WINTER STORM WARNING
Warning Issue Date: 123 AM CST THU DEC 24 2009
...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST
FRIDAY NIGHT...
* SHORT TERM TRENDS...A BAND OF PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE TO
LIFT NORTH FROM CENTRAL IOWA INTO NORTH CENTRAL IOWA THROUGH 4
AM THIS MORNING. A MIX RAIN AND FREEZING RAIN WILL BE THE
PRIMARY PRECIPITATION TYPE FOR MOST LOCATIONS AS TEMPERATURES
RISE TO NEAR 32 DEGREES OR ABOVE. PERIODS OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED
OVER THE FAR NORTHWEST INCLUDING THE ESTHERVILLE AREA DURING THE
PERIOD. ADDITIONAL ICE ACCUMULATIONS UP TO ONE TENTH OF AN INCH
ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS. ADDITIONAL SNOW
ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE FAR NORTHWEST.
* TOTAL SNOW AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS...TWO TENTHS TO A HALF OF AN
INCH OF ICE MAY ACCUMULATE WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS ALONG THE
HIGHWAY 20 AND 30 CORRIDORS BEFORE THE CHANGE TO ALL SNOW BY
THIS AFTERNOON. TOTAL SNOW AMOUNTS BY SATURDAY ARE
FORECAST TO RANGE FROM TWELVE TO FOURTEEN INCHES FROM
ATLANTIC...TO WEBSTER CITY...TO HAMPTON... WITH 14 TO 20 INCHES
NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM NEAR DENISON TO MASON CITY. THE HIGHEST
AMOUNTS OF THAT RANGE SHOULD OCCUR FARTHER NORTHWEST TOWARD
ESTHERVILLE.
* WINDS...BRISK EAST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WILL BE COMMON
THROUGH THURSDAY...HOWEVER BY FRIDAY...WINDS WILL BECOME
NORTHWEST AT 25 TO 35 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
* VISIBILITY...VISIBILITIES WILL GENERALLY BE LESS THAN ONE MILE
AND DOWN TO A QUARTER MILE DURING THE HEAVIEST SNOWS THURSDAY
AND FRIDAY. NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP OVER NORTHWEST IOWA.
* IMPACTS...TRAVEL WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT IN THE
WARNING AREA OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS AND WILL LIKELY BE
IMPOSSIBLE BY FRIDAY AS SNOW ACCUMULATES AND WINDS INCREASE.
WITH AROUND OF FOOT OF SNOW ALREADY ON THE GROUND IN PARTS OF
NORTHWEST IOWA...SNOW DEPTHS MAY REACH TWO TO THREE FEET BY
THE WEEKEND WITH DRIFTS REACHING ROOFTOPS OF HOUSES.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW...
SLEET...AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO
POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.
$$
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