Cedar Falls Weather Alert Update: Winter Storm Watch Upgraded to Warning

Update:

A winter storm watch issued yesterday for Black Hawk County has been upgraded to a warning.

The warning is in effect from 6 p.m. Wednesday to 6 p.m. Thursday. Heavy snow fall and strong winds are expected to hit most of the state starting Wednesday afternoon and lasting into Thursday. Wind gusts of over 45 miles per hour and 7 to 11 inches of snow are predicted.

Original story:

The National Weather Service in Des Moines has issued a winter storm watch for much of Iowa, including Black Hawk County.

The watch goes into effect from Wednesday afternoon through Thursday afternoon.

The National Weather Service said a strong low pressure system will move from Colorado into the Oklahoma panhandle on Wednesday before lifting northeast into Illinois by Thursday.

On Wednesday, snow is predicted from Atlantic north through Boone to Waterloo. Rain is expected south of Bedford to Oskaloosa. A mix of rain and snow is expected in between. By Wednesday night, all precipitation will have likely switched to snow across the region, with accumulation of 5 to 8 inches before tapering off Thursday morning. Up to 10 inches of snow could be possible in some areas.

Twenty to 30 mile-per-hour northwest winds are expected with gusts over 35 miles-per-hour. The strongest winds are predicted for near daybreak Thursday, with near blizzard conditions possible and visibility reduced below one quarter of a mile at times.