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: 1223 PM CST TUE DEC 22 2009
Expiration: 600 AM CST SAT DEC 26 2009

...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AND
PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN STARTING WEDNESDAY NIGHT...
.A SIGNIFICANT STORM SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE UPPER
MIDWEST STARTING AS EARLY AS WEDNESDAY NIGHT...AND LASTING INTO
SATURDAY. DUE TO THE STRENGTH OF THIS SYSTEM AND THE PROLONGED
PERIOD FOR WHICH THE SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED... THERE WILL BE MAJOR
IMPACTS TO TRAVELERS... ESPECIALLY DUE TO THE UPCOMING HOLIDAY.
ALTHOUGH THERE REMAIN SOME MINOR TIMING ISSUES AND THE EXACT
STORM TRACK IS NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR... THE LARGE NATURE OF THIS
SYSTEM AND ITS EXPECTED HIGH ENERGY AND MOISTURE CONTENT... WILL
LEAD TO A BROAD AREA OF HEAVY SNOW... WITH SOME SLEET AND FREEZING
RAIN ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST. THIS STORM SYSTEM IS SO COMPLEX
THAT WILL BE SEVERAL BOUTS OF PRECIPITATION WITH THIS EVENT. THE
FIRST IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND SPREAD
NORTHWARD ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST. THIS WAVE HAS ABUNDANT WARM
AIR ASSOCIATED WITH IT... SO THERE MAY BE A MIXTURE OF SLEET AND
FREEZING RAIN AS FAR NORTH AS THE MINNESOTA IOWA BORDER. THE NEXT
WAVE IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE AREA THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
EARLY FRIDAY MORNING WITH WIND SPEEDS INCREASING FROM THE NORTH.
THE LAST WAVE WILL LIKELY BE THE WRAP AROUND MOISTURE WHICH WILL
OCCUR FRIDAY AFTERNOON AS THE STORM SYSTEM BEGINS TO DEPART THE
REGION. THE PRECISE TIMING OF EACH WAVE OF SIGNIFICANT
PRECIPITATION IS STILL UNCERTAIN.... AND LIGHTER PRECIPITATION
WILL LIKELY OCCUR DURING ANY LULLS.
AS THE STORM SYSTEM APPROACHES... SNOWFALL AMOUNTS WILL BE FURTHER
REFINED... BUT TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS WILL LIKELY EXCEED A FOOT OVER
PARTS MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN... WITH AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF 20
INCHES POSSIBLE. GIVEN THE TIMING OF THIS SYSTEM... HOLIDAY ROAD
AND AIR TRAVEL WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED.
MNZ082>085-091>093-230230-
/O.UPG.KMPX.WS.A.0008.091223T1800Z-091226T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KMPX.WS.W.0008.091224T0000Z-091226T1200Z/
WATONWAN-BLUE EARTH-WASECA-STEELE-MARTIN-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ST. JAMES...MANKATO...WASECA...
OWATONNA...FAIRMONT...BLUE EARTH...ALBERT LEA
1223 PM CST TUE DEC 22 2009
...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM WEDNESDAY TO 6 AM CST
SATURDAY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS ISSUED
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW AND THE POSSIBILITY OF SLEET
AND FREEZING RAIN... WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM WEDNESDAY TO 6
AM CST SATURDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.
* TIMING... SEVERAL PERIODS OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED FROM LATE
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. DUE TO SIGNIFICANT
WARM AIR SURGING NORTHWARD WITH THIS SYSTEM... THERE MAY BE A
PERIOD OF SLEET OR FREEZING RAIN LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO
THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
* ACCUMULATIONS... SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW WILL OCCUR WITH
TOTALS POSSIBLY EXCEEDING A FOOT IN A FEW SPOTS. NEAR BLIZZARD
CONDITIONS POSSIBLE AS THE STORM INTENSIFIES THURSDAY AND
FRIDAY. SIGNIFICANT SLEET AND SOME ICE ACCUMULATION IS ALSO
POSSIBLE LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
* SURFACE VISIBILITY WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED AS WINDS
INCREASE TO 20 TO 30 MPH FROM THE EAST ON WEDNESDAY
NIGHT... BECOMING MORE NORTHEAST... THEN NORTH ON FRIDAY.
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... AND THE POTENTIAL
FOR SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN COULD EXACERBATE CONDITIONS. ONLY
TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA
FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN
EMERGENCY.
$$

WINTER STORM WATCH
Issue Date: 351 PM CST MON DEC 21 2009
Expiration: 600 PM CST FRI DEC 25 2009

