DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa enters the cold weather season with about a fifth of the state still in severe drought. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says November was drier than normal with the average precipitation for the state at 1.6 inches compared with the 30-year normal of just over 2 inches. A small area of the state that was rated in extreme drought in October has improved and is now in severe drought.

The area of the state in severe drought has fallen to 20 percent from 35 percent at the start of November. Little change is anticipated in soil moisture levels over the winter as soils are likely be frozen statewide by now, and are unlikely to thaw until spring.

406 AM CST SAT DEC 7 2013

TODAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. VERY COLD. HIGH 10 TO 15. NORTHEAST WIND NEAR 10 MPH. LOWEST WIND CHILL READINGS AROUND 15 BELOW IN THE MORNING.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. LIGHT SNOW LIKELY AFTER MIDNIGHT. SNOW EARLY IN THE MORNING. NOT AS COLD. SNOW ACCUMULATION AROUND 1 INCH. LOW 5 TO 10 ABOVE. EAST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH. CHANCE OF SNOW 80 PERCENT.

SUNDAY…SNOW. SNOW ACCUMULATION AROUND 3 INCHES. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATION AROUND 4 INCHES. HIGH 15 TO 20. SOUTHEAST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH. CHANCE OF SNOW NEAR 100 PERCENT.

SUNDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF SNOW THROUGH MIDNIGHT. LOW ZERO TO 5 ABOVE. NORTHWEST WIND NEAR 10 MPH.

MONDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH 10 TO 15. WEST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.

MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW ZERO TO 5 ABOVE. HIGH 15 TO 20.

343 PM CST FRI DEC 6 2013

…WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 AM CST SATURDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA/VALLEY HAS ISSUED A WIND CHILL ADVISORY…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 AM CST SATURDAY.

* WIND CHILL VALUES…TEMPERATURES WILL FALL TO 5 TO 18 DEGREES BELOW ZERO OVERNIGHT. THIS COUPLED WITH NORTHWEST WINDS OF 5 TO 10 MPH WILL CREATE WIND CHILL READINGS OF 19 TO 29 BELOW ZERO.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WIND CHILL ADVISORY MEANS THAT VERY COLD AIR AND STRONG WINDS WILL COMBINE TO GENERATE LOW WIND CHILLS. THIS WILL RESULT IN FROST BITE AND LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN. IF YOU MUST VENTURE OUTDOORS…MAKE SURE YOU WEAR A HAT AND GLOVES.

The Freese-Notis forecast for the KJAN listening area and weather information for Atlantic from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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TODAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. VERY COLD. HIGH 10 TO 15. NORTHWEST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 25 MPH.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. BITTERLY COLD. LOW 5 TO 10 BELOW. NORTHWEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH. WIND CHILL READINGS AROUND 15 BELOW.

SATURDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. VERY COLD. HIGH AROUND 15. NORTH WIND NEAR 5 MPH SHIFTING TO THE NORTHEAST IN THE AFTERNOON. LOWEST WIND CHILL READINGS AROUND 15 BELOW IN THE MORNING.

SATURDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW AFTER MIDNIGHT. NOT AS COLD. LOW AROUND 10. SOUTHEAST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

SUNDAY…SNOW. MODERATE SNOW ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLE. HIGH IN THE LOWER 20S. SOUTHEAST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH. CHANCE OF SNOW 80 PERCENT.

SUNDAY NIGHT…CLOUDY. A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW THROUGH MIDNIGHT. LOW ZERO TO 5 ABOVE.

MONDAY…PARTLY SUNNY. HIGH 10 TO 15.

The Freese-Notis forecast for the KJAN listening area and weather information for Atlantic from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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350 AM CST THU DEC 5 2013

TODAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. BREEZY…COLDER. HIGH 15 TO 20. NORTHWEST WIND 15 TO 20 MPH.

TONIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. VERY COLD. LOW ZERO TO 5 ABOVE. NORTHWEST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.

FRIDAY...MOSTLY SUNNY. VERY COLD. HIGH 10 TO 15. NORTHWEST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.

FRIDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW ZERO TO 5 BELOW. NORTH WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

SATURDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH AROUND 15. EAST WIND NEAR 10 MPH.

SATURDAY NIGHT...CLOUDY WITH A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF SNOW. NOT AS COLD. LOW AROUND 10.

SUNDAY…CLOUDY WITH A 50 PERCENT CHANCE OF SNOW. HIGH 15 TO 20.

SUNDAY NIGHT…CLOUDY WITH A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF SNOW. LOW 5 TO 10 ABOVE.

MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE COUNTIES–

858 AM CST WED DEC 4 2013

…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TODAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA/VALLEY HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE…WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TODAY.

* TIMING…THE FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL GRADUALLY DECREASE THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS.

* MAIN IMPACT…UNTREATED ROADS AND SIDEWALKS WILL DEVELOP A THIN LAYER OF ICE AND BECOME SLIPPERY.

* OTHER IMPACTS…NORTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE THROUGH THE MORNING WITH FALLING TEMPERATURES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW…SLEET…OR FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES…AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

714 AM CST WED DEC 4 2013

…FROZEN MIX FOR SEVERAL HOURS THIS MORNING….A TRANSITION FROM LIGHT DRIZZLE AND LIGHT FREEZING RAIN WILL OCCUR OVER PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND NORTHWEST IOWA THIS MORNING. THIS SHOULD LAST UNTIL LATE MORNING OVER THE ADVISORY AREA.

COUNTIES: SAC-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-AUDUBON-CASS-

…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM CST THIS MORNING…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR LIGHT FREEZING RAIN AND SNOW…WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM CST THIS MORNING.

* SHORT TERM TRENDS…LIGHT FREEZING RAIN IS DEVELOPING OVER WESTERN IOWA THIS MORNING AND WILL CONTINUE BEFORE CHANGING OVER TO LIGHT SNOW THIS AFTERNOON.

* STORM TOTAL SNOW/ICE ACCUMULATIONS…A LIGHT GLAZING OF ICE IS EXPECTED AND OVER NORTHWEST IOWA UP TO 2 INCHES OF SNOW EXPECTED.

* WINDS/VISIBILITY…VISIBILITY WILL REMAIN BELOW 2 MILES FOR SEVERAL HOURS. AS WINDS INCREASE TO 10 TO 20 MPH LATER THIS MORNING THE VISIBILITY WILL IMPROVE.

* IMPACTS…ROADS MAY BECOME SLICK WITH TRAVEL DIFFICULT FOR SEVERAL HOURS THIS MORNING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW…SLEET…OR FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES…AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

AREA COUNTIES: SAC-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-AUDUBON-CASS–

714 AM CST WED DEC 4 2013

…DENSE FOG ADVISORY IS CANCELLED…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS CANCELLED THE DENSE FOG ADVISORY. THIS IS BEING REPLACED WITH A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY AS LIGHT FREEZING RAIN IS NOW OCCURRING OVER PORTIONS OF THE AREA.

A DENSE FOG ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON TODAY FOR GUTHRIE-DALLAS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR AND RINGGOLD COUNTIES.