A complex winter storm is headed for Burlington bringing with it the possibility of sleet, snow, and ice.
The National Weather Service’s worst-case scenario calls for 3 to 6 inches of snow and three-tenths of an inch of ice from freezing rain, beginning as early as 11 a.m. Friday (Jan. 17.) Under this scenario, snow would accumulate fast, pushed around by high winds that could lead to drifting, white-out conditions and subzero wind chills. The combination of ice and wind could lead to downed power lines and sporadic power outages.
For now, the National Weather Service has only issued a Winter Weather Advisory for southeast Iowa, which is less severe than a Winter Storm Warning, or even a Winter Storm Watch.
But those warnings could elevate as quickly as the weather conditions deteriorate. For now, the Winter Weather Advisory for southeast Iowa begins at 9 a.m. Friday (Jan. 17), and continues through 6 p.m. Saturday (Jan. 18).
Winds of 30 to 45 mph winds could lead to severely reduced visibility and more drifting snow on Saturday. The temperatures will drop Saturday as the winds increase, resulting in wind chills of 15-degrees below zero.
A More Detailed Winter Weather Breakdown
The National Weather Service also has a more moderate, narrow forecast focused on Des Moines, Van Buren and Lee counties (as well as surrounding counties in Illinois and Missouri), and that one is calling for 2 to 4 inches.
A more detailed, hourly forecast provided by the National Weather Service reads as follows:
Friday
Snow, mainly after 11am. The snow could be heavy at times. Patchy blowing snow after 3 p.m. High near 29. Breezy, with a southeast wind 10 to 20 mph. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. The chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.
Friday Night Into Early Saturday Morning
Snow, freezing rain, and sleet before 1 a.m., with patchy blowing snow Friday evening, then freezing rain between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. Saturday. More freezing rain, possibly mixed with snow and sleet, will start after 5 a.m. Ice accumulation of 0.1 to 0.3 of an inch possible. New sleet and snow accumulations of less than an inch possible.
Saturday
A chance of rain before 7 a.m., then a chance of snow between 7 a.m. and noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 33. Wind chill values as low as zero. Breezy, with a southwest wind 10 to 15 mph becoming west 20 to 25 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph. The chance of precipitation is 30 percent.