IOWA — A compact winter system is moving across the state this afternoon and will continue through the overnight hours into Thursday morning, setting up a narrow corridor of accumulating snow across central Iowa.
Narrow Snow Band Targets Central Iowa
Forecast guidance shows a focused band of 1 to 2 inches of snowfall developing from northwest to southeast across the heart of the state. The corridor stretches from Sioux City through Fort Dodge and Des Moines, extending toward Cedar Rapids and into the Quad Cities near Davenport.
This setup suggests the most organized snowfall will be confined to a relatively tight zone rather than widespread heavy totals. Areas just north and south of this axis are likely to see lighter accumulations, generally under an inch in many spots.
Warm Air Limits Heavier Totals
Forecasters note that warmer air aloft is expected to limit higher snowfall amounts, preventing more significant totals from developing. While snow will fall steadily at times within the band, thermal profiles are not supportive of 3–5 inch or higher totals across most of Iowa.
The highest confidence zone remains centered on central Iowa, where mesoscale banding may briefly enhance snowfall rates before the system shifts east by Thursday morning.
Key Cities in the 1–2 Inch Zone
The projected 1–2 inch swath includes several major population centers:…