Saturday then Next Weeks Storm...

For the overnight, look for continued snow accumulating to around 5 inches when all is said and done for Howard County. Quite the mess on the roads with blowing and drifting. Tipton County is under a level 1 snow emergency. The State Police has indicated Hwy 28 is one lane or less.

You can follow the public safety and snow plows at ScanKokomo.

Blowing and drifting snow will continue through Saturday afternoon before subsiding. Winds 20 MPH gusting to 30 MPH. Have had some area reports of winds over 40 MPH.

Sunday will be much calmer and everyone can get this mess cleaned up before the Colts game in the evening. Temperatures will be much cooler on Sunday with a high of 20 and overnight lows in the middle teens.

Next week will be another challenge. Not to forget but whatever we receive from the current system will all be here for the next system. Unlike the system with the heavy wet snow, the next system should have much higher ratios and will "fluff up" quite nicely.

Snow will begin Monday evening and then in earnest on Tuesday morning. Current conservative estimates will put us at six inches on Tuesday and Tuesday night. Temperatures will be in the 20's with winds gusty to 30 MPH. Expect considerable snowing and drifting with this system.

Lighter snow amounts for Wednesday with an inch or two with continued snow. Total accumulations for Monday thru Wednesday are conservatively 4 to 6 inches with 8 to 12 inches not out of the question. (Let me say 10+ inches would redeem winter and get an A overall.)

The problem with the system could be timing of the northern and southern systems phase which would move the heavier snow east. That could easily reduce our totals to the lower end amounts. Of course a slight earlier (but not too early) phase would be good.

Expect a Winter Storm Watch for the next system to be issued either late Saturday evening or Sunday morning. The Sunday morning issuance seems more likely to avoid confusion but wouldn't be much lead time before the advisories or warnings would need to be issued.

Confidence levels are high with the next system. The models are in close agreement with good confidence levels by the professional meteorologists. We are well within the times where the models have done well with the storms this winter. Stay safe out there.