http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/weather/2016/01/31/iowa-nice-blizzard-wont-start-until-after-caucuses/79615068/UPDATE, 5 A.M. MONDAY: In Polk County, the National Weather Service upgraded a previous winter storm watch to a winter storm warning at about 4:30 a.m. Monday. The warning begins at midnight Tuesday and runs through 6 a.m. Wednesday.
The latest snowfall projections call for 6 to 10 inches in central Iowa, with a foot or more expected north and west of the metro area.
Much of the northwest quarter of Iowa is under a blizzard warning for the same time frame, with snowfall totals of a foot or more expected, in addition to consistent straight-line winds, blowing and snow and heavily reduced visibility.
Iowa caucusgoers should be fine, but Mother Nature just might hold presidential candidates and swarms of national media captive.
A blizzard is expected, but not until after Iowa’s politicking is completed.
That’s right, Iowa, you won’t be able to blame the weather if you shrug off your civic duty.
“Through about 9 p.m. (Monday) it doesn’t look bad or much snow in any location,” said Roger Vachalek, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service. “I doubt there will be much of any accumulation by that time. Maybe less than half an inch or so in some areas.”
But come early Tuesday, all that is expected to change with a widespread dump of 6 to 12 inches of snow across much of the state.
And the hardest hit area will include Des Moines, the site of the state’s busiest airport.
By late Sunday, some media types had already changed some of their plans in anticipation of the blizzard. LA Times Reporter Seema Mehta noted that some coworkers had already rebooked from a Tuesday to a Wednesday flight in anticipation of the storm.
As for Mehta, she welcomes the snow. She’s been in Iowa since Jan. 11 and plans to return home following Monday’s events.
“I live in California, so I don’t get to see snow very often,” Mehta said. “I’m actually kind of excited to see the blizzard. I’ve mentioned this to people from D.C., who just had a blizzard, and they look at me like I have two heads.
“I love Des Moines. If I’m stranded here another day or two, that would be great.”
