While there’s been some snow that has fallen already, the first winter storm system is set to come through the area tonight.

National Weather Service Meteorologist Brooke Hagenhoff says that starting late this evening and continuing through the night, people can expect to see freezing rain throughout northern and central Iowa. She mentions that the area that should see the most build up will be north and along the Interstate 80 corridor. Hagenhoff tells Raccoon Valley Radio why this storm is making its way through the area.

“So actually this is all coming on the nose of some warmer air that’s coming in. So before the warmer air gets here, we’re going to have this kind of freezing rain situation with the ice accumulation expected overnight. But as we go into the day on Saturday, high temperatures will generally be above freezing for most of the area and melt any of that overnight ice. And as we move into Sunday, even warmer temperatures in the low to mid 40s are going to be expected.”

Hagenhoff explains that the best way to stay safe in case you are planning on traveling while this weather is happening is to check road conditions before traveling, and that the Iowa Department of Transportation has a great website to check those road conditions on. She adds that for those that have to drive in icy conditions, it’s best to take things slow, making it easier to be aware of icy spots on the road.