Video:
Good morning! Here are the current weather alerts issued by the National Weather Service:
Forecast radar shows freezing drizzle/rain working across central Nebraska tonight into Saturday morning, mixing in snow showers across portions of central and northern Nebraska as we head from pre-dawn Saturday into late morning. Most of Kansas just dealing with scattered showers increasing tonight, mainly focused in the eastern half of the state. Precipitation chances will begin to roll into Iowa after midnight, with the bulk working in after 7am Saturday. Some freezing rain is expected across northern Iowa during the day, but temperatures at the surface will be marginal. Some heavy, wet snow will mix in across areas like Mason City and Spencer mid-afternoon Saturday into the night-time hours, with most of the precipitation exiting after midnight Saturday night. Missouri will see showers and storms move in after predawn Saturday. There will be a risk to get a few severe storms across southern and southeast Missouri from noon to 6pm.
Data showing a good amount of instability in southeast Missouri by mid-afternoon, which is concerning as strong wind energy will be in place. This will pose a risk of isolated damaging wind gusts and isolated spin-up tornadoes after noon through 6pm Saturday for southeast Missouri.
Snowfall forecast through Saturday night: The big show regarding snow is just north in South Dakota and Minnesota, but light snow amounts (up to a few inches) in the far northern part of the area possible – Nebraska Saturday morning and across northern Iowa Saturday afternoon and night.
Freezing rain totals through Saturday evening: A glaze across central and northern Nebraska, as well as northern Iowa. Isolated pockets to a tenth inch possible, mainly in northern Nebraska.
Wind forecast over the next 4 days: Very windy Saturday, with gusts 30-45mph, with isolated higher gusts.
Total precipitation over the next 7 days: I break down in the video total precip with this event and the event next week separately, but with 2 big systems over the next week it will be quite wet. The western Plains really get the moisture next week! The heavy snowpack areas can get some thawing next week with ample rain on top of the snow, so flooding will be a definite concern. We are forecasting a much drier pattern after next week. Big snows may occur in parts of Nebraska from this moisture.
Temperature data over the next 10 days:
Des Moines, IA:
Jefferson City, MO:
Wichita, KS:
Grand Island, NE:
