OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A powerful winter storm system that could dump a dozen inches of snow in blizzard conditions has been forecast for Nebraska and portions of adjacent states. A blizzard warning has been issued for three southwest Nebraska counties and nearby portions of Kansas and Colorado. The National Weather Service says the warnings take effect at 11 p.m. MST Thursday. A blizzard watch extends to the northeast.
Winter storm warnings and watches have been issued to take effect later Thursday or on Friday for the rest of Nebraska and much of southeast Wyoming, northeast Colorado, northwest Kansas and western Iowa. The Weather Service says the storm is expected to move into Nebraska late Thursday night and last into Saturday. Rain is expected to precede the snowfall in many areas.
Here in western Iowa, snowfall amounts through 6-p.m. Saturday, are expected to range anywhere from 2-inches in Page County, to more than 7-inches in Pottawattamie County. Cass County looks to receive just under 5-inches of snow, according to the latest estimates.
The first three days of this week saw record breaking temperatures set in Atlantic, but there’s little liklihood today will come close to the record high for this date. Wednesday’s high in Atlantic was 60, which broke the old record of 58, set back in 1987. Today’s record high was 66, in 1992, but the forecast only calls for a high of around 56-degrees.
A major change in the weather is set to take place late Friday night into Saturday night, as a snowstorm sets its sights on Nebraska and Western Iowa. Right now, it appears snowfall amounts will range from 4-to 7-inches, but that could change, depending on the track of the storm, and how late the rain we get on Friday, changes to snow.
A Winter Storm Watch will be in effect for most of the listening area, from late Friday night into Saturday night. Travel conditions are expected to deteriorate Friday night, with reduced visibilities due to blowing heavy snow, and slushy road conditions.
Here’s the forecast for Atlantic, and the KJAN listening area, plus the weather stats for Atlantic.
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423 AM CST THU FEB 2 2012 NWS/Des Moines
…WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY EVENING THROUGH LATE SATURDAY NIGHT FOR MOST OF THE KJAN LISTENING AREA (Cass, Adair, Adams, Audubon, Carroll, Crawford, Fremont, Guthrie, Harrison, Madison, Mills, Montgomery, Pottawattamie, Shelby & Union Counties)
TODAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 50S. SOUTHEAST WIND NEAR 10 MPH.
TONIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY IN THE EVENING THEN BECOMING MOSTLY CLOUDY. NOT AS COOL. LOW IN THE MID 30S. EAST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.
FRIDAY…RAIN…BREEZY…COOLER. HIGH IN THE MID 40S. EAST WIND 15 TO 25 MPH. CHANCE OF RAIN NEAR 100 PERCENT.
FRIDAY NIGHT…RAIN THROUGH MIDNIGHT…THEN SNOW AND RAIN AFTER MIDNIGHT. BREEZY. LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLE. LOW AROUND 30. NORTHEAST WIND 20 TO 25 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION NEAR 100 PERCENT.
SATURDAY...SNOW…BREEZY…COLDER. MODERATE SNOW ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLE. HIGH IN THE LOWER 30S. NORTHEAST WIND 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH. CHANCE OF SNOW NEAR 100 PERCENT.
SATURDAY NIGHT…CLOUDY WITH A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF SNOW. LOW IN THE MID 20S.
SUNDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW. HIGH IN THE MID 30S.
WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING…
COUNTIES AFFECTED IN WESTERN IA: MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY- FREMONT
…POTENTIAL WINTER STORM HEADED TOWARD REGION…
RAIN WILL MIX WITH AND CHANGE TO SNOW FROM WEST TO EAST ON FRIDAY NIGHT. SNOW IS THEN EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY ON SATURDAY…ENDING SATURDAY NIGHT. SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 INCHES OR GREATER IS POSSIBLE IN THE WATCH AREA.
THERE REMAINS UNCERTAINTY AS TO THE EXACT TRACK OF THE STORM SYSTEM. IN ADDITION…THERE IS ALSO UNCERTAINTY AS TO WHEN THE RAIN WILL CHANGE TO SNOW ACROSS THE AREA ON FRIDAY NIGHT. THE SOONER RAIN CHANGES TO SNOW THE HIGHER THE SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE. IF THE CHANGE OVER TO SNOW IS DELAYED…LOWER SNOWFALL TOTALS WILL BE EXPECTED.
