Rounds of light snow ahead, first on Friday night

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - A parade of generally weak storm systems moves through the area over the next 72 hours, each bringing a chance of a little bit of snow.

The first arrives tonight, after about 9 or 10 p.m., and could drop up to a half inch of snow across the area. While the amounts sound unimpressive, you should still watch for slick spots with this activity. Most winter-weather related accidents take place with less than a 2″ snowfall, according to studies.

After a partly cloudy and somewhat warmer day Saturday, another system slides by Saturday night into early Sunday. This one has a better potential to drop some accumulating snow, with 1 to 3 inches expected northeast of a line from about Tama to Iowa City. The potential exists for a band of somewhat heavier accumulations in northeast Iowa, from Charles City to Dubuque, where amounts over 3 inches are possible. Accumulation tapers off quickly in the south. Snow will be light and fluffy, making it easy to shovel the next day.

Expected snowfall accumulations across eastern Iowa from the evening on Saturday, January 22,... — Expected snowfall accumulations across eastern Iowa from the evening on Saturday, January 22, through early morning on Sunday, January 23, 2022.(KCRG)

The third system, Sunday night into early Monday, mainly misses north, but could bring some light snow to parts of the area. Behind that system, arctic air returns for a couple of days, but then a bounce back to closer to normal highs follows to wrap up next week.