Des Moines, Iowa – Snow will begin piling up fast after 6 p.m. Thursday, with bursts topping 1 inch per hour that could quickly turn roads across central Iowa snow-covered and treacherous before midnight.
According to the National Weather Service in Des Moines, a Winter Storm Warning remains in effect from 6 p.m. Thursday until 6 a.m. CST Friday for a swath of central and northeastern Iowa, including Polk, Story, Black Hawk, Marshall and surrounding counties. Total snowfall between 5 and 8 inches is expected, with the heaviest band stretching from western Iowa through Des Moines and northeast toward Waterloo and Cedar Falls.
Cities including Ames, Marshalltown, Cedar Falls, Waterloo and Hampton sit in the core zone of heavier accumulation. Interstate 35, Interstate 80 and U.S. Highway 20 could see rapid deterioration this evening as snowfall rates intensify. A sharp cutoff in totals is expected on either side of the main band, meaning slight shifts could change local amounts.
Breezy winds may compound visibility issues and could lead to isolated power outages where heavy snow clings to tree limbs. Officials urge drivers to delay travel if possible and to check road conditions using the Iowa 511 app or by dialing 511.
Snow should taper by early Friday morning, but slick roads may linger into the morning commute.