...FAST MOVING STORM SYSTEM BRINGING LIGHT SNOW TO SOUTHERN
MINNESOTA OVERNIGHT...
...WINTER STORM WATCH FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA...AND
PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN STARTING WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...
.A FAST MOVING...BUT POTENT WINTER WEATHER SYSTEM WILL BRING A
PERIOD OF LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOWFALL OVERNIGHT ACROSS PORTIONS OF
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA...WITH THE HEAVIEST ACCUMULATIONS ALONG THE
IOWA BORDER.
A MORE SIGNIFICANT STORM SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE UPPER
MIDWEST STARTING WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...AND LASTING THROUGH FRIDAY.
DUE TO THE STRENGTH OF THIS SYSTEM AND THE PROLONGED PERIOD FOR
WHICH THE SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED...THERE WILL BE MAJOR IMPACTS TO
TRAVELERS...ESPECIALLY DUE TO THE UPCOMING HOLIDAY.
ALTHOUGH THERE REMAINS SOME MINOR TIMING ISSUES AND THE EXACT
STORM TRACK IS STILL UNCLEAR...THE LARGE NATURE OF THIS
SYSTEM...AND EXPECTED HIGH ENERGY AND MOISTURE CONTENT...WILL
LEAD TO A BROAD AREA OF HEAVY SNOW...SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN
ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST. THIS STORM SYSTEM IS SO COMPLEX THAT
WILL BE THREE BOUTS OF PRECIPITATION WITH THIS EVENT. THE FIRST IS
EXPECTED TO DEVELOP WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND SPREAD NORTHWARD
ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST. THIS WAVE HAS ABUNDANT WARM AIR
ASSOCIATED WITH IT...SO THERE WILL BE A MIXTURE OF SLEET AND
FREEZING RAIN AS FAR NORTH AS THE IOWA BORDER. THE NEXT WAVE IS
EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE AREA THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY
FRIDAY MORNING WITH WIND SPEEDS INCREASING FROM THE NORTH. THE
LAST WAVE WILL LIKELY BE THE WRAP AROUND MOISTURE WHICH WILL OCCUR
FRIDAY AFTERNOON AS THE STORM SYSTEM BEGINS TO DEPART THE REGION.
AS THE STORM SYSTEM APPROACHES...SNOWFALL AMOUNTS WILL BE FURTHER
REFINED...BUT TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS COULD EXCEED A FOOT OVER PARTS
MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN. GIVEN THE TIMING OF THIS SYSTEM...HOLIDAY
ROAD AND AIR TRAVEL WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED.
MNZ083>085-092-093-220600-
/O.NEW.KMPX.WS.A.0008.091223T1800Z-091226T0000Z/
/O.CON.KMPX.WW.Y.0014.091222T0000Z-091222T1500Z/
BLUE EARTH-WASECA-STEELE-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MANKATO...WASECA...OWATONNA...
BLUE EARTH...ALBERT LEA
351 PM CST MON DEC 21 2009
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS
EVENING TO 9 AM CST TUESDAY...
...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
FRIDAY AFTERNOON...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS ISSUED
A WINTER STORM WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING
TO 9 AM CST TUESDAY.
* TIMING...LIGHT SNOW WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT BEFORE
TAPERING OFF TUESDAY MORNING.
* ACCUMULATIONS...SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE LIKELY
WITH LOCALLY 5 INCH TOTALS POSSIBLE.
* UNTREATED AND UNPLOWED ROADS AND HIGHWAYS WILL BECOME SLIPPERY
AND MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO SLOW DOWN. CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO
IMPROVED LATE MORNING ON TUESDAY.
FOR THE WINTER STORM WATCH.
* TIMING...SEVERAL PERIODS OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED FROM WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON. DUE TO SIGNIFICANT WARM AIR
SURGING NORTHWARD WITH THIS SYSTEM...THERE MAY BE A PERIOD OF
SLEET LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING.
* ACCUMULATIONS...SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW AND SLEET WILL OCCUR
OVER THE WATCH AREA WITH NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS POSSIBLE AS
THE STORM INTENSIFIES THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.
* SURFACE VISIBILITY WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED AS WIND
INCREASE TO 20 TO 35 MPH FROM THE EAST ON WEDNESDAY...BECOMING
MORE NORTHEAST...THEN NORTH ON FRIDAY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW
WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW
COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.
A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
SNOW...SLEET...OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL.
CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.
$$