Forecast Details for Graettinger, IA

Recent Locations: Denmark, SC Conestee, SC Graettinger, IA

This Afternoon: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 39. Northeast wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 11pm, then a slight chance of showers between 11pm and midnight. Low around 30. Blustery, with a northeast wind 13 to 17 mph becoming west northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday: A slight chance of snow showers before 2pm, then a chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 42. Windy, with a west northwest wind 18 to 28 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 27. Windy, with a west northwest wind 14 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 56. Breezy, with a west northwest wind 11 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 28. Blustery.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 43. Breezy.

Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 21. Blustery.

Tuesday: A chance of rain and snow showers after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 44. Windy. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Tuesday Night: A chance of rain and snow showers before 1am, then a chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34. Windy. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 69. Windy.

Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Windy.

Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55. Windy.

Want more detail? Get the Complete 7 Day and Night Detailed Forecast!

Current U.S. National Radar--Current

The Current National Weather Radar is shown below with a UTC Time (subtract 5 hours from UTC to get Eastern Time).

National Weather Forecast--Current

The Current National Weather Forecast and National Weather Map are shown below.

National Weather Forecast for Tomorrow

Tomorrow National Weather Forecast and Tomorrow National Weather Map are show below.

North America Water Vapor (Moisture)

This map shows recent moisture content over North America. Bright and colored areas show high moisture (ie, clouds); brown indicates very little moisture present; black indicates no moisture.

Weather Topic: What is Sleet?

Home - Education - Precipitation - Sleet

Sleet Next Topic: Snow

Sleet is a form of precipitation in which small ice pellets are the primary components. These ice pellets are smaller and more translucent than hailstones, and harder than graupel. Sleet is caused by specific atmospheric conditions and therefore typically doesn't last for extended periods of time.

The condition which leads to sleet formation requires a warmer body of air to be wedged in between two sub-freezing bodies of air. When snow falls through a warmer layer of air it melts, and as it falls through the next sub-freezing body of air it freezes again, forming ice pellets known as sleet. In some cases, water droplets don't have time to freeze before reaching the surface and the result is freezing rain.

Next Topic: Snow

Weather Topic: What are Stratocumulus Clouds?

Home - Education - Cloud Types - Stratocumulus Clouds

Next Topic: Stratus Clouds

Stratocumulus clouds are similar to altocumulus clouds in their fluffy appearance, but have a slightly darker shade due to their additional mass.

A good way to distinguish the two cloud types is to hold your hand out and measure the size of an individual cloud; if it is the size of your thumb it is generally an altocumulus cloud, if it is the size of your hand it is generally a stratocumulus cloud.

It is uncommon for stratocumulus clouds to produce precipitation, but if they do it is usually a light rain or snow.

Next Topic: Stratus Clouds