Today: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 24. Wind chill values as low as 5. Light north wind becoming northwest 8 to 13 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 18 mph.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 8. Wind chill values as low as -5. North northwest wind 8 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 22. Wind chill values as low as -10. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around -2. Wind chill values as low as -10. North wind 5 to 9 mph.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 20. Light and variable wind.
Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 40.
Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 42.

Friday’s High in Atlantic was 20 degrees. Our Low this morning was 4. Last year on this date (Feb. 21st), the High in Atlantic was 20, and the Low was -18. The Record High for this date was 68 in 2024, the record Low was -19 in 1894. Sunrise: 7:07; Sunset: 6:00.

Official National Weather Service Observer reports:

(Radio Iowa) – Forecasters say a winter storm system will move across Iowa this (Thursday) afternoon, tonight and early tomorrow, dropping up to six inches of snow. For now, National Weather Service meteorologist Jim Lee says it’s thought the heaviest snow will run in a corridor roughly from Council Bluffs to Des Moines to Dubuque. “The most likely areas to receive higher amounts are generally from western through central or north central into northeastern Iowa,” Lee says, “however, what we’re looking at is a situation where there will be a relatively narrow band of heavier snow, and it’s not yet certain exactly where that’s going to fall, so the forecast amounts are somewhat variable.” Lee is urging all Iowans to keep a close eye on the changing forecast, as travel could become hazardous later today and tonight.

“Within the heaviest band of snow, amounts of two to five inches will be common, and there may even be a narrow strip of six inches or more,” Lee says. “Again, that would be over a relatively small area, but it is quite possible. So we are going to look at some travel impacts here later today into the night that may linger into the Friday morning commute.” The winter weather comes after record warmth earlier in the week where many parts of the state saw high temperatures in the 50s, 60s and even low 70s. Lee says this shift back to more seasonal weather means this snow will likely stick around.

“The next several days from Friday through Monday, we’ll struggle to get above freezing during the day, which is actually only a little bit below normal, but it’ll feel much worse because we’ve been so spoiled,” Lee says. “However, toward the middle of next week, it does look like we’ll get a relative warm-up again. Maybe not what we’ve just seen, but 50s are definitely in play for the middle of next week.”

Over the past week or so, he notes Des Moines had six days in a row of temperatures in the 60s, an exceptionally warm stretch for February in Iowa.

(Statewide News) – The number of Iowa counties under a burn ban continues to grow due to an ongoing fire risk. As of Tuesday, Feb. 18^th, 13 Iowa Counties were banning opening burning. Elsewhere, open burning and tossing of cigarettes or other means that may accidentally create fires, was strongly discouraged. Persons who previously had a controlled burn that was extinguished, were asked to keep a close eye on their property, because strong winds could cause those burn piles to rekindle. In southwest Iowa, Mills County was added to the list, that also includes Crawford, Shelby, Union and Ringgold, as of the latest information.

Aa burn ban goes into effect when fuels (such as tender vegetation, brush and timber) get less than 20% moisture and high temperatures, high winds, and low humidity start to develop.

Burn bans in February are rare, because there is usually enough snowpack on the ground, or at the very least heavy moisture in the ground, because the snow is starting to melt. In the last couple of months, though, Iowa has had significantly less snow than usual. Without that moisture in the ground, the risk of grass and field fires heightens.

Fire officials say what’s needed is a good soaking rain that saturates the soil, along with higher humidity in the range of 40%-50% or more, for a sustained period of time. Otherwise any moisture in the ground from rain can be dried out by the wind within 48-hours, which results in the same dry conditions.

Today: **RED FLAG WARNING from 10-am until 7-p.m. for critical fire weather conditions leading to fast fire growth**Mostly sunny & windy. High near 64. W/SW winds 20-35 mph decreasing to 10-15 later this afternoon.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 32. SW-NE winds 5-15 mph w/gusts as high as 20 mph.
Tomorrow: A 40% chance of rain and/or snow. Little or no snow accumulation is expected. A high near 46. Winds NE-NW @ 15-25 mph.
Tom. Night: A 50% chance of snow. Low around 19. Winds NW @ 15-25 mph. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 33.
Saturday: A 20% chance of snow, otherwise partly sunny, with a high near 34.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 29.

Tuesday’s High in Atlantic was 67 degrees. The Low was 43. Last year on this date (Feb. 18th), the High in Atlantic was 2, and the Low was -13. The Record High for this date was 67 in 2017, the record Low was -25 in 1978. Sunrise: 7:12; Sunset: 5:56.

Today: Partly sunny & windy, with a high near 71. Winds S @ 10-20 mph w/gusts to around 35 this afternoon.
Tonight: A slight chance of showers before 8pm, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8pm and 9pm; Otherwise Partly cloudy & windy. A low around 40. S-W winds 15-30 mph.
Tomorrow: Mostly sunny & breezy, with a high near 63. W/SW winds 10-25 mph.
Tom. Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. SW winds becoming NE @ 5-15 mph w/gusts to near 20 mph.
Thursday: Partly sunny w/a 50% chance of rain. Breezy. A high near 50. New precipitation amounts < .10″.
Thu. Night: Rain and snow likely, becoming all snow after 9pm. Low around 18.
Friday: Mostly sunny & breezy, with a high near 35.

Monday’s High in Atlantic was 68 degrees, a NEW RECORD HIGH. The old record High was 64 in 2017. The Low was 31. Last year on this date (Feb. 17th), the High in Atlantic was 7, and the Low was -15. The Record High for this date was 71 in 2017, the record Low was -34 in 1958. Sunrise: 7:13; Sunset: 5:56.

Today (Washington’s Birthday): Mostly cloudy early; Gradually becoming sunny. High near 67. S/SW winds 5-10 mph.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. SE wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tomorrow: Cloudy; Gradually becoming mostly sunny. Windy. A high near 71. S/SE @ 15-25 w/gusts to near 35-mph.
Tom. Night: A 40% chance of rain before midnight. Low around 42. S-to W winds @ 15-30 mph.
Wednesday: Sunny & breezy, with a high near 62.
Wed. Night: A 20% chance of rain after midnight. Low around 32.
Thursday: A 40% chance of rain or snow before noon, then a chance of rain; Partly sunny & breezy. High near 49.
Thursday Night: A 50% chance of snow. Blustery. A low around 19.

Sunday’s High in Atlantic was 66 degrees. The Low was 26. Last year on this date (Feb. 16th), the High in Atlantic was 12, and the Low was -9. The Record High for this date was 64 in 2017, the record Low was -33 in 1958. Sunrise: 7:14; Sunset: 5:54.