Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 31. Northwest wind between 3 and 10 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 13. Wind chill values as low as 5. Calm wind becoming north between 5 and 8 mph.

Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 27. Wind chill values as low as zero. Blustery, with a north wind between 8 and 16 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 7. Wind chill values as low as zero. North wind between 7 and 13 mph.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 22. North northwest wind between 5 and 7 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 12.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 30.

Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 16.

Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 31.
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Saturday’s High in Atlantic was 38. Our 23-hour low thru 6-a.m. today: 20.  Snowfall in Atlantic Saturday: .3″.   Total precipitation (rain/melted snow): 1.04″.

COUNTIES INCLUDED IN THE ADVISORY: HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-INCLUDING THE CITIES
OF...HARLAN...COUNCIL BLUFFS...
1046 AM CST SAT DEC 3 2011

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT...

* MAIN IMPACTS...RAIN IS EXPECTED TO MIX WITH AND CHANCE TO SNOW THROUGH THE REST OF
THE MORNING. SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON...THEN END DURING THE EVENING.
GENERAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS WILL RANGE FROM 2 TO 5 INCHES...WITH THE HIGHER AMOUNTS
JUST NORTHWEST OF INTERSTATE 80.

* WINDS...WINDS ARE FORECAST TO BECOME NORTH TO NORTHWEST AND INCREASE TO 15-TO 20-
MPH THROUGH THE DAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY
TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...
AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

AMES, Iowa – Dec. 3, 2011 – Along with the hats, mittens and boots, dig out your winter driving skills today as light rain and drizzle is already creating some icy patches on northeast Iowa roadways this morning. Weather conditions are expected to deteriorate in northern Iowa as the day goes on and a wintry mix moves through that part of the state. Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) crews will be monitoring weather conditions throughout the anticipated winter storm. Log on to www.511ia.org for the latest road conditions or http://www.weatherview.dot.state.ia.us for updated weather and travel information.

If you must travel during this winter weather event, please consider the following recommendations….

If you are driving focus your attention on the driving task and slow down. Do not use cruise control. Put your mobile phone away so you are not tempted to talk or text while driving. Keep a safe distance from vehicles in adjacent lanes as strong wind gusts could push a vehicle outside its lane of travel. Put a safe distance between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead in case sudden driving maneuvers are necessary.

Take extra care if driving a high-profile vehicle such as a truck, van or sports utility vehicle, or when towing a trailer, as these vehicles are more prone to be pushed or even flipped by wind gusts. Your vehicle’s headlights are a valuable asset when driving in winter weather. Turn them on to see and be seen.

If conditions are severe enough to prevent safe driving, postpone your trip; or if en route, identify the nearest safe place to pull off the roadway, such as a rest area, truck stop, motel or other traveler service until the wind subsides and road conditions improve.  Keep your windshield clear of ice. Allow extra travel time.

If the roads are icy, and if your vehicle begins to slide, take your foot off the gas pedal and shift into neutral, or if you have a manual transmission, depress the clutch. While it may be a natural instinct to slam on your brakes, this may cause your vehicle to slide further and result in loss of vehicle control. Tap the brake pedal lightly.  If you have an idea that there may be ice ahead (if you see vehicles ahead of you sliding, for example), downshift to a lower gear before you come onto the ice. The lower gear will force you to drive more slowly and give you better control of your vehicle.

If your vehicle does begin to skid on the ice, turn the wheel in the direction of the skid. This should help to steer your vehicle back on the right track. Stay well behind the vehicle in front of you – this is definitely not the time to tailgate. Even if you feel confident that you know how to drive safely on ice, that does not mean the driver in front of you does. Be prepared in case other vehicles start to slide. Do not think you are invincible just because you drive a four-wheel drive truck or sports utility vehicle. Four-wheel drive vehicles have no advantage over other vehicles when it comes to driving on ice.

Make sure you and your passengers are wearing their seatbelts or other safety restraints.  Winter driving is always unpredictable, so be prepared for the unexpected.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO MIDNIGHT TONIGHT FOR FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN THE KJAN LISTENING AREA:  MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE

Today: Rain. High near 40. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north northeast. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Tonight: Rain and snow before midnight, then a chance of snow between midnight and 3am. Low around 21. North northwest wind between 10 and 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 31.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 15. 

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 24.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 6.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 20.

AMES, Iowa – Dec. 2, 2011 – The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) is closely monitoring the forecast and precipitation models as the agency prepares for a wintery mix of rain/freezing rain/snow across the state. Snow, and perhaps a period of freezing rain, is expected across portions of the state tonight into Saturday as a storm system lifts through the Central Plains. There remains some uncertainty regarding the track of this system, but it appears that most of the southern and eastern parts of Iowa will be warm enough to see rain, while areas in the north and west will receive snow. An average of 5 to 6 inches of snow is possible in a diagonal swath across the state that extends from Decorah to Mason City, Fort Dodge, Carroll and Council Bluffs.

Late Saturday and Saturday night, cold air will begin filtering in on the backside of the system, changing the rain to snow from west to east as the system departs the state Saturday night. Some gusty winds Saturday night into Sunday morning may cause some blowing and drifting snow.

