C-c-c-colder weather, snow coming

Staff Report

A National Weather Service advisory for Floyd and surrounding counties is warning of dangerously cold wind chills beginning tonight followed by a winter storm that could dump several inches of snow going into the weekend.

Mitchell, Howard, Floyd and Chickasaw counties are likely to see patchy blowing and drifting snow mostly in open areas today. Travel could be impacted.

Then a wind chill advisory will be in effect from 9 p.m. tonight to 9 a.m. Thursday. Expect wind chills as low as 25 degrees below zero. Exposed skin can suffer frostbite in as little as 30 minutes.

As of 9:30 a.m., the wind is coming out of the west at 16 mph and the wind chill is 8 below zero.

A storm is expected to track east across the region Friday and Saturday delivering several inches of snow along with the potential for blowing and drifting snow. Forecasters are not certain how much snow, however 5 to 8 inches are possible. 

Then dangerous cold will return Saturday night through Sunday morning with wind chills as low as 40 degrees below zero.

According to National Weather Service records dating back to 1893, the lowest temperatures Charles City has experienced on Dec. 14 and 15 are 24 below in 1985 and 20 below in 1932, respectfully. That does not take into account wind chill.