Our epic week of winter weather ramps up today with much of the state under a Blizzard Warning. Falling snow and the snow from the earlier snow storm this week will be blown around thanks to very strong winds. With unofficial data back to 2007, the featured map presents the Blizzard Warning frequency by county. This is roughly an once per season event with the highest frequencies found over north central Iowa and lowest in far NE and SE Iowa. Iowa's landscapes explain most the variability found within this map. Blizzard conditions are easiest to achieve over mostly flat areas without much tree cover. This combination allows for more blowing snow, which helps to sustain prolonged conditions necessary to meet blizzard criterion (35+ MPH winds and less than a quarter mile visibility for three hours straight). The presence of hills and trees both work to reduce blowing snow and overall wind speeds.

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Tags:   blizzard