WINTER STORM WARNING
Warning Issue Date: 402 PM CST THU DEC 24 2009
...DANGEROUS WINTER STORM WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE ENTIRE
REGION TONIGHT INTO CHRISTMAS NIGHT...
.SNOW WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY FROM SOUTH
TO NORTH THIS EVENING... AND WILL BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES BY 8 OR 9
PM THIS EVENING...CONTINUING WELL INTO CHRISTMAS DAY. THE SNOW
MAY BE MIXED WITH... OR CHANGE TO SLEET OR FREEZING RAIN AT TIMES
OVER PARTS OF NORTHWEST WISCONSIN EAST OF HIGHWAY 53... ESPECIALLY
LATE TONIGHT AND CHRISTMAS MORNING.
THE COMBINATION OF POWERFUL EAST WINDS AND HEAVY FALLING AND
BLOWING SNOW...WILL RESULT IN DANGEROUS BLIZZARD CONDITIONS
ACROSS AREAS ADJACENT TO THE SOUTHWEST SHORES OF LAKE SUPERIOR
STARTING THIS EVENING...AND CONTINUING THROUGH CHRISTMAS. THE
MAIN IMPACTS OF BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WILL AFFECT AREAS AROUND
DULUTH... SUPERIOR... TWO HARBORS AND HIGHWAYS 61... 53... 2 AND
INTERSTATE 35 IN THE CLOQUET... DULUTH AND SUPERIOR AREAS.
THIS MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN AS IT LIFTS
NORTHWARD THROUGH THE CENTRAL UNITED STATES TODAY THROUGH
CHRISTMAS NIGHT. THIS STORM WILL CAUSE MAJOR TRAVEL DELAYS AND
BRING DANGEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT THE CHRISTMAS
HOLIDAY PERIOD.
MNZ010>012-018-019-021-026-250615-
/O.CON.KDLH.WS.W.0009.000000T0000Z-091226T1200Z/
KOOCHICHING-NORTHERN ST. LOUIS-NORTHERN COOK/NORTHERN LAKE-
NORTHERN ITASCA-CENTRAL ST. LOUIS-SOUTHERN COOK/LAKESHORE-
SOUTHERN ITASCA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...INTERNATIONAL FALLS...ELY...ISABELLA...
BIGFORK...HIBBING...GRAND MARAIS...GRAND RAPIDS
402 PM CST THU DEC 24 2009
...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST
SATURDAY...
* SNOW WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY THIS EVENING FROM
SOUTH TO NORTH ACROSS NORTHERN MINNESOTA... INCLUDING
INTERNATIONAL FALLS... GRAND RAPIDS... HIBBING... ISABELLA...
ELY AND GRAND MARAIS AREAS. SNOW WILL BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES
AFTER 10 PM THIS EVENING... AND PERSIST THROUGH MUCH OF
CHRISTMAS DAY. SNOWFALL RATES OF AN INCH PER HOUR CAN BE
EXPECTED AT TIMES.
* STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 12 TO 15 INCHES APPEAR
LIKELY...WITH SOME AMOUNTS UP TO 20 INCHES POSSIBLE.
* EAST TO NORTHEAST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 15 TO 30 MPH WITH SOME
HIGHER GUSTS TONIGHT AND CHRISTMAS DAY...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE
HIGHER TERRAIN ADJACENT TO THE NORTH SHORE OF LAKE SUPERIOR.
* ROAD CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN SLICK AND HAZARDOUS TONIGHT AND
CHRISTMAS. THE MOST TREACHEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
TONIGHT AND CHRISTMAS DAY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW MEANS THE
COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS AND FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WILL
CAUSE DANGEROUSLY LOW VISIBILITY AND DRIFTING SNOW. SNOW COVERED
ROADS...AND DANGEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED. IF YOU
MUST TRAVEL...USE EXTREME CAUTION AND ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO REACH
YOUR DESTINATION. 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.
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.
$$
MILLER
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