HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
Issue Date: 519 AM CST THU DEC 24 2009
Expiration: 600 AM CST FRI DEC 25 2009

Expires:200912251200;;
FLUS43 KMPX 241101
HWOMPX
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
501 AM CST THU DEC 24 2009
MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028-
251200-
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-
501 AM CST THU DEC 24 2009
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA...AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN.
.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT
WHILE THERE WILL BE A RESPITE IN MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW THROUGH
EARLY AFTERNOON...WIDESPREAD ACCUMULATING SNOW IS EXPECTED TO
BEGIN LATER IN THE AFTERNOON AND FURTHER INCREASE IN INTENSITY
TONIGHT. PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW ARE EXPECTED. ADDITIONAL
ACCUMULATIONS THROUGH TONIGHT OF 6 TO 11 INCHES ARE EXPECTED IN
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA 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. THERE IS A SMALL CHANCE FOR SLEET AND FREEZING
PRECIPITATION...MAINLY IN WESTERN WISCONSIN.
.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: 624 PM CST WED DEC 23 2009
Expiration: 600 AM CST SAT DEC 26 2009

...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AND
PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN STARTING TONIGHT...
.A MAJOR STORM SYSTEM PRODUCING HEAVY SNOW...POTENTIALLY NEAR
RECORD IN SOME LOCATIONS...AND HAVING CONSIDERABLE IMPACTS ON
HOLIDAY GROUND AND AIR TRAVEL...HAS BEGUN OVER PARTS OF SOUTHERN
MINNESOTA. A BAND OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW WAS PUSHING INTO
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AND A FEW LOCATIONS COULD PICK OF A QUICK 2 TO 4
INCHES OF SNOW THIS EVENING. THE SNOW WILL SPREAD INTO CENTRAL
MINNESOTA AND PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN LATER TONIGHT.
SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS BY THURSDAY MORNING ARE EXPECTED TO BE
BETWEEN THREE AND FIVE INCHES OVER SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL
MINNESOTA...WITH SOMEWHAT LESSER AMOUNTS OVER WEST CENTRAL
WISCONSIN.
THE SNOW WILL LAST THROUGH THURSDAY AND CHRISTMAS WITH
SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS FORECAST. THESE ACCUMULATIONS WILL
LIKELY BE IN EXCESS OF ONE FOOT...WITH 20 INCHES OR MORE IN SOME
LOCATIONS. THE SNOW MAY MIX WITH FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET AT TIMES
IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AND ESPECIALLY WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. MINOR
ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL HAPPEN WHERE THIS OCCURS. A WINTER STORM
WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF MINNESOTA AND ALL OF WESTERN
WISCONSIN. WINTER STORM WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN
MINNESOTA TONIGHT THROUGH CHRISTMAS NIGHT...AND WARNINGS WILL BE
IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN LATER
TONIGHT THROUGH CHRISTMAS NIGHT.
THE CENTER OF THE MAJOR STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE FROM THE SOUTHERN
PLAINS THIS EVENING...TO IOWA BY CHRISTMAS MORNING AND BECOME
NEARLY STATIONARY THROUGH CHRISTMAS NIGHT. THIS IS A COMPLEX
SYSTEM...WITH EXPECTED PERIODIC BOUTS OF HEAVIER SNOW AT TIMES...
AND OCCASIONAL MIXES WITH SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN ACROSS SOUTHERN
MINNESOTA AND WESTERN WISCONSIN. THERE WILL INEVITABLY BE PERIODS
OF LIGHTER PRECIPITATION...POTENTIALLY THURSDAY MORNING...BUT
NEARLY CONTINUOUS ACCUMULATING PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED FROM
ONSET THROUGH CHRISTMAS NIGHT. THIS 48 TO 60 HOURS OF SNOWFALL IN
MANY PLACES WILL LEAD TO THE EXTREME SNOWFALL TOTALS BY SATURDAY
MORNING...PARTICULARLY FROM SOUTHWEST THROUGH CENTRAL MINNESOTA.
WINDS WILL GENERALLY BE FROM THE EAST NORTHEAST AT 15 TO 25 MPH
THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. 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.
AS THE STORM SYSTEM CONTINUES TO DEVELOP...FORECAST SNOWFALL
AMOUNTS WILL BE FURTHER REFINED. 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.
MNZ082>085-091>093-240830-
/O.CON.KMPX.WS.W.0008.000000T0000Z-091226T1200Z/
WATONWAN-BLUE EARTH-WASECA-STEELE-MARTIN-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ST. JAMES...MANKATO...WASECA...
OWATONNA...FAIRMONT...BLUE EARTH...ALBERT LEA
624 PM CST WED DEC 23 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 THROUGH CHRISTMAS NIGHT.
* ACCUMULATIONS...SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW WILL OCCUR WITH
  PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW LIKELY AS THE STORM INTENSIFIES THURSDAY
  AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY. SNOW AMOUNTS BY THURSDAY MORNING OF TWO
  TO FIVE INCHES ARE EXPECTED. TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS BY
  SATURDAY MORNING WILL LIKELY EXCEED ONE FOOT IN MANY AREAS...
  WITH SCATTERED TOTALS FROM 15 TO 20 INCHES PROBABLE.
* MIXED PRECIPITATION...PERIODS OF SLEET ARE PROBABLE AND
  POSSIBLY FREEZING RAIN DURING THIS STORM...PRIMARILY THURSDAY
  AND THURSDAY NIGHT.
* 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... 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.
MNZ082-091-220600-
/O.NEW.KMPX.WS.A.0008.091223T1800Z-091226T0000Z/
/O.CON.KMPX.WW.Y.0014.091222T0000Z-091222T1200Z/
WATONWAN-MARTIN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ST. JAMES...FAIRMONT
351 PM CST MON DEC 21 2009
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS
EVENING TO 6 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 6 AM CST TUESDAY.
* TIMING...LIGHT SNOW WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT BEFORE
TAPERING OFF TUESDAY MORNING.
* ACCUMULATIONS...SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ARE LIKELY.
* UNTREATED AND UNPLOWED ROADS AND HIGHWAYS WILL BECOME SLIPPERY
AND MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO SLOW DOWN. CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO
IMPROVED LATE TUESDAY MORNING.
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.
$$