After a day of sunshine and record high temperatures in the lower to middle 50s on January 11, 2012 a strong polar cold front plowed across the region. Behind the front, strong northwest winds gusting to 30 to 35 mph ushered sharply colder temperatures and moderate to heavy snowfall into the area. For many locations this was the first significant snowstorm of the winter. Accumulations were generally in the 2 to 5 inch range but amounts of 6 to 7 inches were found across portions of eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois.  The highest total was 7.5 inches near Solon, Iowa in Johnson county. The blustery winds caused considerable blowing and drifting of the fluffy snow as temperatures were in the teens. Wind chill values were in the single digits below zero, a far cry from the mild weather experienced only 18 to 24 hours earlier. An indirect fatality occurred during the morning of January 12 north of Muscatine, Iowa due to a traffic accident on a snow covered highway.

Winter Weather in KEOKUK, IOWA
From 11-JAN-12 22:30:00 to 12-JAN-12 23:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Weather in LEE, IOWA
From 12-JAN-12 00:45:00 to 12-JAN-12 20:45:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in LINN, IOWA
From 11-JAN-12 22:35:00 to 13-JAN-12 03:30:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Trained spotters reported snowfall amounts of 6 to 7 inches in the Cedar Rapids area.

Winter Storm in MUSCATINE, IOWA
From 12-JAN-12 01:00:00 to 12-JAN-12 23:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A trained spotter reported 5 inches of snow in Muscatine. An indirect fatality occurred on January 12 due to a traffic accident on Iowa Highway 38 between Muscatine and Wilton.  According to the Muscatine Journal the accident happened at 8 am CST when the driver lost control on the snow covered highway and slid sideways into an oncoming car. The victim was an 18 year old female from Wilton, Iowa.

Winter Storm in LOUISA, IOWA
From 12-JAN-12 01:00:00 to 13-JAN-12 23:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in SCOTT, IOWA
From 12-JAN-12 02:15:00 to 13-JAN-12 01:40:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Weather in VAN BUREN, IOWA
From 11-JAN-12 23:10:00 to 12-JAN-12 22:15:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in WASHINGTON, IOWA
From 11-JAN-12 23:45:00 to 13-JAN-12 02:30:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Weather in JEFFERSON, IOWA
From 11-JAN-12 23:10:00 to 12-JAN-12 20:15:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in JOHNSON, IOWA
From 11-JAN-12 23:45:00 to 12-JAN-12 23:15:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

A CoCoRaHS observer reported 7.5 inches of snow at Solon.

Winter Storm in JONES, IOWA
From 12-JAN-12 00:25:00 to 13-JAN-12 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in BENTON, IOWA
From 11-JAN-12 21:45:00 to 13-JAN-12 01:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in BUCHANAN, IOWA
From 11-JAN-12 21:20:00 to 12-JAN-12 23:45:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

A CoCoRaHS observer estimated 6.6 inches of snow at Quasqueton.

Winter Storm in CEDAR, IOWA
From 12-JAN-12 00:25:00 to 13-JAN-12 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in CLINTON, IOWA
From 12-JAN-12 03:20:00 to 13-JAN-12 01:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A trained spotter reported 6.0 inches of snow near De Witt.

Winter Storm in DELAWARE, IOWA
From 11-JAN-12 23:00:00 to 12-JAN-12 21:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Weather in DES MOINES, IOWA
From 12-JAN-12 01:15:00 to 12-JAN-12 21:50:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in DUBUQUE, IOWA
From 12-JAN-12 01:25:00 to 12-JAN-12 20:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Weather in HENRY, IOWA
From 12-JAN-12 00:20:00 to 12-JAN-12 20:45:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Weather in IOWA, IOWA
From 11-JAN-12 22:00:00 to 13-JAN-12 00:30:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in JACKSON, IOWA
From 12-JAN-12 02:00:00 to 13-JAN-12 01:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter