Winter storm dumping heavy snow from Iowa through Chicago

Minnesota stays cold and mostly dry for now.

NOAA NAM 3 km model
NOAA NAM 3 km model through midnight.
NOAA via tropical tidbits

The Midwest weather maps are alive with another major winter storm.

This one takes the southerly track through Iowa toward Chicago. Winter storm warnings are up for most of Iowa eastward into greater Chicagoland.

Winter storm warnings and advisories
Winter storm warnings and advisories
NOAA

NOAA’s NAM 3 km resolution model through midnight shows the snow shield spreading from Iowa toward Chicago today.

NOAA NAM 3 km model
NOAA NAM 3 km model through midnight.
NOAA via tropical tidbits

The storm will dump as much as a foot of snow across parts of Iowa including the Des Moines area.

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Snowfall projection
Snowfall projection for Iowa
Des Moines NWS

Parts of Chicago will pick up 4” to 8” totals with this storm.

Snowfall projection
Snowfall projection for northern Illinois.
Chicago NWS office

If you have any travel plans south of Minnesota along I-35 or I-94 be prepared to run into heavy snow.

Quiet week for Minnesota

Overall this will be a quiet weather week for Minnesota. Temperatures remain seasonably cold through Friday.

Forecast high temperatures Thursday
Forecast high temperatures Thursday
NOAA

A warming trend will boost highs into the 30s Saturday.

Forecast high temperatures Saturday
Forecast high temperatures Saturday
NOAA