The big weather story for the country is the ongoing winter storm impacting the southern US. Significant accumulations of ice are occurring from Dallas northeast thru Memphis. The National Weather Service has an Ice Storm Warning issued for portion of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and western Tennessee. The featured map presents the number of ice storm warnings by NWS forecast zone since late 2005. These types of warnings are rather rare with the largest number issued being only 9. There are some caveats to this map as local NWS offices have choices on many types of winter storm products to issue. Some will issue winter storm warnings when the ice comes with snow as well. Regardless, these types of events occur over areas with strong temperature contrasts as warm air from the south overrides cold air from the north. Unfortunately, another winter storm will impact the area later this weekend and perhaps bring some snow to Iowa.

Voting:
Good = 81
Bad = 15
Abstain = 7

Tags:   ice