNOW STOPS, YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO TELL THE WIND IS STILL GOING TO BE WHIPPING AROUND THE SNOW. BLOWING SNOW. WIDESPREAD BLIZZARD CONDITIONS OVER A GOOD PORTION OF THE STATE WILL BE EXPECTED, AND THEN IT’S GOING TO CONTINUE TO PUSH ON OUT WINDS NOT REALLY EASING UP UNTIL LATER AFTERNOON. GOING INTO THE EVENING. THIS IS WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT. THESE WIND GUSTS THAT DO HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BREAK THAT 60 MILE PER HOUR MARK. TALKING ABOUT 60 UP TO 65 MILE PER HOUR WIND GUSTS POSSIBLE. AND THAT’S GOING TO BE STRONG ENOUGH TO CAUSE POTENTIAL WIDESPREAD DAMAGE AND ALSO POWER OUTAGES. SO THAT’S WHY THAT’S ONE OF THE MORE DANGEROUS FACTORS WITH THIS. AND AS WE GET INTO THE REST OF WEDNESDAY INTO THE AFTERNOON EVENING, THAT’S WHEN WE’LL START TO EASE THOSE UP JUST A BIT. BUT NOW JUMPING INTO THE ACTUAL SNOW AMOUNT. NOTICE WE’VE SEEN MORE IMPRESSIVE SYSTEMS THIS SEASON AS FAR AS THE SNOWFALL AMOUNT, BUT IT DOESN’T REALLY MATTER BECAUSE WE’RE LOOKING AT A GOOD CHANCE OF AROUND ONE UP TO FOUR INCHES OVER MOST OF THE STATE. FAR FARTHER WEST OF I-35 AND THEN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA. THAT STREAK, LOOKING AT CHANCE AROUND A HALF A FOOT. THAT’S STILL GOING TO BE PLENTY TO BLOW AROUND THE SNOW, BUT 1 TO 4IN IS STILL ALSO PLENTY TO CAUSE LIMITED VISIBILITIES AND BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. SO IT’S MAINLY THE WIND FACTOR MIXED WITH THE SNOW, NOT HOW MUCH SNOW WE’RE ACTUALLY GOING TO SEE. THAT’S GOING TO LEAD TO THE TREACHEROUS TRAVEL. HIGHS FOR TODAY. WE’RE IN THE IN THE 50S PRETTY MUCH STAYING IN THE 50S ALL DAY LONG. SO WE’RE NOT EVEN GOING TO BE TASTING THE COLD UNTIL LATER ON TONIGHT. THAT’S WHEN THOSE WINDS BRING DOWN THAT ARCTIC AIR SWITCHING THAT RAIN INTO SNOW. BLIZZARD WARNINGS GO IN EFFECT OVERNIGHT TONIGHT THROUGH ALL OF WEDNESDAY MORNING. THEN THEY EXPIRE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. CATCHING A BREAK ON THURSDAY. MUCH NEE

Hazardous weather conditions are possible this week as a combination of rain, snow and gusty winds should reach central Iowa.Interactive Radar | Weather Alerts | Closings & delaysHere’s what to know about the incoming potential blizzard.Blizzard warning for most of IowaMost of Iowa, including central Iowa counties such as Polk, Dallas, Story, Boone, Madison and Warren, fall under a blizzard warning. The warning goes into effect at midnight and will last until 3 p.m. Wednesday. Parts of the state will enter the warning at 9 p.m. Tuesday.Driving conditions could be impacted WednesdayDrivers are waking up to wet roads across Central Iowa after a system of thunderstorms moved in overnight. Additional rain will be falling later this afternoon. That precipitation is preventing Iowa DOT snow plows from treating the roads ahead of blizzard-like conditions expected tonight into tomorrow morning.Blizzard forecast in Iowa Wind gusts around 50 to 60 mph will be possible, and snow accumulation could be in the range of 2-4 inches for parts of the state. Areas west of Interstate 35 are more likely to see accumulation.Travel could be difficult Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. You can see the latest road conditions here.Boys substate basketball schedule changesHere’s a list of Class 4A substate basketball schedule changes as of 10 a.m. Tuesday:Dowling Catholic at Linn-Mar: Tuesday’s tip-off time moved up to 6 p.m. Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln at Waukee: Postponed to 7 p.m. WednesdaySioux City East at Waukee Northwest: Postponed to 7 p.m. WednesdayKeep an eye on weather across Iowa with KCCI’s skycamsWeather watchers can keep an eye on conditions by checking our skycam page, which shows aerial views from a dozen sites across the state.How often does it actually snow during the girls state basketball tournament?KCCI meteorologist Zane Satre did the research.» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play

DES MOINES, Iowa —Hazardous weather conditions are possible this week as a combination of rain, snow and gusty winds should reach central Iowa.

Interactive Radar | Weather Alerts | Closings & delays

Here’s what to know about the incoming potential blizzard.

Blizzard warning for most of Iowa

Most of Iowa, including central Iowa counties such as Polk, Dallas, Story, Boone, Madison and Warren, fall under a blizzard warning. The warning goes into effect at midnight and will last until 3 p.m. Wednesday. Parts of the state will enter the warning at 9 p.m. Tuesday.

Driving conditions could be impacted Wednesday

Drivers are waking up to wet roads across Central Iowa after a system of thunderstorms moved in overnight. Additional rain will be falling later this afternoon. That precipitation is preventing Iowa DOT snow plows from treating the roads ahead of blizzard-like conditions expected tonight into tomorrow morning.

Blizzard forecast in Iowa

Wind gusts around 50 to 60 mph will be possible, and snow accumulation could be in the range of 2-4 inches for parts of the state. Areas west of Interstate 35 are more likely to see accumulation.

Travel could be difficult Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. You can see the latest road conditions here.

Here’s a list of Class 4A substate basketball schedule changes as of 10 a.m. Tuesday: