An upper low pressure area moved from the southwest U.S. into Iowa during the 21st into the early morning hours of the 22nd.  The system was a negatively tilted trough in the decaying stage as the low moved into Iowa.  The surface low associated with this system tracked northeast across the southeast corner of Iowa.  Initially, a cold and dry airmass was in place over Iowa.  A strong push of moisture from the south was present over Iowa by the late afternoon and evening hours.  Strong isentropic lift aided in the development of snow as well.  The storm system was inhibited as the dry slot of the storm moved into the state.  Snow fell initially over southern Iowa as an area of thunderstorms to the southwest moved in and weakened.  The storm was dominated by banded heavy snow during the evening and overnight hours.  There were two primary bands of snow that set up in the warm conveyer.  One was across southern Iowa.  It moved into the central counties before weakening.  The second band set up over northern Iowa and persisted through much of the night.  There was little wind with the storm as it was weakening as it approached Iowa.  Winds were generally northeast at 10 to 20 mph, with a few gusts in the 25 to 30 MPH range.  This caused drifting of the snow, but little blowing snow.  Six to seven inches of snow was common over south central into southwest Iowa with the southern band of snow.  The northern band produced 6 to 9 inches.  Heavier snow totals for the storm included 9 inches in Palo Alto County at Emmetsburg as well as in Pocahontas County at Pocahontas, 8.5 inches northeast of Northwood in Worth County, 8 inches in Winnebago County at Lake Mills, 7.7 inches in Humboldt County in Dakota City, 7.5 inches in Cerro Gordo County southwest of Mason City.  Several locations reported around 7 inches of snow with 7.1 inches in Hancock County at Kanawha, and 7 inches in the following locations: Winterset in Madison County, Denison in Crawford County, Creston in Union County, and at Beaconsfield and Mt. Ayr both in Ringgold County.   The main impact of the storm was slippery road conditions.  Roads quickly became completely snow packed shortly after the snow began.  Snowfall rates at the height of the storm were around an inch per hour, with visibility restricted to 1/4 mile in heavy snow.  Numerous schools and businesses were closed due to the storm by the afternoon of the 21st, continuing into the morning of the 22nd.

Heavy Snow in TAYLOR, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 12:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 07:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in RINGGOLD, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 12:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 07:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in DECATUR, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 12:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 07:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in WAYNE, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 12:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 07:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in ADAMS, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 12:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 07:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in UNION, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 12:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 07:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in CASS, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 15:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in ADAIR, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 15:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in MADISON, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 15:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in HAMILTON, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 17:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in CARROLL, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 15:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in GREENE, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 15:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in WARREN, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 15:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in AUDUBON, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 15:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in GUTHRIE, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 15:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in DALLAS, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 15:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in POLK, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 15:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in SAC, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 17:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in CALHOUN, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 17:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in BLACK HAWK, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 17:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in POCAHONTAS, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 17:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in HUMBOLDT, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 17:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in WRIGHT, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 17:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in FRANKLIN, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 17:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in PALO ALTO, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 17:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in HANCOCK, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 17:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in CERRO GORDO, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 17:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in EMMET, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 17:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in KOSSUTH, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 17:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in WINNEBAGO, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 17:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in WORTH, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 17:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in LUCAS, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 12:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 07:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in BOONE, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 15:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in BREMER, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 17:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in CLARKE, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 12:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 07:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in WEBSTER, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 17:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in CRAWFORD, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 15:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow in BUTLER, IOWA
From 21-FEB-13 17:00:00 to 22-FEB-13 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer