DES MOINES, Iowa -- Iowa snowfall is below average so far this winter.
"Overall, we're about six inches below average across the state," says Iowa State Climatologist Justin Glisen.
He says the lack of snow so far this winter is being made up for with a wet late fall and early winter combined with a late freeze.
"Where we're sitting now in terms of available moisture for the next growing season is way above where we were last year, so I'm not too concerned about snowpack right now. We still have (the rest of) January, February, and March," Glisen says.
In fact, he says in the past few years the month of February has become one of the snowiest in Iowa.
Glisen also says a lack of snow may seem striking right now, but there's an important statistic to remember when it comes to the annual snow pack.
"Snow pack...let's say we have 10 inches on the ground--we basically get about an inch of water out of that. So not a lot of water content in a snow pack," he says.
Glisen also says last winter's 56 inches of snow in Central Iowa also be playing a part in the obviousness of this winter's lack of snow.
Iowa may not be snow-free for much longer, as the National Weather Service is forecasting snow for much of Iowa Friday into Saturday.
They say Northwest, Central, and Southeast Iowa have the greatest chances for accumulating snow from the fast-moving system.