BLIZZARD WARNING
Warning Issue Date: 213 PM CST THU DEC 24 2009
...MAJOR WINTER STORM TO AFFECT THE NORTHLAND AND MUCH OF THE
REGION BEGINNING LATE TONIGHT THROUGH CHRISTMAS DAY...
.A MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL AFFECT A LARGE PORTION OF THE CENTRAL
UNITED STATES TODAY THROUGH CHRISTMAS NIGHT. THE MAIN IMPACTS ON
THE NORTHLAND ARE EXPECTED TO BE FROM LATE TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY.
THIS STORM WILL CAUSE MAJOR TRAVEL DELAYS AND BRING DANGEROUS
TRAVEL CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY PERIOD.
FREEZING DRIZZLE OR SOME LIGHT SNOW WILL SPREAD INTO PARTS OF
CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND NORTHWEST WISCONSIN THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING...WITH WIDESPREAD SNOW SPREADING RAPIDLY NORTHWARD INTO
THE BRAINERD LAKES AND THE UPPER SAINT CROIX RIVER VALLEY LATE
THIS EVENING. SNOW WILL THEN CONTINUE TO SPREAD NORTHWARD ACROSS
THE REMAINDER OF THE REGION LATER TONIGHT AND TOMORROW. STRONG
EAST TO NORTHEAST WINDS CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED...ESPECIALLY NEAR
LAKE SUPERIOR WHERE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED. SOME SLEET
OR PERHAPS FREEZING RAIN MAY MIX IN WITH THE SNOW AT TIMES ACROSS
NORTHWEST WISCONSIN...WHICH IS EXPECTED TO REDUCE STORM TOTAL SNOW
ACCUMULATIONS SOMEWHAT IN THOSE AREAS.
MNZ020-037-WIZ001-240415-
/O.CAN.KDLH.WS.W.0009.091224T1200Z-091226T1200Z/
/O.NEW.KDLH.BZ.W.0001.091224T1200Z-091226T1200Z/
SOUTHERN LAKE/LAKESHORE-CARLTON/SOUTHERN ST. LOUIS-DOUGLAS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...TWO HARBORS...DULUTH...CLOQUET...
SUPERIOR
213 PM CST WED DEC 23 2009
...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM THURSDAY TO 6 AM CST
SATURDAY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DULUTH HAS UPGRADED THE WINTER
STORM WARNING TO A BLIZZARD WARNING FOR AREAS AROUND THE SOUTHWEST
SHORES OF LAKE SUPERIOR. THE BLIZZARD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 6
AM THURSDAY TO 6 AM CST SATURDAY.
* LIGHT SNOW WILL BEGIN OVERNIGHT TONIGHT ACROSS THE TWO
HARBORS... DULUTH... SUPERIOR AND CLOQUET AREAS. SNOW WILL
BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES TOMORROW AND ESPECIALLY TOMORROW NIGHT
INTO CHRISTMAS DAY.
* STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 14 TO 18 INCHES APPEAR
LIKELY... WITH SOME LOCAL AMOUNTS GREATER THAN 20 INCHES
POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY FROM DULUTH NORTHEASTWARD ALONG THE HIGHER
TERRAIN OF THE NORTH SHORE OF LAKE SUPERIOR.
* EAST TO NORTHEAST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO SLOWLY INCREASE FROM 15
TO 30 MPH TONIGHT... TO 20 TO 40 MPH BY TOMORROW EVENING INTO
CHRISTMAS MORNING. SOME LOCALLY HIGHER GUSTS ARE LIKELY IN AREAS
ADJACENT TO LAKE SUPERIOR. THE COMBINATION OF WINDS AND HEAVY
FALLING SNOW WILL RESULT IN WIDESPREAD BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW
AND WHITE OUT CONDITIONS AT TIMES.
* ROAD CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE RAPIDLY DURING THE DAY TOMORROW
WITH ANY TRAVEL BECOMING DANGEROUS BY LATE TOMORROW AFTERNOON
AND LASTING THROUGH MUCH OF CHRISTMAS.
* THE MOST SEVERE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FROM LATE TOMORROW
AFTERNOON... THROUGH CHRISTMAS EVE AND MUCH OF THE DAY ON
CHRISTMAS WHEN THE COMBINATION OF 1 TO 2 INCH PER HOUR SNOWFALL
ACCUMULATION RATES AND VERY STRONG WINDS WILL CREATE WHITEOUT
CONDITIONS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE AND LIFE-THREATENING WINTER
WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED. ANY TRAVEL IS STRONGLY
DISCOURAGED. IF YOU CHOOSE TO TRAVEL...YOU MAY BE RISKING YOUR
LIFE. BE AWARE THAT YOU MAY BECOME STRANDED AND THAT IT COULD TAKE
MANY HOURS FOR HELP TO ARRIVE. KEEP A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT IN YOUR
VEHICLE...INCLUDING A FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...AND WATER. LET SOMEONE
KNOW YOUR TRAVEL ROUTE AND EXPECTED ARRIVAL TIME AND HAVE A
WORKING CELL PHONE IN CASE YOU BECOME STRANDED. IF YOU BECOME
STRANDED...STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE AND USE IT AS A SHELTER. MANY
DEATHS OCCUR IN BLIZZARDS WHEN PEOPLE LEAVE THEIR VEHICLES TRYING
TO SEEK HELP.
IT SHOULD ALSO BE EMPHASIZED THIS STORM WILL AFFECT A VERY LARGE
PART OF THE CENTRAL UNITED STATES...INCLUDING MINNESOTA...MUCH OF
THE DAKOTAS...IOWA AND WISCONSIN. ANYONE WITH HOLIDAY TRAVEL
PLANS ACROSS THE REGION IS URGED TO STAY CURRENT WITH THE LATEST
WEATHER INFORMATION REGARDING THIS DEVELOPING STORM.
$$
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