WINTER STORM WARNING
Issue Date: 850 PM CST WED DEC 23 2009
Expiration: 600 AM CST SAT DEC 26 2009

...POWERFUL STORM SYSTEM TO AFFECT THE REGION INTO THE CHRISTMAS
WEEKEND...
.A VERY LARGE AND SLOW MOVING STORM SYSTEM DEVELOPING OVER THE
SOUTHERN PLAINS WILL SPREAD SNOW ACROSS EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND
NORTHWESTERN MINNESOTA THE NEXT FEW DAYS. LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPING
IN OKLAHOMA WILL SLOWLY MOVE INTO IOWA BY CHRISTMAS MORNING THEN
BECOME NEARLY STATIONARY. DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THIS LOW...
ABUNDANT MOISTURE WILL MOVE NORTHWARD FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO
INTO THE COLD AIR OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS. SNOW WILL CONTINUE
OVERNIGHT AND INTO SATURDAY. THIS COULD BRING STORM TOTALS OF 8
TO 12 INCHES IN THE NORTH...AND AMOUNTS OF 15 TO 20 INCHES ARE
POSSIBLE NEAR THE SOUTH DAKOTA BORDER AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA
LAKES COUNTRY. NORTHERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE ON FRIDAY TO 15 TO 30
MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. THIS WOULD RESULT IN NEAR BLIZZARD
CONDITIONS ON CHRISTMAS DAY WEST OF A LINE EXTENDING FROM ROSEAU
TO FOSSTON TO PARK RAPIDS. STRONG WINDS COMBINED WITH HEAVY SNOW
ON CHRISTMAS DAY MAY CREATE DRIFTS THAT COULD CAUSE SOME ROADS TO
BECOME IMPASSABLE.
TRAVEL FOR CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY WILL LIKELY BE
HAZARDOUS AND ANYONE WITH TRAVEL PLANS SHOULD STAY TUNED FOR
FORECAST UPDATES AS THE TRACK OF THE STORM AND SNOWFALL AMOUNTS
CAN CHANGE.
MNZ004>006-008-009-013>017-022>024-261200-
/O.CON.KFGF.WS.W.0011.091224T1200Z-091226T1200Z/
KITTSON-ROSEAU-LAKE OF THE WOODS-EAST MARSHALL-NORTH BELTRAMI-
PENNINGTON-RED LAKE-EAST POLK-NORTH CLEARWATER-SOUTH BELTRAMI-
MAHNOMEN-SOUTH CLEARWATER-HUBBARD-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...HALLOCK...ROSEAU...BAUDETTE...
NEWFOLDEN...RED LAKE...THIEF RIVER FALLS...RED LAKE FALLS...
FOSSTON...BAGLEY...BEMIDJI...MAHNOMEN...LAKE ITASCA...PARK RAPIDS
850 PM CST WED DEC 23 2009
...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM THURSDAY TO
6 AM CST SATURDAY...
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW REMAINS IN
EFFECT FROM 6 AM THURSDAY TO 6 AM CST SATURDAY.
* SNOW WILL INCREASE IN INTENSITY TONIGHT AND CONTINUE INTO
  SATURDAY.
* 10 TO 15 INCHES OF SNOW MAY OCCUR WITH THIS SYSTEM.
* WINDS WILL NOT BE A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR FOR TONIGHT INTO
  THURSDAY. THE WIND WILL TURN NORTH AND INCREASE TO 15 TO 30
  MPH OVER THE RED RIVER VALLEY ON CHRISTMAS DAY CAUSING NEAR
  BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. STRONG WINDS COMBINED WITH HEAVY SNOW MAY
  CREATE SNOW DRIFTS THAT MAY CAUSE SOME ROADS TO BECOME
  IMPASSABLE. EAST OF THE RED RIVER VALLEY...WINDS WILL BE 10 TO
  20 MPH...WHICH WILL CAUSE REDUCED VISIBILITY IN BLOWING SNOW.
* PERSONS WITH TRAVEL PLANS FOR CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY
  SHOULD MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS FOR UPDATES.
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.
&&
$$

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
Issue Date: 240 PM CST WED DEC 23 2009
Expiration: 245 PM CST THU DEC 24 2009

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN NORTH
DAKOTA...WEST CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA.
.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
SNOW WILL SPREAD NORTHWARD AND REACH NORTHWESTERN MINNESOTA LATE
TONIGHT. ANY SNOW ACCUMULATION THROUGH 6 AM THURSDAY WILL BE AN
INCH OR LESS.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY
PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CONTINUE THURSDAY...THEN LOOK FOR INCREASING
HEAVIER SNOWFALL STARTING LATER THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. THE
SNOW WILL GRADUALLY TAPER OFF LATE FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. TOTAL
SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 8 TO 14 INCHES WILL OCCUR WITH HIGHEST
AMOUNTS IN THE FERGUS FALLS AREA. LOW PRESSURE RESPONSIBLE FOR
THIS LONG DURATION SNOW EVENT WILL MOVE INTO EASTERN KANSAS TODAY
AND THEN MOVE INTO IOWA BY LATE THURSDAY BEFORE STALLING OUT OVER
IOWA ON CHRISTMAS DAY.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SNOWFALL REPORTS ARE NEEDED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
PLEASE CALL THEM IN.
$$