One thing I notice is, as strong as the storm is, the cold sector precip is not exceptionally intense. This probably has to do with the deep moisture being displaced off the east coast, not accessible by the great lakes storm.
So far this morning, all non-GFS models (ICON/GDPS/UK) are wildly different. They are trying to dig the trough much farther west.
Just check out the UK
2-3" of snow fell in central Iowa, but it really crapped out before reaching eastern Iowa. All I got out of this was a couple tenths this morning, which melted, and another dusting this evening.
Wow, the 00z Euro is quite the fun run. A hybrid clipper closes off as it passes just south of Iowa/N.Illinois, then strengthens to borderline superstorm as it merges with more energy over the mid-Atlantic.
Our big snow potential has diminished late next week because the trough is no longer digging south into the Rockies, but the brutal cold is still there on all the models.
I only received 0.56" of light rain and drizzle from this system, at the very bottom of the model range. Tonight's strong wave will miss to the east. Some light backwash snow should whiten the ground a bit later Thursday.
Models are suggesting a possible big storm early to mid next week. The GFS is surging warmth well north, but the Euro and Canadian are more blocky, which allows for a west-east track and ample cold air to work with.
Wow! Part of me would love to experience this. However, I'm afraid the experience would ruin Iowa for me, forever. I would never be able to get excited about a solid 3-6" event or 1"/hr rate ever again.
Overnight, we cooled well below freezing again and the second piece of the system moved across the area. I picked up another 1.1". My two-day total is 2.5".
1.4" here following the decent snow rates first thing this morning. Now, it's no longer piling up due to light rates and melting. It's about what I expected, a typical early-season teaser. It's nice to see white lawns and trees again.
The first real snow of the season fell this morning from bands of showers moving across the area. It was nothing heavy, just light bursts. It only amounted to a trace or 0.1".