Shotgun 1 Storm

I hope you have good gear if you’re planning on heading afield for the Iowa shotgun opener! A large winter storm is brewing and this sloppy weather will put your water-proofing and dedication to the test. Just a few degrees will make all the difference between a snow-filled evening with success or a soggy, cold and potentially fruitless opening day. So let’s unravel the details!

Courtesy National Weather Service

Central and eastern Iowa start the day with a southeasterly breeze with cold rain showers in the morning. An icy mix could start us off near Ames, Boone and Carroll and light snow will begin in the morning in NW Iowa. Winds will shift to the east around midday and become a stiff northeasterly in the evening. Temps will be in the 30s and it looks like it will be “warm” enough to keep things rain for much of the state before it changes to snow. Cold air will sink down from the Dakotas during the day and NW Iowa should see several inches of snow throughout the day and into Saturday night.

Low barometric pressure, combined with snow falling will make for spectacular hunting in NW Iowa. Deer feeding activity will start early and it should feature an above average number of animals in preferred food sources like corn fields. Unfortunately for the rest of us, a cold rain is not typically good weather to hunt. From my field notes, I have not had a single successful hunt where the rain was anything heavier than sprinkles and the temperature was in the 30s. It can be done, but observed deer movement under those conditions is substantially less than a normal day. The only saving grace would be a break in the rain. Click here to check out our radar to see if you're lucky enough that your evening sit will catch a break. If the rain backs down to a light drizzle, mist, and fog go hunt! It will eventually get cold enough for snow in central Iowa, but that will probably be after dark and I’m only expecting about an inch or two at best.

Forecast snow accumulation on ground by Sunday a.m.

Sunday morning the sky should clear out a bit revealing a fresh blanket of white from Creston to Des Moines to Waterloo and points northwestward. A cool and primarily northwest breeze combined with high barometric pressure will make Sunday (especially evening) my pick for the best natural deer movement. I think the only deer moving on Saturday are the ones getting pushed out of their bedding.

Saturday’s storm will bring a variety of weather. Keep tabs on the latest advisories and details on our website and with the National Weather Service. Good luck and stay safe!