Weekend Ice Storm Precedes Warm Weather

By Grace Muller, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer

January 26,2013; 12:12PM,EST

An ice storm will precede warmer weather after a week of bitter cold for the Midwest. The significant storm will hit the region Saturday and Sunday, with eastern Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin and southern Michigan impacted. Cities affected include St. Louis, Chicago, Des Moines and Springfield, Ill.

As the Arctic air begins to retreat north, warm air will forced north over the cold, forming rain. Since the air will still be cold at the surface, rain will freeze on the way down through the atmosphere. It could form sleet as well as rain, which will freeze on cold surfaces, forming a glaze.
The storm will hit Missouri on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Illinois and Iowa will take a beating on Sunday through Sunday night.

Ice accumulation from the storm could be from a quarter to half an inch. People can expect treacherous travel on roads, including I-70 and I-80, and airport runways coated in ice. The Chicago airports will have to clean up from the storm on Monday morning, which could cause flight delays.
Eventually the warm air will get down to the surface. The temperatures will rise into the 40s by Monday afternoon, with the ice storm shifting to Pennsylvania and New York. The weather will be even warmer by Tuesday, with highs in the 60s.