WINTER STORM 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.
MNZ010>012-018-019-021-025-026-035-240415-
/O.CON.KDLH.WS.W.0009.091224T1200Z-091226T1200Z/
KOOCHICHING-NORTHERN ST. LOUIS-NORTHERN COOK/NORTHERN LAKE-
NORTHERN ITASCA-CENTRAL ST. LOUIS-SOUTHERN COOK/LAKESHORE-
NORTHERN CASS-SOUTHERN ITASCA-NORTHERN AITKIN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...INTERNATIONAL FALLS...ELY...ISABELLA...
BIGFORK...HIBBING...GRAND MARAIS...WALKER...GRAND RAPIDS...
HILL CITY
213 PM CST WED DEC 23 2009
...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM THURSDAY TO
6 AM CST SATURDAY...
* SNOW IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ACROSS CENTRAL AND NORTHEASTERN
MINNESOTA...INCLUDING DULUTH...GRAND RAPIDS...THE IRON RANGE AND
CLOQUET TOMORROW MORNING...AND THEN SPREAD NORTHWARD TOWARD
INTERNATIONAL FALLS AND ELY. SNOW... HEAVY AT TIMES... IS
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TOMORROW AND CONTINUE INTO CHRISTMAS
NIGHT.
* STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 12 TO 15 INCHES APPEAR
LIKELY... WITH SOME AMOUNTS UP TO 20 INCHES POSSIBLE.
* EAST TO NORTHEAST WINDS FROM 15 TO 30 MPH ARE EXPECTED...WITH
SOME GUSTS TO 40 MPH FOR AREAS ADJACENT TO LAKE SUPERIOR. THE
WINDS AND FALLING SNOW MAY RESULT IN BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW
AND VISIBILITY LIMITED TO LESS THAN A QUARTER MILE AT TIMES.
* ROAD CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE RAPIDLY DURING THE DAY
TOMORROW... WITH HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS PERSISTING AT LEAST
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 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.
$$
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