Severe Weather Alert: Ames

Technically, the first day of winter is this Friday. But, the Ames weather forecast calls for the first snowstorm of the season to hit Wednesday.

The National Weather Service in Des Moines has issued a winter storm warning for much of Iowa, including Story County. The snow should start falling after 4 p.m. Wednesday.

The warning goes into effect 6 p.m. Wednesday and will last through Thursday. The storm could make travel dangerous but it should clear up by Friday.

The National Weather Service said a strong low pressure system will move from Colorado into the Oklahoma panhandle on Wednesday before lifting northeast into Illinois by Thursday.

On Wednesday, snow is predicted from Atlantic north through Boone to Waterloo. Rain is expected south of Bedford to Oskaloosa. A mix of rain and snow is expected in between. By Wednesday night, all precipitation will have likely switched to snow across the region, with accumulation of 5 to 8 inches before tapering off Thursday morning. Up to 10 inches of snow could be possible in some areas, the Weather Service said.

An updated forecast from the National Weather Service follows below:

• Wednesday Snow: Mainly after 4pm. High near 37. Light north northeast wind becoming northeast 8 to 13 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
• Wednesday Night: Snow with areas of blowing snow. The snow could be heavy at times. Low around 21. Wind chill values as low as 10. Windy, with a north wind 14 to 19 mph increasing to 21 to 26 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 34 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 6 to 10 inches possible.
• Thursday: Snow before 7am, then areas of blowing snow and a chance of snow between 7am and 1pm, then areas of blowing snow after 1pm. Temperature falling to around 19 by 11am. Wind chill values as low as zero. Windy, with a northwest wind 23 to 28 mph, with gusts as high as 38 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
• Thursday Night: Areas of blowing snow before 7pm. Mostly clear, with a low around 5. Windy, with a west northwest wind 17 to 22 mph decreasing to 10 to 15 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 32 mph.
• Friday: Sunny, with a high near 24.