HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
Issue Date: 1256 PM CST THU DEC 24 2009
Expiration: 100 PM CST FRI DEC 25 2009

Expires:200912251900;;
FLUS43 KMPX 241856
HWOMPX
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1256 PM CST THU DEC 24 2009
MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028-
251900-
DOUGLAS-TODD-MORRISON-MILLE LACS-KANABEC-STEVENS-POPE-STEARNS-
BENTON-SHERBURNE-ISANTI-CHISAGO-LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA-
KANDIYOHI-MEEKER-WRIGHT-HENNEPIN-ANOKA-RAMSEY-WASHINGTON-
YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-MCLEOD-SIBLEY-CARVER-SCOTT-DAKOTA-
REDWOOD-BROWN-NICOLLET-LE SUEUR-RICE-GOODHUE-WATONWAN-BLUE EARTH-
WASECA-STEELE-MARTIN-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN-POLK-BARRON-RUSK-
ST. CROIX-PIERCE-DUNN-PEPIN-EAU CLAIRE-
1256 PM CST THU DEC 24 2009
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA...AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN.
.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
SNOW WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY THROUGH THE
AFTERNOON WITH A FURTHER INCREASE IN INTENSITY TONIGHT. PERIODS OF
HEAVY SNOW ARE EXPECTED LATE THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. ADDITIONAL
ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 11 INCHES ARE EXPECTED IN CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA THROUGH TONIGHT WHILE 5 TO 8 INCHES ARE LIKELY IN
WESTERN WISCONSIN. THIS WILL CAUSE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS TO TRAVEL.
BLOWING SNOW WILL BECOME MORE LIKELY BY TONIGHT IN WESTERN
MINNESOTA. PERIODS OF SLEET AND FREEZING PRECIPITATION WILL
CONTINUE ALONG AND EAST OF A LINE FROM ALBERT LEA TO RED WING TO
EAU CLAIRE AND BLOOMER WISCONSIN THIS AFTERNOON BEFORE
TRANSITIONING TO SNOW THIS EVENING.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY
THE WINTER STORM WILL CONTINUE ON CHRISTMAS. PERIODS OF HEAVY
SNOW ARE LIKELY DURING CHRISTMAS DAY. TOTAL SNOW AMOUNTS WITH
THIS WINTER STORM...FROM YESTERDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY
NIGHT... ARE EXPECTED TO EXCEED 15 INCHES IN MUCH OF CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA. AMOUNTS OF ONE FOOT TO 16 INCHES ARE LIKELY IN
WESTERN WISCONSIN. MAJOR TRAVEL IMPACTS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH
FRIDAY NIGHT AND POTENTIALLY INTO EARLY SATURDAY. MONITOR THE
LATEST FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE...ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE TRAVEL PLANS.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTERS AND SNOWFALL OBSERVERS ARE URGED TO REPORT SNOWFALL
AMOUNTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
$$

WINTER STORM WARNING
Issue Date: 1259 AM CST THU DEC 24 2009
Expiration: 600 AM CST SAT DEC 26 2009