Travelers are advised to check out the latest road conditions before making their trips by visiting www.511ia.org or call 511 (in Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide).

The Iowa DOT will continue to have a presence on all state-maintained highways, as necessary. The department’s goal is to keep all roads passable around-the-clock. The exceptions would be those limited instances when it becomes necessary to close a road for the safety of the traveling public or when snowplows are removed from the roadways because conditions are so severe that it compromises the safety of maintenance personnel. If any of these situations were to occur, the public will be informed.  

Motorists may observe snowplow trucks performing a process called anti-icing prior to a storm, when no snow or ice is present. Applying the salt water brine to the roads makes it easier and quicker to remove snow/ice during and after a storm.

Sanding/deicing/plowing will be performed during and after the storm as needed, with the goal of keeping one lane in each direction passable and providing intermittently bare pavement surface in the main driving lane as soon as possible. Remaining travel lanes and shoulders will be cleared as quickly as possible, as staffing and equipment permit.

(DOT Press Release)

The National Weather Service has extended the number of counties it has included in a Winter Storm Watch, which will be in effect from Saturday morning through Saturday evening. The Watch now includes the following counties: Crawford, Carroll, Monona, Harrison, Shelby, and Pottawattamie.

The Weather Service says rain will change to snow during the day, Saturday, and end before daybreak on Sunday. Snowfall amounts in the Watch area may range from 4-to 7-inches, with the highest amounts of 6-to 7-inches expected to fall along and north of Interstate 80. Winds are forecast to become N-NW at 15-20 mph.

A Winter Storm Watch mean there is a potential for significant snow…sleet..or ice accumulations that may impact travel.

Here’s the latest forecast for Cass and surrounding counties, including Atlantic….

Today: Sunny, with a high near 40. Wind chill values as low as 5. Calm wind becoming south between 12 and 15 mph. Winds could gust as high as 21 mph.

Tonight: A chance of rain and snow before midnight, then rain. Temperature rising to around 36 by 1am. South wind between 7 and 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Saturday: Rain before 3pm, then rain and snow. Temperature falling to around 31 by 5pm. Calm wind becoming north between 6 and 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Saturday Night: Snow likely, mainly before midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 20. Wind chill values as low as 10. North northwest wind between 9 and 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 30. West northwest wind between 7 and 9 mph.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 16.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 24.

********

Thursday’s High in Atlantic was 35. We received .2″ of snow, which melted into just .01″ of liquid precipitation. Our low this morning (thru 5:30-a.m.), was 6 degrees above zero.

349 AM CST FRI DEC 2 2011…WINTER STORM TO AFFECT PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND NORTHERN IOWA THIS WEEKEND…

A STORM SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION ACROSS IOWA LATE TONIGHT INTO EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. THE PRECIPITATION WILL BE IN THE FORM OF SNOW IN WEST CENTRAL TO NORTH CENTRAL IOWA ON SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT. SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED PRIOR TO THE SNOW ENDING EARLY SUNDAY MORNING.

COUNTIES INCLUDED IN THE WINTER STORM WATCH: EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO-POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-SAC-CALHOUN-WEBSTER-CRAWFORD-CARROLL–

…WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING…

TIMING…A MIXTURE OF LIGHT PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED LATE TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING. HOWEVER…THE MOST SIGNIFICANT  SNOW IS EXPECTED TOWARD MIDDAY SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY EVENING BEFORE ENDING EARLY SUNDAY MORNING.

STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS…SNOWFALL OF 4 TO 7 INCHES IS  EXPECTED IN THE WATCH AREA WITH LOCALIZED HIGHER AMOUNTS. SOME SLEET ACCUMULATIONS MAY OCCUR ON THE SOUTHERN END OF THE WATCH AREA BUT THIS APPEARS MINOR AT THIS POINT.

WINDS/VISIBILITY…WINDS WILL INCREASE FROM THE NORTH NORTHWEST  AT 10 TO 20 MPH ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE INTO SATURDAY NIGHT. SOME MINOR BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW MAY OCCUR AT THESE WIND SPEEDS. THE MAIN RESTRICTION TO VISIBILITY WILL BE DUE TO BRIEF PERIODS OF HEAVIER SNOWFALL.

IMPACTS…ROADS AND HIGHWAYS MAY BECOME SNOW COVERED AND SLICK, WHICH COULD LEAD TO DIFFICULT TRAVEL CONDITIONS.

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.

IN ADDITION, A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 9AM-9PM SATURDAY, FOR THESE COUNTIES IN NW IOWA: DICKINSON-OBRIEN-CLAY-PLYMOUTH-CHEROKEE-BUENA VISTA-WOODBURY & IDA.

Average High for the month: 51.2 degrees.   Average Low: 27.  Rainfall/melted snow: 2.15″. Actual snowfall .3″.

Warmest day of the month was on the 1st, when we hit 70 degrees. The lowest temp was 11 degrees, on 3 dates: Nov. 16th, 27th & 29th.  We also set a record high temp for Nov. 24th, of 68 degrees.

**********

Normal average High for the month is 47.9 degree. Normal average Low is 26.3. Average precip. is 1.43″.