WATERLOO - Winter weather is believed to have contributed to a fatal accident on U.S. Highway 20 early today.

The identity of the driver, who was ejected from the vehicle according to Grundy County Sheriff Rick Penning, was not immediately available. The single-vehicle accident occurred before 6 a.m. about six miles west of Wellsburg, Penning said.

The Iowa State Patrol reported problematic road conditions along Highway 20 around Iowa Falls and east near Dubuque. The stretch in-between around Black Hawk County is relatively quiet to date, said Sgt. John Baber of the Iowa State Patrol.

Minor vehicle accidents and ditched cars made up most of the calls, he said.

"We've been kind of busy," Baber said.

Some incidents could likely be prevented if motorists took their time, Baber added.

"We go through this every year," he added.

Other Northeast Iowa sheriff's departments reported a relatively uneventful night the morning after another 2 inches or so of white stuff fell over the region.

A series of fast-moving storms have kept road crews busy, school days shortened, and residents cautious during the past week.

And Father Winter isn't finished with Northeast Iowa.

After Thursday's contribution to the Cedar Valley of an additional 1.8 inches of snow, meteorologists predict another one-half to 2 inches for Northeast Iowa tomorrow, said Ken Podrazik of the National Weather Services in Des Moines.

"Looks like we are going to get a little bit more this weekend," Podrazik said. " … Tomorrow … more on Sunday, and Monday night, and Tuesday … "

Just how much depends on the track of the storm, he added, but snow is expected to arrive in small batches similar to Thursday's accumulation. But unlike the latest storm, which dropped more on western and southern parts of the state, Northeast Iowa will likely feel the brunt of what's to come, Podrazik added.

Steve Decker of the Waterloo Street Department said today that crews started plowing priority routes around 7:30 p.m. Thursday after salting and sanding roadways about five hours earlier, when the snow began to fall. Today, city workers are hitting residential streets.

Decker said parts of the city received 3 inches.

"These little snowfalls like this are fairly easy to plow," Decker said. "It's the ice storm and the blizzards that are the big issue."

That said, Decker is hoping the incoming storms give Northeast Iowa a break, as his crews are stressed and fatigued

"We've worked pretty much dang near 'round the clock since last Saturday," Decker said.

Although snowfall levels to date for December are a bit higher than normal for Waterloo - total accumulation measures 4.7 inches; 1.2 inches is more typical - the style of the storms is common for what is considered a transitional time of year, weather-wise, Podrazik said.

"Like in the spring, you get a lot of thunderstorms," he said.

Meteorologists predict temperatures will peak at 26 degrees today with a wind chill of 5 below tonight.

On Saturday, snow is likely, to begin after noon, to continue into the night, with winds up to 13 mph.

Contact Karen Heinselman at (319) 291-1581 or karen.heinselman@wcfcourier.com.