...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AND
PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN CONTINUES...
.A MAJOR STORM SYSTEM PRODUCING HEAVY SNOW...POTENTIALLY NEAR
RECORD IN SOME LOCATIONS...AND HAVING CONSIDERABLE IMPACTS ON
HOLIDAY GROUND AND AIR TRAVEL...CONTINUES ACROSS CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN OVERNIGHT.
SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF TWO TO FIVE INCHES HAVE BEEN REPORTED THUS FAR ACROSS
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA...WITH SLIGHTLY LOWER AMOUNTS IN
THE ONE TO TWO INCH RANGE OVER WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. THE INTENSITY OF THE
SNOWFALL WILL LIGHTEN SLIGHTLY FOR A PERIOD OVERNIGHT...BUT RE-
INTENSIFY AGAIN BY MID DAY THURSDAY. FREEZING DRIZZLE AND SLEET
ARE ALSO POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT AND THURSDAY...MAINLY FROM SOUTHERN
MINNESOTA ACROSS WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN.
THE NEXT BATCH OF HEAVY SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS WEST
CENTRAL WISCONSIN BY THE NOON HOUR ON THURSDAY...AND BLOSSOM
ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA BETWEEN 2 AND 5 PM CST.
AFTER THE HEAVIER SNOW BEGINS ON THURSDAY...IT WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH CHRISTMAS DAY. A MIX OF SNOW...FREEZING RAIN...AND
SLEET...WILL CONTINUE TO BE A THREAT ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL
MINNESOTA INTO WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN THROUGH CHRISTMAS DAY. MINOR
ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL HAPPEN WHERE THIS OCCURS.
EXTREME SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS ARE FORECAST WITH THIS ANOMALOUS
AND LONG DURATION STORM SYSTEM. THESE ACCUMULATIONS WILL LIKELY BE IN
EXCESS OF ONE FOOT...WITH 20 INCHES OR MORE IN SOME LOCATIONS. A
WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF MINNESOTA AND ALL OF
WESTERN WISCONSIN. WINTER STORM WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL
AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA...AS WELL AS WEST CENTRAL
WISCONSIN...THROUGH CHRISTMAS NIGHT.
THE CENTER OF THE MAJOR STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE FROM THE
SOUTHERN PLAINS TONIGHT...TO IOWA BY CHRISTMAS MORNING...AND
BECOME NEARLY STATIONARY THROUGH CHRISTMAS NIGHT.
WINDS WILL GENERALLY BE FROM THE EAST NORTHEAST AT 15 TO 25 MPH
THROUGH TONIGHT. THESE WILL INCREASE AND TURN MORE
NORTHERLY AS THE CENTER OF THE SYSTEM APPROACHES. THE HEAVY WET
NATURE OF THE SNOWFALL IS LIKELY TO KEEP BLOWING SNOW RESTRICTED
TO ONLY THE OPEN RURAL AREAS FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THIS EVENT.
BLOWING SNOW IS MOST PROBABLE IN WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL
MINNESOTA DURING THE LATTER HALF OF THE EVENT...FROM THURSDAY
NIGHT THROUGH CHRISTMAS NIGHT.
AGAIN...TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS ARE HIGHLY LIKELY TO EXCEED ONE FOOT
OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AND FAR WESTERN
WISCONSIN...WITH SCATTERED AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF 20 INCHES
PROBABLE. THIS EVENT MAY BECOME COMPARABLE TO THE HALLOWEEN SNOW
STORM OF 1991. GIVEN THE TIMING OF THIS SYSTEM...HOLIDAY ROAD AND
AIR TRAVEL WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED.
MNZ054-064-065-067-070-073>078-WIZ024>028-241500-
/O.CON.KMPX.WS.W.0008.000000T0000Z-091226T1200Z/
LAC QUI PARLE-YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-SIBLEY-DAKOTA-REDWOOD-
BROWN-NICOLLET-LE SUEUR-RICE-GOODHUE-PIERCE-DUNN-PEPIN-CHIPPEWA-
EAU CLAIRE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MADISON...GRANITE FALLS...OLIVIA...
GAYLORD...BURNSVILLE...REDWOOD FALLS...NEW ULM...ST. PETER...
LE SUEUR...FARIBAULT...RED WING...RIVER FALLS...PRESCOTT...
MENOMONIE...BOYCEVILLE...DURAND...PEPIN...CHIPPEWA FALLS...
BLOOMER...EAU CLAIRE...ALTOONA
1258 AM CST THU DEC 24 2009
...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST
SATURDAY...
A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST SATURDAY.
* TIMING...SNOW WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT WITH WITH ACCUMULATING SNOW
  INTO CHRISTMAS NIGHT. PERIODS OF FREEZING DRIZZLE AND SLEET ARE
  ALSO POSSIBLE...PRIMARILY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT.
* ACCUMULATIONS...SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW WILL OCCUR WITH
  PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW LIKELY AS THE STORM INTENSIFIES THURSDAY
  AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY. SNOW AMOUNTS OF TWO TO FOUR INCHES HAVE
  ALREADY OCCURRED. TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS BY SATURDAY
  MORNING WILL LIKELY EXCEED ONE FOOT IN MANY AREAS... WITH
  SCATTERED TOTALS IN EXCESS OF 20 INCHES PROBABLE.
* SURFACE VISIBILITY WILL BE REDUCED AS THE EVENT CONTINUES DUE
  TO INCREASING WIND SPEEDS AND BLOWING SNOW.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING.  SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF
SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN
AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...
FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.
&&
$$