An Ice Storm WARNING has been issued for Lee and Whiteside Counties beginning at 3pm this afternoon until 6am Wednesday morning.
WHAT: Significant icing is expected with total ice and sleet accumulations of two tenths to four tenths of an inch.
IMPACTS: Widespread power outages and significant damage to trees is expected. Travel will become nearly impossible at times by this evening and should be avoided altogether.
If you must travel, make sure you have a winter survival kit inside your vehicle should you become stranded.
Guidance continues to increase our chances for freezing rain set to impact the Sauk Valley Tuesday afternoon through early Wednesday morning. Ice accumulations of up to 0.20″ are possible from this disturbance. We won’t be seeing too much in the way of snow or sleet for the majority of the area as warm air aloft is causing our precipitation to melt as it falls. Due to this, rain will fall and freeze at the surface where temperatures are expected to remain below freezing.
An area of uncertainty exists mainly for far northwestern Whiteside and Lee county where a wintry mix of sleet and freezing rain could occur depending upon how warm the air aloft is. Regardless, the majority of our area should expect freezing rain with some accumulations.
[Forecast Valid as of 4:25PM 2/4/19]
-Tim
