2026/01/19

Eye Opener: KCCI's one-on-one with Gov. Reynolds

It's Monday, January 19.

Today's emoji forecast: 🥶🔜❄️ We're dealing with freezing temps this morning and some subzero wind chills. Jon Rivas has your forecast.

What people are talking about:

A longtime central Iowa high school football coach stays busy in the winter by officiating basketball games, a side gig he says gives him better perspective as a coach.
Friends and family gathered over the weekend to remember and honor Sharon Jellue, an Ankeny woman who was allegedly murdered by her boyfriend.
An annual gas giveaway helped hundreds of central Iowans fill their tanks yesterday.

TOP STORY: KCCI's one-on-one interview with Gov. Kim Reynolds

THE 101: KCCI chief political reporter Amanda Rooker sat down with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds as the 2026 legislative session gets underway.

WHY IT MATTERS: Reynolds just entered her final legislative session. The Republican governor announced last spring she will not seek reelection in 2026.

In the interview, Reynolds discussed her top priorities, including property taxes, balancing the state's budget, changes to public safety and eminent domain law.

You can watch the full interview here.

MAIN TAKEAWAYS:

Reynolds said the goal of her property tax plan would be long-term relief that builds over time, with models projecting more than $3 billion in savings over six years.
The state budget has also been a major flashpoint. The governor pushed back on concerns that the state is using one-time money for ongoing expenses.
Reynolds also shared details of a proposal that would change who qualifies for bail in Iowa.

4 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

🚛 Deadly crash: A semi-truck driver in western Iowa died after his vehicle tipped over during high winds last week. Read more

🏀 Prep basketball: KCCI crews were at all the big high school basketball games last Friday. Catch our highlights here

🚨 ICE imitators: Authorities in northern Iowa are warning the public about a group of individuals who falsely claimed to be federal immigration agents. Read more

🌶️ On the hot seat: An Iowa-based hot sauce company is suing one of its manufacturers over claims that it turned out bottled products that bubbled, fermented and exploded. Read more

WEEKLY WEATHER FORECAST

Conditions will improve through the morning, but many layers will be needed to venture outside. The winds will be staying breezy, but the strongest winds will be present through the morning. Wind chills will approach and should climb above zero by the mid and later afternoon.

Clouds will thicken up through Tuesday and our high temps will rebound back to near normal. The winds will be weaker tomorrow, but the increasing clouds will bring snow chances for the evening and overnight hours. This can lead to some slick travel for the evening, especially for the northern half of the state. Wednesday will become breezy with additional afternoon snow chances in northern Iowa. Patchy blowing snow and slick travel will be possible, but both snow chances should remain on the lighter side. Accumulations will mostly stay under an inch for both rounds of snow with areas north of highway 20 potentially seeing 1 to 2 inches.

After Wednesday, the snow chances wrap up and we will be looking to drop back down with temperatures dipping below zero Friday. The winds are expected to pick up as well and we could see another bitterly cold set up with double digit below zero wind chill possible Friday. This is a relatively new feature in the forecast, but Friday could be another weather impact day with potential -20° to -30° feels like temperatures. Additional model information is needed for higher confidence in the extreme temperature drop. The cold will continue through the weekend, but it does seem like the winds will weaken for Saturday.

DAY BY DAY:

Today: Partly to mostly sunny. Breezy and cold. High 15F. Wind chill around 0F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Gusts up to 25 mph.
Tuesday: Clouds increasing during the afternoon. Chance of snow Tuesday night. High 26F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday: Partly cloudy and breezy. Snow showers possible during the afternoon. High 34F. Winds WSW at 15 to 20 mph. Gusts up to 25 mph.
Thursday: Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High 28F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.
Friday: Mostly cloudy. High 2F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.