ONCE THE RAIN DOES CHANGE TO SNOW ON FRIDAY NIGHT…TRAVEL WILL BECOME DIFFICULT. DUE TO THE WET NATURE OF THE SNOW…ROAD SURFACES WILL BECOME SLUSHY MAKING DRIVING DIFFICULT. HEAVY SNOW IS ALSO POSSIBLE REDUCING VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN A QUARTER OF A MILE AT TIMES. NORTHEAST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WILL ALSO LEAD TO BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW…SLEET…OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.
Here’s the forecast for Atlantic, and the rest of the KJAN listening area….
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A 120-year old record high temperature was eclipsed Tuesday, here in Atlantic. The old record of 58 degrees in 1892 was surpassed when we topped out at 59, Tuesday afternoon. It was the second consecutive day of record breaking temperatures in Atlantic. On Monday, we reached 65 degrees, which beat the 58 degree record set in 1988. The weather service said this (Wednesday) morning, they were not aware of any other records being set in Iowa, Tuesday, although temperatures were much warmer than normal.
345 AM CST WED FEB 1 2012
TODAY…SUNNY. HIGH IN THE MID 50S. WEST WIND NEAR 10 MPH.
TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE MID 20S. WEST WIND NEAR 5 MPH THROUGH MIDNIGHT BECOMING LIGHT.
THURSDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE MID 50S. EAST WIND NEAR 10 MPH.
THURSDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY THROUGH MIDNIGHT THEN BECOMING MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE MID 30S. EAST WIND AROUND 10 MPH.
FRIDAY…RAIN LIKELY IN THE MORNING…THEN RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON. BREEZY…COLDER. HIGH IN THE MID 40S. EAST WIND 10 TO 25 MPH. CHANCE
OF RAIN 90 PERCENT.
FRIDAY NIGHT...LIGHT RAIN AND LIGHT SNOW THROUGH MIDNIGHT…THEN LIGHT SNOW AFTER MIDNIGHT. BREEZY. LOW IN THE UPPER 20S. CHANCE OF
PRECIPITATION 90 PERCENT.
SATURDAY…LIGHT SNOW LIKELY IN THE MORNING…THEN LIGHT RAIN AND LIGHT SNOW LIKELY IN THE AFTERNOON. BREEZY. HIGH IN THE MID 30S.
CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 60 PERCENT.
SATURDAY NIGHT…CLOUDY WITH A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF SNOW. LOW IN THE MID 20S.
As of 12:55-p.m. today (Tuesday), Atlantic was 58-degrees. That ties a record high temperature for this date set 12o-years ago (1892)! There’s still a chance we could break the record this afternoon.
Many locations in Iowa and Nebraska broke record high temperatures Monday, including here in Atlantic. The temperature at the KJAN studios (The OFFICIAL National Weather Service reporting station for the community), reached 65-degrees, which shattered the old record of 58, set 24-years ago (1988). Other sites broke records dating back more than 80-years. Lincoln, NE., reached a high of 71, Monday. The old record was 60, in 1931.
In Omaha, the previous record of 60 in 1974, was beat by 9-degrees (69), Monday. Sioux City set a record high temperature for January 30th, when the thermometer reached 65-degrees, breaking the record of 57 set in 1964. And, Des Moines also reached 65, which surpassed the old record high of 57, set in 1988.
Brad Small, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Johnston, says Ottumwa reached 65, breaking the old record of 59. Lamoni saw 63 degrees, knocking off the old record by three degrees. Webster City reached a high of 59, breaking the old record of 53 set in 1931. State climatologist Harry Hillaker says “it’s been a January for the ages.” That’s because Iowa has a 60-degree day in January about once every 10 years. There have been three so far this month, with a chance to hit 60 or higher somewhere in the state today.
The forecast temperature in Atlantic today, is 58. That would tie a record high set on this date, in 1892. There’s the possibility of snow, by Friday.
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