WINTER STORM WARNING
Issue Date: 1051 AM CST WED DEC 23 2009
Expiration: 600 AM CST SAT DEC 26 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 HAZARDOUS
TRAVEL 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 EARLY CHRISTMAS EVE. STRONG EAST TO NORTHEAST
WINDS CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED...ESPECIALLY NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR. SOME
SLEET OR PERHAPS FREEZING RAIN MAY MIX IN WITH THE SNOW ACROSS THE
UPPER SAINT CROIX RIVER VALLEY AND MUCH OF WISCONSIN...WHICH MAY
REDUCE ACCUMULATIONS SOMEWHAT IN THOSE AREAS.
MNZ010>012-018>021-025-026-035-037-240100-
/O.CON.KDLH.WS.W.0009.091224T1200Z-091226T1200Z/
KOOCHICHING-NORTHERN ST. LOUIS-NORTHERN COOK/NORTHERN LAKE-
NORTHERN ITASCA-CENTRAL ST. LOUIS-SOUTHERN LAKE/LAKESHORE-
SOUTHERN COOK/LAKESHORE-NORTHERN CASS-SOUTHERN ITASCA-
NORTHERN AITKIN-CARLTON/SOUTHERN ST. LOUIS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...INTERNATIONAL FALLS...ELY...ISABELLA...
BIGFORK...HIBBING...TWO HARBORS...GRAND MARAIS...WALKER...
GRAND RAPIDS...HILL CITY...DULUTH...CLOQUET
1051 AM 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 DURING THE MORNING ON CHRISTMAS EVE...AND THEN SPREAD
  NORTHWARD TOWARD INTERNATIONAL FALLS AND ELY. SNOW... HEAVY AT
  TIMES... IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE CHRISTMAS EVE AND CONTINUING
  INTO CHRISTMAS NIGHT.
* STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 10 TO 14 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 35 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 ON
  CHRISTMAS EVE... WITH TRAVEL BECOMING HAZARDOUS BY AFTERNOON ON
  CHRISTMAS EVE AND CONTINUE 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.
&&
$$

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
Issue Date: 521 AM CST WED DEC 23 2009
Expiration: 530 AM CST THU DEC 24 2009

Expires:200912241130;;
FLUS43 KDLH 231110
HWODLH
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
510 AM CST WED DEC 23 2009
MNZ010>012-018>021-025-026-033>038-WIZ001>004-006>009-241130-
KOOCHICHING-NORTHERN ST. LOUIS-NORTHERN COOK/NORTHERN LAKE-
NORTHERN ITASCA-CENTRAL ST. LOUIS-SOUTHERN LAKE/LAKESHORE-
SOUTHERN COOK/LAKESHORE-NORTHERN CASS-SOUTHERN ITASCA-
SOUTHERN CASS-CROW WING-NORTHERN AITKIN-SOUTHERN AITKIN-
CARLTON/SOUTHERN ST. LOUIS-PINE-DOUGLAS-BAYFIELD-ASHLAND-IRON-
BURNETT-WASHBURN-SAWYER-PRICE-
510 AM CST WED DEC 23 2009
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST MINNESOTA AND
NORTHWEST WISCONSIN.
.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT
SNOW SHOWERS ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE NORTH SHORE OF LAKE SUPERIOR
TODAY...WITH AN INCH OR TWO OF POSSIBLE ACCUMULATION. THE BIG
STORY FOR THIS PERIOD WILL BE THE RAPID ADVANCEMENT OF SNOW ACROSS
THE NORTHLAND TONIGHT. THE SNOW WILL SPREAD FROM SOUTH TO NORTH
OVERNIGHT...WITH 1 TO 3 INCHES OF ACCUMULATION FROM BRAINERD TO
SIREN.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY
A SIGNIFICANT WINTER STORM IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP OVER THE SOUTHERN
PLAINS TONIGHT...AND THEN LIFT NORTHWARD INTO THE GREAT LAKES
REGION INTO LATE WEEK AND EARLY IN THE WEEKEND. WHILE CONFIDENCE
IS GROWING THAT THIS WILL BE A MAJOR WINTER STORM...EXACT AMOUNTS
ARE STILL A BIT TOUGH TO PINPOINT. CURRENT THINKING IS THAT MUCH
OF THE REGION WILL SEE 10 TO 14 INCHES OF TOTAL SNOW
ACCUMULATION...ALTHOUGH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS COULD OCCUR IF
EVERYTHING CONTINUES TO COME TOGETHER WITH THIS STORM. A WINTER
STORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR ALL OF THE NORTHLAND.
THE STORM WILL DRAMATICALLY HAMPER TRAVEL ACROSS MUCH OF THE
CENTRAL UNITED STATES DURING THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND...PARALYZING
TRAVEL DUE TO SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. TRAVELERS ARE STRONGLY
ENCOURAGED TO STAY CURRENT WITH THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION
REGARDING THIS DEVELOPING STORM.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SNOWFALL OBSERVERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO RELAY THEIR SNOW REPORTS TO
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DULUTH.
$$