Iowans are being reminded of all the dangerous possibilities that come with spring, from flooding to tornadoes, as this is the first day of Severe Weather Awareness Week. Meteorologist Jeff Johnson, at the National Weather Service, says we should all brush up on safety procedures, though he notes, last year was relatively quiet. “Last year, of course, we had the drought, which was bad, but the other side of that coin, we had a very tranquil severe weather season with only 16 tornadoes in the state.” That was the lowest number of tornadoes in Iowa since 1963. Iowa averages 47 tornadoes per year. A record 120 tornadoes touched down in Iowa in 2004. During this Severe Weather Awareness Week, different themes will be covered each day.

“Flash flooding, the warning decisions, tornadoes on Wednesday, severe thunderstorms on Thursday and family preparedness on Friday,” Johnson says. “The week will be highlighted by the statewide tornado drill which will occur at 10 AM on Wednesday, the 27th.” That tornado drill should be taken seriously, giving everyone a chance to think of what they should do if it were the real thing and where they would take cover. The Tornado Watch will be issued at 10 o’clock on Wednesday.

“And then at about 10:15, we’ll issue a Tornado Warning for our area that will go over the Weather Radio System, through the Emergency Alert System and through the other systems,” he says. Learn more at: www.weather.gov/dmx

(Radio Iowa)

COUNTIES:SAC-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-POLK-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD….

354 AM CDT MON MAR 25 2013

…SLICK ROADS POSSIBLE FOR THE MORNING COMMUTE…

LIGHT SNOW OVERNIGHT FELL ATOP PARTIALLY MELTED ROADWAYS AND HAD ACCUMULATED TO A FEW TENTHS OF AN INCH. ONCE THIS GETS DRIVEN UPON IT WILL LIKELY FORM A LAYER OF SLUSH OR ICE THAT WILL MAKE THE MORNING COMMUTE SLICK. ALLOW EXTRA DISTANCE BETWEEN VEHICLES THIS MORNING AS WELL AS EXTRA TIME TO REACH YOUR DESTINATION. BY MID TO LATE MORNING EVEN UNTREATED ROADS WILL BEGIN TO MELT.

The Iowa Department of Transportation’s travel site (www.511ia.org), indicates a majority of the roads and bridge in the KJAN listening area are covered with ice early this (Monday) morning. Be very cautious if you plan on traveling. Several accidents were reported to have occurred on Interstate 80 Sunday evening and night between Adair, Stuart and Dexter, as the temperatures began to drop and the roads became slick. I-29 north and near Council Bluffs, was reported to be wet, as of 3:50-a.m.

Monday: Snow, mainly before 1pm. High near 33. Breezy, with a north northwest wind 15 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 20. North northwest wind 8 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 35. North northwest wind around 7 mph.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 21. Calm wind becoming east southeast around 5 mph after midnight.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 45.
Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23.

Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 47.
Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32.

Friday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 52.

A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect (See Weather Statement for details)

Today: Snow likely, mainly before 2pm. Cloudy, with a high near 34. Windy, with a north wind 14 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
Tonight: Snow likely, mainly after 8pm. Cloudy, with a low around 25. Blustery, with a north northwest wind 11 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Monday: Snow likely before 5pm, then a chance of rain and snow. Cloudy, with a high near 34. Breezy, with a north northwest wind 11 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Monday Night: A chance of rain and snow before 8pm. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 22. North northwest wind 8 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 35. Northwest wind 6 to 9 mph.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 23.

Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 44.

COUNTIES: CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD…

352 AM CDT SUN MAR 24 2013

…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING…

* SHORT TERM TRENDS…THERE WILL BE SEVERAL PERIODS OF LIGHT SNOW THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY EVENING. ACCUMULATIONS WILL VARY BECAUSE OF MELTING…ESPECIALLY DURING THE DAYTIME HOURS.

* STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS…SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE EXPECTED. HOWEVER DUE TO MELTING AND COMPACTION ACTUAL ACCUMULATIONS ON THE GROUND WILL BE LESS.

* WINDS/VISIBILITY…VISIBILITIES IN THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL MAY DROP TO A HALF MILE AT TIMES. WINDS WILL ALSO INCREASE TO 15 TO 20 MPH RESULTING IN SOME VERY MINOR BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF SNOW.

* IMPACTS…SOME ROADS MAY BECOME SLICK FOR MORNING TRAVEL. DURING THE DAY SECONDARY ROADS MAY HAVE SLICK SPOTS FROM DRIFTING SNOW.

FOR POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE COUNTIES…

…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON…

* TIMING…AREAS OF SNOW WILL CONTINUE THIS MORNING BEFORE DECREASING TO FLURRIES.

* ACCUMULATIONS…MANY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL REACH 2 TO 4 INCHES.

FOR HARRISON COUNTY…

…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM CDT THIS MORNING...

* TIMING…SNOW WILL DECREASE TO FLURRIES OR END OVER THE AREA THIS MORNING.

