MASON CITY – The snow has already began to fall in Mason City, fresh off of about 2″ to 4″ in the area, with 6″ to 10″ more in the forecast overnight.
The second half of the winter storm affecting Iowa will arrive this evening and remain through midday Tuesday. This will bring moderate to heavy snowfall to northeast and east central sections into early Tuesday morning followed by increasing winds. North to northwest winds will increase on Tuesday with some blowing and drifting snow.
Winter Storm Warning remains in effect until noon CST Tuesday.
- Short term trends: Very light snow will pass over the region through early evening north of Highway 20. Snowfall will then intensify region wide once again after 9 pm. An additional 5 to 7 inches of snow is expected overnight into early Tuesday morning. Increasing north winds Tuesday may also lead to some blowing and drifting snow.
- Storm total snow accumulations, accumulations of 6 to 10 inches are expected by Tuesday with the higher end of that range and locally higher amounts northeast of a line from Algona to Marshalltown.
- Winds/visibility: gusty north winds at 15 to 25 mph will develop on Tuesday and may also produce additional blowing and drifting snow. Visibilities during the heavier snow tonight and early Tuesday may fall to a half mile at times.
- Impacts: Heavy snow will once again produce low visibility, snow covered roads, and hazardous driving conditions later this evening through Tuesday. Some minor blowing and drifting snow is expected Tuesday as well.
In addition, during a major winter storm, as many as 900 Iowa Department of Transportation snowplow trucks may be on the roadways at any given time clearing the highways and applying salt, brine and sand where needed. This is in addition to your local city and county road crews.
In anticipation of continued snowfall this evening and during the overnight hours, the Iowa DOT wishes to remind the public that sharing the roadways with slow-moving snow removal equipment requires drivers to exercise extra precautions.
