WATERLOO - The National Weather Service in Des Moines has upgraded its blizzard watch to a blizzard warning for our area, effective 6 p.m. today to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Snowfall will be ending late this afternoon and early this evening, but northwest winds will continue or increase in the range of 20 to 35 mph with gusts 30 to 40 mph. These strong winds, along with all of the recent fresh snowfall, will result in a long period of near zero visibility in blowing and drifting snow across northern Iowa north of Highway 30.

Plummeting temperatuers, combined with the wind, will result in dangerously cold wind chills between 20 below and 40 below zero tonight and Sunday. Although winds will be diminishing late Sunday afternoon, dangerous wind chill values colder than 20 below zero will continue Sunday night.

The blizzard warning is in effect until 6 p.m. Sunday. A blizzard warning means severe winter weather conditions are expected or occurring. In this case, blowing snow due to strong winds will cause poor visibility. This will lead to whiteout conditions making travel extremely dangerous. Do not travel after 6 p.m. today, the weather service says.