Davenport, IA – A developing storm system could bring accumulating snow to the Quad Cities region Wednesday night into Thursday morning, with potential travel impacts along I-80, I-74, US-61, and surrounding highways.
The National Weather Service Quad Cities office reports that a storm will organize in the Rockies Tuesday evening before moving southeast into the Ohio Valley by Thursday. The exact track of the system remains uncertain, and that will ultimately determine how much snow falls across eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois.
Current probabilities indicate a 30 to 70 percent chance of snow Wednesday night. Depending on the storm’s path, snowfall totals could range from little to no accumulation to several inches. Some forecast scenarios suggest the potential for 2 to 6 inches in a narrow band, while other outcomes would keep the heaviest snow south or east of the Quad Cities metro.
If accumulating snow develops, the greatest impacts would likely occur overnight Wednesday into the Thursday morning commute. Roads including I-80 through Davenport and Bettendorf, I-74 between Moline and Rock Island, and US-61 north toward Clinton could become slick, especially on bridges and untreated surfaces.
Because of the uncertainty in the storm track, snowfall amounts may vary significantly over short distances. Residents and travelers should closely monitor updated forecasts through midweek as confidence in the storm’s path improves.
Drivers are encouraged to prepare for possible winter travel conditions early Thursday and allow extra time if snowfall materializes. More specific accumulation details will become clearer in the next 24 to 48 hours as the system takes shape.
