Arctic air has plunged temperatures across the U.S. In the Midwest, moisture moving into the region will reintroduce the threat of freezing rain and icy road conditions. Forecasters are warning of treacherous travel conditions over the weekend.
DES MOINES, Iowa – Days of freezing temperatures and a surge of moisture will create potentially dangerous travel conditions across the Midwest this weekend from ice and snow.
“This is really going to set the stage for possibly a big icing event to take place later in the week in parts of Iowa,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Michael Estime said.
(FOX Weather)
Beginning Friday night, freezing rain is possible across areas in Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
“Potentially treacherous travel Friday night into Saturday morning as freezing rain develops (greater than 80% chance) and coats surfaces with ice,” forecasters with the NWS in Des Moines said. “Freezing rain will transition to rain from south to north across the state into Saturday.”
The NWS Des Moines said there is potential for 0.1-0.2 inches of ice accretion north of Interstate 80 in Iowa. According to the FOX Forecast Center, additional ice accretions are possible across areas including Madison in Wisconsin, Minneapolis and Rochester in Minnesota and northwestern Illinois.
A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for most of Iowa, southeastern South Dakota, eastern Nebraska, southwest Minnesota and northern Missouri through Saturday morning.
The advisory area may experience total snow and sleet accumulations under one inch and ice accretions around 0.1-0.2 inches.
(FOX Weather)
A significant ice event could lead to power outages from downed trees and powerlines.
“Just a half an inch of ice can actually add upwards of 280 pounds of weight to a power line,” Estime said. “Depending on how much ice we see, downed tree limbs, maybe a couple of power outages into early Saturday morning, Iowa, something that we’ll be watching.”
Conditions should warm and improve by later Saturday.