Wintry scene overtakes Iowa as first significant snow comes early
By
Lauren Fox, AccuWeather staff writer
Published Oct 19, 2020 8:40 PM EDT
|
Updated Oct 20, 2020 2:16 PM EDT
While much of the United States is just starting to get a feel for cool autumn weather, central Iowa started the week by skipping right over the mild fall season and plunging straight into winter with a thick blanket of snow.
The snow began accumulating Saturday night; however, Monday morning and into the afternoon was when the wintry weather really began to escalate as some places saw nearly 10 inches of snow.
A camera attached to a snow plow in Iowa shows a glimpse of the snow covered roads on Oct. 19. (Photo/Iowa DOT)
Polk City, Iowa, about 15 miles north of Des Moines, reported 9 inches of snow Monday. Other nearby communities saw impressive accumulations as well. Ankeny picked up 8 inches of snow; Grimes reported 6 inches; and Alleman saw 5.5 inches. Polk City's snowfall appears to be the heaviest October snowfall for the state since 1991, when Sioux City reported 9.8 inches, AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Randy Adkins said.
The National Weather Service (NWS) warned that the snow may affect areas between I-80 and highway 20, and advised against travel for a few hours on Monday afternoon.
The snowfall also made its way into the Des Moines metro area, resulting in multiple traffic accidents, including one near I-35.
"Be sure to stay safe on the roads -- slow down," the NWS warned on Twitter.
Snow squall warnings were in effect on Monday afternoon across central Iowa. The NWS warned of "whiteout conditions in heavy blowing snow" that could result in "dangerous, life-threatening travel." Highways I-35, I-80 and I-235 were all affected.
An Iowa DOT
webcam shows a snowy scene near I-35 in the Des Moines metro area on Monday, Oct. 19, 2020 (Iowa DOT)
(Iowa DOT)
"The snow today was the result of a quick-moving, energetic disturbance that was able to take advantage of the colder air that was deposited over the region on Sunday," Adkins explained.
"Areas directly in the path of the disturbance saw heavy snow for a time, allowing for an early taste of winter with several inches of snow in some spots across the Des Moines metro," he said.
Adkins said the snowfall this year came "definitely earlier than is typical."
"As far as Iowa getting snow this early, it’s not unprecedented, but it is certainly outside of what is considered 'normal,'" he said.
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The average date for the first snowfall of at least 1 inch in Des Moines is Dec. 1, according to the NWS. The heaviest October snowfall on record for Iowa's capital city occurred on Oct. 27, 1980, when 7.4 inches was recorded. The earliest inch of snow recorded in Des Moines was on Oct. 10, 2009. By Monday afternoon, Des Moines had picked up 2.5 inches.
Last year, the first flakes of the season in Des Moines were observed on Oct. 11, and the first inch was recorded on Oct. 28 when 1.2 inches of snow fell.
Nevertheless, Monday's snowfall was jarring for many throughout the Hawkeye State and had Iowa State Patrol public information officer remarking "I'm not ready for this!!" in a post on Twitter. And the social media team at the Iowa State Fair shared a video clip of the snow coming down and said "2020 just keeps throwing us curveballs."
On Tuesday, the weather is already expected to begin warming up, and the precipitation will be in the form of rain. By Thursday, temperatures in the city are forecast to reach the upper 70s, with the possibility of thunderstorms at night.
Friday and Saturday will bring another cooldown, with highs staying in the mid-40s. Adkins said the next few weeks are expected to remain cool, but it is not reflective of how the overall season is forecast to go.
"Monday’s event is of no consequence for the remainder of the fall and through the winter," Adkins said.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
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News / Weather News
Wintry scene overtakes Iowa as first significant snow comes early
By Lauren Fox, AccuWeather staff writer
Published Oct 19, 2020 8:40 PM EDT | Updated Oct 20, 2020 2:16 PM EDT
While much of the United States is just starting to get a feel for cool autumn weather, central Iowa started the week by skipping right over the mild fall season and plunging straight into winter with a thick blanket of snow.
The snow began accumulating Saturday night; however, Monday morning and into the afternoon was when the wintry weather really began to escalate as some places saw nearly 10 inches of snow.
A camera attached to a snow plow in Iowa shows a glimpse of the snow covered roads on Oct. 19. (Photo/Iowa DOT)
Polk City, Iowa, about 15 miles north of Des Moines, reported 9 inches of snow Monday. Other nearby communities saw impressive accumulations as well. Ankeny picked up 8 inches of snow; Grimes reported 6 inches; and Alleman saw 5.5 inches. Polk City's snowfall appears to be the heaviest October snowfall for the state since 1991, when Sioux City reported 9.8 inches, AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Randy Adkins said.
The National Weather Service (NWS) warned that the snow may affect areas between I-80 and highway 20, and advised against travel for a few hours on Monday afternoon.
The snowfall also made its way into the Des Moines metro area, resulting in multiple traffic accidents, including one near I-35.
"Be sure to stay safe on the roads -- slow down," the NWS warned on Twitter.
Snow squall warnings were in effect on Monday afternoon across central Iowa. The NWS warned of "whiteout conditions in heavy blowing snow" that could result in "dangerous, life-threatening travel." Highways I-35, I-80 and I-235 were all affected.
An Iowa DOT
webcam shows a snowy scene near I-35 in the Des Moines metro area on Monday, Oct. 19, 2020 (Iowa DOT)
"The snow today was the result of a quick-moving, energetic disturbance that was able to take advantage of the colder air that was deposited over the region on Sunday," Adkins explained.
"Areas directly in the path of the disturbance saw heavy snow for a time, allowing for an early taste of winter with several inches of snow in some spots across the Des Moines metro," he said.
Adkins said the snowfall this year came "definitely earlier than is typical."
"As far as Iowa getting snow this early, it’s not unprecedented, but it is certainly outside of what is considered 'normal,'" he said.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
The average date for the first snowfall of at least 1 inch in Des Moines is Dec. 1, according to the NWS. The heaviest October snowfall on record for Iowa's capital city occurred on Oct. 27, 1980, when 7.4 inches was recorded. The earliest inch of snow recorded in Des Moines was on Oct. 10, 2009. By Monday afternoon, Des Moines had picked up 2.5 inches.
Last year, the first flakes of the season in Des Moines were observed on Oct. 11, and the first inch was recorded on Oct. 28 when 1.2 inches of snow fell.
Nevertheless, Monday's snowfall was jarring for many throughout the Hawkeye State and had Iowa State Patrol public information officer remarking "I'm not ready for this!!" in a post on Twitter. And the social media team at the Iowa State Fair shared a video clip of the snow coming down and said "2020 just keeps throwing us curveballs."
On Tuesday, the weather is already expected to begin warming up, and the precipitation will be in the form of rain. By Thursday, temperatures in the city are forecast to reach the upper 70s, with the possibility of thunderstorms at night.
Related:
Friday and Saturday will bring another cooldown, with highs staying in the mid-40s. Adkins said the next few weeks are expected to remain cool, but it is not reflective of how the overall season is forecast to go.
"Monday’s event is of no consequence for the remainder of the fall and through the winter," Adkins said.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo