First Alert: Ice Storm Warning expanded, poor travel starts tonight

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – As freezing rain begins tonight, roads will become slick in a hurry.

Your First Alert: Icy conditions tonight into Saturday

The good news is we will remain quiet for the rest of Friday afternoon, and even well into the evening hours. Temperatures will remain chilly, especially when factoring in an easterly wind between 10 to 20 mph. Still, the thermometer creeps upward, and readings in the 20s are likely by late today.

Those will still be notably below freezing, though, and the cold air will be in a shallow layer near the surface. Above it, a layer of warmer air will be moving in up and ahead of a frontal boundary that stays to our south. This is the type of setup that creates the risk for freezing rain, and that will be centered on the state of Iowa.

An Ice Storm Warning is in effect for much of the area between Highway 30 and Highway 20. The rest of the TV9 viewing area is under a Winter Weather Advisory. Both areas are to highlight where the potential for freezing rain exists.

Precipitation holds off in the TV9 viewing area until at least 8:00 or 9:00 p.m., first entering some of our far southern and western counties. Many parts of the viewing area will hold off until Midnight or later, with precipitation becoming especially widespread later tonight.

This sets up a very icy start to Saturday, with most areas still experiencing freezing rain or a wintry mix at and after daybreak. Warmer temperatures will continue to spread northward, so as locations reach or exceed 32 degrees, the threat for additional ice accumulation will end.

The exact timing of this change is notoriously hard to nail down, but we should start to see it reach near Interstate 80 around 9:00 a.m. Areas along and south of Highway 20 will have a good shot to improve to just plain rain by around Noon. North of that corridor, colder air will be more stubborn, so a mix of rain, snow, and a bit of freezing rain will be possible.

Ice accumulation has the potential to be substantial within the areas where an Ice Storm Warning is in effect. Totals could reach to 0.25″ or just a bit higher in spots. Outside of that central portion of the viewing area, we’re still expecting at least a glaze of ice. Any little amount is enough to cause travel issues; heavier accumulations could lead to some tree damage with breezy easterly winds.

Some snow may stick in our northern zones in particular, with this accumulation adding to any travel issues.

How you should react to this storm system

The biggest hazard with freezing rain is the impact on travel, whether walking or in a vehicle. Avoid both, if possible, when icy conditions are present.

If you must drive, slow down! Give plenty of room between you and the vehicle in front of you. Avoid sudden braking or sharp turns which could cause you to lose traction. Approach intersections with extra caution. Pack a winter survival kit if you drive away from populated areas.

If you head out on foot, pay especially close attention to untreated paved surfaces, including sidewalks and parking lots. These can be slicker than they appear. Use a railing for balance if available, or consider walking in the grass where the plant life provides some additional traction. Wear appropriate footwear to help decrease the chance of a fall.

We also recommend the KCRG-TV9 First Alert Weather App, which can give you customized alerts for your location, as well as road conditions available from a button on the home screen of the app. Of course, we’ll also provide updates on KCRG.com and KCRG-TV9 as conditions warrant.

Generally quieter with a few precipitation chances

After this storm system exits the region, warmer air will continue to move in. This pushes our highs pretty decently above normal by Sunday into Monday, with lows in the 30s and highs in the low to mid 40s for most. Clouds will remain common, however.

Another disturbance brings a shot at some showers late on Sunday night into Monday. Our air should be warm enough to avoid any icy issues with this round, and the heaviest precipitation will fall to the east and southeast of the viewing area.

Another break is likely on Tuesday as cooler air makes a return. The downward trend in temperatures continues for the remainder of the 9-day. Most of us will experience lows in the 10s and 20s, with highs in the upper 20s to mid 30s, during this stretch of time.

A storm system could bring a shot at some snow by the middle of the week on Wednesday. This outcome isn’t fully certain, however, with some significant differences among the computer models we use to help make our forecasts on the timing and path of the system. We’ll keep a close eye on it and bring you the latest as we know it.

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