Good morning!
Skies are partly cloudy early on this Saturday morning and temperatures range from the upper 20s in Clifton down to 20 further inland, winds are mainly calm. There may be patchy black ice in some areas especially inland.
The winter storm that we have been following the last few days will approach our area from the Mississippi Valley, snow from this system will likely develop after 4 p.m. and become heavy at times before mixing with and changing to sleet and freezing rain after midnight. The precipitation will then continue before ending around noon on Sunday. Snowfall amounts will average 3-5 inches with ice accumulations of 1/4 to 1/2 inch is possible. It will become much colder late in the afternoon so a flash freeze is likely. Of course this forecast may change depending on the track of this winter storm.
Cold Arctic air will cover our area on Monday, early morning lows will be in the single digits and highs only in the teens. Gusty northwest winds will bring wind chill values down to 10 – 20 degrees below zero.
After a frigid morning on Tuesday temperatures will moderate during the day with much less wind.
Unsettled weather again Wednesday and Thursday as another system may give us rain, snow or some ice, too early for details, lets get rid of this storm first.
THE FORECAST:
TODAY – JAN 19 – Becoming cloudy with snow likely mainly after 4 p.m., high in the upper 30s.
TONIGHT – Snow mixing with sleet and freezing rain after midnight, low around 30.
SUNDAY – JAN 20 – Freezing rain and sleet ending around noon, temperatures in the low 30s in the morning dropping to the low 20s by sunset. Total snow accumulation of 3-5 inches with 1/4 to 1/2 inch of ice. Much colder and windy at night.
M.L. KING DAY – JAN 21 – Mostly sunny, windy and bitterly cold, high in the mid teens.
TUESDAY – JAN 22 – Sunny, high near 30.
WEDNESDAY – JAN 23 – Mostly cloudy with a chance of mix snow and rain changing to all rain by 10 a.m., milder with highs in the mid 40s.
THURSDAY – JAN 24 – Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain, high in the mid 40s, chance of snow at night.
FRIDAY – JAN 25 – Mostly sunny, high in the mid 30s.
MARINE FORECAST: TODAY – East-southeast wind to 14 knots, seas 2 feet.
OUTLOOK – A gale warning has been posted effective between 8 a.m. Sunday morning until 6 a.m. Monday morning; gales expected to continue on Monday; possible small craft advisories Tuesday night through Thursday with gales possible.
Despite the weather try to have a nice weekend!