Don't put the shovels away

(Photo by Russ Mitchell) A usually busy Highway 71 saw lighter traffic over the noon hour as snow made travel difficult. Cold temperatures and occasional snowfall will remain in the forecast. [Order this photo]

Those of you dreaming of a white Christmas:

Feel free to wake up any time now.

We're good.

Tuesday started with little flakes, but the area got the full snow globe effect as classes dismissed early in the afternoon.

Spencer was expected to get up to 5 inches as the system made its way north and east. It was enough for the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls, S.D., to issue a winter weather advisory for much of northwest Iowa.

"It looks like there's another good chance of snow on Thursday," said meteorologist Philip Schumacher of the National Weather Service. "That has the potential to also produce another 2 to 5 inches of snow across portions of northwestern Iowa."

Snow also finds its way into the forecast on Saturday, according to Schumacher, but "it's a little early to tell how much snow we'll get with that one."

Tuesday's snowfall came with single digit temperatures but not much wind. Winds should be marginal for Thursday's system as well.

Looking into early next week, temperatures are expected to remain well below normal, according to Schumacher. Temeratures in the teens on Thursday and Friday are the high points in the forecast.

"It does not look like there's any respite from the cold coming up," he said. "The arctic front that came through on Saturday night and Sunday across the area brought in really cold air. It has kind of stalled out across the Central Plains. Little, weak low-pressure systems are just coming up and as they do, they're producing snow just north of that front. That's kind of what we're seeing every other day -- these weak waves or areas of low pressure. They come up and produce these areas of light to moderate snow."

A winter weather advisory for snow means travel diffuculties are the primary concern. Drivers should be prepared for snow-covered roads and limited visibilities.