The clipper system that passed through on Christmas day was one of a series of systems that will continue into the New Year and thereafter before we have a pattern flip, so read on for the details...
The active pattern continues as we close 2022 and open 2023. The snowfall total so far for the season here at the office in Spencer is already 17" and will increase through the rest of the season, on the above average scale once all said and done. Other cities across Iowa have also cashed in on a decent amount of snow for the season thus far. With that, we have two storm dates coming with the first one starting Thursday and the second one shortly after New Year's Day (Jan. 2-3).
The first system will hit starting late tonight and leading up to Thursday. Given values, this will be a spotty light drizzle/freezing drizzle that will develop across northwest Iowa after midnight tonight. Then cold air will start to work in as soon as 9-11am which will change all precipitation over to heavy wet snow before the system departs late Thursday night. In addition, high RH values will work in above the cold snowpack surface which will make conditions favorable for fog to try to develop Thursday morning.
Ice amounts will be highly dependent on the transition period from freezing rain to snow and the surface temperatures, but it will be enough to cause problems with a quick glaze-0.10" of ice accumulation and a trace-2" of snow accumulation with the higher totals into northwest Iowa near highway 60.
The stronger system will fall shortly after the New Year, and this is setting up like the one that hit Dec. 12-13th with all dynamics on deck (rain, snow, ice and wind). Temperatures warmer aloft will detonate a freezing rain risk within the transition zone from rain to snow and high precipitation rates.
Bottom line, a large system is in the cards shortly after New Year's (Jan. 2-3) so stay tuned to Iowa Storm Center.com while we continue to sample the system.
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