This week’s second winter storm is upgraded as near-blizzard conditions loom

The second winter storm of the week — and 2024 at large — was upgraded before its arrival Thursday night in Eastern Iowa, when it should bring heavy snowfall, icing, blowing snow and even blizzard conditions through Saturday morning.

The National Weather Service Quad Cities Bureau on Wednesday afternoon first issued a winter storm watch, which means there’s potential for a significant winter weather event. The bureau upgraded it early Thursday to a winter storm warning, which means a significant winter storm is imminent and is a danger to life and property.

Snow should start falling in Eastern Iowa between 6 p.m. Thursday and 2 a.m. Friday, depending on the area. Cedar Rapids and Iowa City may start seeing snowfall by 9 p.m. Thursday.

Compared with the winter storm earlier this week, this round of weather is less likely to bring 12-plus inches of snow, the weather service’s Quad Cities bureau said.

Eastern Iowa may seen anywhere from 4 to 10 inches of additional snow. The highest totals are projected for north of Interstate 80, where some areas may see about a foot. Areas south of the interstate may see freezing rain and rain.

Cedar Rapids is forecast to receive between 5 and 10 inches of snow, and Iowa City may see between 5 and 9 inches. Both cities have about a 65 percent chance of receiving more than 6 inches of snow, according to forecasts Thursday morning. Waterloo and Dubuque each have 70-plus percent chances of more than 6 inches.

While expected snowfall may be a bit lower than that from the previous storm, winds are expected to be stronger. By Friday night, strong winds will pick up and blow snow around, creating at least near-blizzard conditions. Cedar Rapids and Iowa City could see 45-mph gusts.

As of Thursday morning, meteorologists still were uncertain whether true blizzard conditions will come, which would warrant a blizzard warning.

The winds also will overlap with frigid temperatures that fall into the teens from Friday night into Saturday. A flash freeze is possible at that time.

Wind chills will fall as low as minus 30 by Saturday night into Sunday. Temperatures will be in the negatives for most of Eastern Iowa on Sunday, as well as Monday — when many Iowans will head out to participate in the Iowa caucuses.

The storm should exit Iowa from 9 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday, depending on the area. However, travel impacts from blowing and drifting snow may continue longer into Saturday morning, the weather service warned.

The city of Cedar Rapids extended its snow emergency to 6 a.m. Sunday. Cars should not be parked on emergency snow routes until then. Residents should continue to follow the odd/even parking rule in residential neighborhoods from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.:

The first winter storm of the week, which hit Monday through Wednesday, dumped about a foot of snow on Cedar Rapids. Much of East-Central and Northeast Iowa saw 11 to 15 inches of snowfall. Hundreds of motorists called the Iowa State Patrol for assistance as road conditions deteriorated, and at least 238 crashes were reported.

Overnight Wednesday, 1 to 3 inches of snow fell on East-Central to Northeast Iowa. Cedar Rapids received around 3 inches, and Iowa City saw just over 1 inch.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates at thegazette.com.

Brittney J. Miller is the Energy & Environment Reporter for The Gazette and a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues.

Comments: (319) 398-8370; brittney.miller@thegazette.com