In the season’s latest Wednesday-into-Thursday winter storm, as much as a half-foot of heavy, wet snow along with strong winds are anticipated to strike Oelwein and the rest of Fayette County, even as the track of the weather event continued to shift to the southeast of initial forecasts.
According to a National Weather Service (NWS) bulletin issued late Wednesday morning, a winter storm watch had been issued for Fayette and Clayton Counties in Iowa, as well as Richland and Grant Counties in Wisconsin, extending through Thursday afternoon and ending at 6 p.m.
The heaviest snow associated with the storm was expected to fall “Thursday morning between daybreak and noon across northeast Iowa,” the watch read in part, with a total of 3 to 6 inches possible throughout the area. In this, precipitation rates approaching an inch of falling snow each hour were anticipated for parts of Thursday, while “winds could gust as high as 35 mph.”
The watch came as the storm’s forecasted path continued to shift Wednesday, moving progressively southward, which resulted in the cancellation of an earlier storm watch that had been in place for both Howard and Floyd Counties.
Movement in the storm’s expected path, meanwhile, also led to a winter weather advisory being issued for Winneshiek, Allamakee and Chickasaw Counties, affecting locations such as Decorah, Waukon and New Hampton, where total accumulations of 2 to 4 inches were anticipated.
Given the wet nature of the snow, downed powerlines may occur in places, while ease of automobile travel is also expected to be severely diminished. “Plan on slippery road conditions,” the storm watch explained. “The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute.” Those needing to travel Thursday and interested in monitoring area roads can visit 511ia.org for the latest updates.
Following Thursday’s storm, meanwhile, “the week will end on a cooler note, but above freezing conditions are expected to return over the weekend,” the NWS reported.
