WATERLOO - A major winter storm is heading for Iowa today, according to the National Weather Service office in Des Moines.

Counties affected by the watch include Black Hawk, Bremer, Butler, Franklin, Hardin, Grundy and Tama, among others.

A strong winter storm is expected to impact Iowa today and continue through tonight. The storm will initially begin as rain or a rain/snow mix across central and southern Iowa while remaining mainly snow over the north.

Significant snowfall accumulations are possible from west central through Northeast Iowa by Monday evening. Strong winds will follow the storm causing blowing and drifting snow.

The storm has the potential for a 6- to 8-inch band of snow either side of a line extending from near Audubon to Ames to near Waterloo.

The snow will begin in western Iowa near sunrise with the rain/snow changeover reaching central Iowa by the noon hour and over the remainder of the region by late afternoon. Snowfall rates may approach 2 inches of snowfall per hour during the height of the storm from late morning through mid afternoon. This will cause road conditions to deteriorate rapidly during the afternoon hours.

As the storm moves east during the evening hours, northwest winds of 20 to 30 mph are likely. The gusty winds are expected to continue into Tuesday with drifting snow still impacting the area through Tuesday afternoon.