* ACCUMULATIONS…TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE EXPECTED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

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

COUNTIES: CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-
711 PM CDT SAT MAR 23 2013

…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT
    SUNDAY…

* TIMING…SNOW HAS ALREADY BEGUN ACROSS SOUTHERN AND WESTERN
IOWA…AND WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA TONIGHT.
THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED FROM LATER TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY
MORNING…ALTHOUGH LIGHTER SNOW WILL LINGER INTO SUNDAY EVENING.

* STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE ADVISORY AREA BY THE TIME THE
SNOW DIMINISHES TO LIGHT SNOW OR FLURRIES ON SUNDAY EVENING.

 * WINDS/VISIBILITY…ALTHOUGH THESE CONDITIONS WILL NOT BE
CONTINUOUS…VISIBILITIES WILL DIP TO A HALF MILE AT TIMES
TONIGHT AND SUNDAY. WINDS WILL ALSO INCREASE TO 15 TO 20 MPH BY
SUNDAY RESULTING IN SOME MINOR BLOWING AND DRIFTING.

* IMPACTS…SNOW COVERED ROADS WILL LEAD TO HAZARDOUS TRAVEL
TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY. SOME COMPACTION OF SNOW MAY LEAD TO ICY
PATCHES AND SLICK TRAVEL AS WELL.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW
WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED
ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITY…AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

Here’s the National Weather Service forecast for Atlantic and the KJAN listening area, and weather data for Atlantic…

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COUNTIES: MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE-HARRISON-POTTAWATAMIE
434 AM CDT SAT MAR 23 2013
    
…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 1 PM CDT SUNDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA/VALLEY HAS ISSUED A WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS
EVENING TO 1 PM CDT SUNDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.
    
* TIMING…ALTHOUGH SNOW IS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON…A STEADIER
SNOW PROBABLY WILL NOT MOVE IN UNTIL THIS EVENING. OCCASIONAL
MODERATE OR EVEN BRIEFLY HEAVY SNOW IS EXPECTED TONIGHT BEFORE
THE SNOW DECREASES TO FLURRIES BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

* ACCUMULATIONS…3 TO 6 INCHES ARE FORECAST IN MILLS, MONTGOMERY, FREMONT AND PAGE COUNTIES, 2-4 INCHES IN HARRISON AND POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTIES.

* WINDS…NORTHEAST TO NORTH WINDS AT 15 TO 25 MPH WILL ACCOMPANY
THE SNOW TONIGHT. THIS WILL LEAD TO SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING
SNOW.

* MAIN IMPACT...THE STEADIER AND OCCASIONALLY MODERATE OR BRIEFLY HEAVY SNOW TONIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING WILL BRING SNOW PACKED
CONDITIONS TO UNCLEARED ROADS.

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.

COUNTIES IN THE KJAN LISTENING AREA: CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-
359 AM CDT SAT MAR 23 2013

…LONG DURATION SNOW EVENT EXPECTED FOR SOUTHERN IOWA THIS WEEKEND… .LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPING OVER THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES EARLY THIS MORNING WILL MOVE INTO TEXAS LATE SATURDAY AND THEN LIFT NORTHEAST INTO THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY SUNDAY. SNOW OF VARIED INTENSITIES WILL BEGIN EARLY THIS EVENING…AND CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA INTO SUNDAY EVENING. DUE TO THE PROLONGED NATURE OF THE LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW…A LARGE AREA OF MODERATE ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED WITH THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL LIKELY TO REMAIN SOUTH OF IOWA.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM CDT SUNDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM CDT SUNDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH PREVIOUSLY ISSUED IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* TIMING...SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON OR EARLY EVENING…SPREADING INTO MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN IOWA INTO THE NIGHT. ALTHOUGH THE HEAVIEST SNOW WILL BE TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING…LIGHTER AMOUNTS OR FLURRIES MAY LINGER INTO SUNDAY EVENING.

* STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS…SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 4 INCHES ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE ADVISORY AREA BY THE TIME THE SNOW DIMINISHES TO LIGHT SNOW OR FLURRIES EARLY SUNDAY EVENING.

* WINDS/VISIBILITY...ALTHOUGH THESE CONDITIONS WILL NOT BE CONTINUOUS…VISIBILITIES MAY DIP TO A HALF MILE TONIGHT AND SUNDAY DURING THE PERIODS OF MODERATE SNOW. WINDS WILL ALSO INCREASE TO 10 TO 20 MPH BY SUNDAY WITH A FEW HIGHER GUSTS RESULTING IN SOME MINOR BLOWING AND DRIFTING ACROSS THE REGION.

* IMPACTS…SNOW COVERED ROADS WILL LEAD TO HAZARDOUS TRAVEL TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY. SOME COMPACTION OF SNOW EARLY MAY LEAD TO ICY PATCHES AND SLICK TRAVEL AS WELL. DURING THE DAY SUNDAY…THE COMBINATION OF TEMPERATURES NEAR OR A LITTLE ABOVE FREEZING BY AFTERNOON AND FILTERED SUNSHINE THROUGH THE CLOUDINESS WILL LIKELY RESULT IN THE MELT OFF OF MOST OF THE SNOW ON MAIN ROADS BY AFTERNOON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITY…AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.