Northwest Iowa — Much of Iowa has seen warmer-than-normal temperatures in recent days, but autumn will soon transition to winter and the National Weather Service is encouraging Iowans to prepare now for the inevitable.
Meteorologist Chad Hahn says this Thursday is Winter Weather Awareness Day, which is devoted to getting our homes and vehicles ready for the cold season ahead.
The Iowa DOT says 75 percent of winter crashes occur with two inches of snow or less, so he says even light snowfalls need to be taken very seriously. Hahn says Iowans should be familiar with the differences between a watch and a warning.
Iowans often need to change their plans based on the forecast, especially if they hear the words “winter storm warning.”
They tell us that these terms are catch-all terms, so you really need to listen to what is being forecast.
The weather service will be releasing a variety of winter preparation tips on its social media pages, including at the website: www.weather.gov/dmx. We still have about six weeks of fall ahead, as winter arrives on December 21st.
