WINTER STORM WARNING
Warning Issue Date: 213 PM CST WED DEC 23 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.
MNZ033-034-036-038-WIZ006-007-240415-
/O.CON.KDLH.WS.W.0009.091224T0600Z-091226T1200Z/
SOUTHERN CASS-CROW WING-SOUTHERN AITKIN-PINE-BURNETT-WASHBURN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...PINE RIVER...BRAINERD...AITKIN...
HINCKLEY...GRANTSBURG...SPOONER
213 PM CST WED DEC 23 2009
...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT
TO 6 AM CST SATURDAY...
* PATCHY FREEZING DRIZZLE AND LIGHT SNOW IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN THIS
AFTERNOON OR THIS EVENING IN AREAS FROM BRAINERD TO HINCKLEY...
PINE CITY...SIREN AND SPOONER. PRECIPITATION WILL CHANGE TO ALL
SNOW AND INCREASE IN INTENSITY LATE THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT.
PERIODS OF SNOW... HEAVY AT TIMES... WILL CONTINUE INTO
CHRISTMAS NIGHT.
* STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS FROM 12 TO 16 INCHES ARE
EXPECTED... WITH LOCALLY HEAVIER AMOUNTS UP TO 20 INCHES LIKELY.
THE GREATEST SNOWFALL RATES AND ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED LATER
TOMORROW NIGHT AND INTO CHRISTMAS DAY.
* EAST TO NORTHEAST WINDS FROM 15 TO 30 MPH AND HIGHER GUSTS CAN BE
EXPECTED... WHICH WILL RESULT IN LOCAL BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW
IN OPEN AREAS. THE WINDS WILL ALSO COMBINE WITH FALLING SNOW TO
PRODUCE LIMITED VISIBILITY LESS THAN A QUARTER MILE AT TIMES.
* ROAD CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO DETERIORATE RAPIDLY LATE TONIGHT
AND EARLY TOMORROW MORNING...AND TRAVEL IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN
HAZARDOUS THROUGH CHRISTMAS NIGHT.
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 LOW VISIBILITY AND DRIFTING SNOW. DELAY TRAVEL IF POSSIBLE.
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 WINTER STORM.
$$
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