URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA

409 AM CST SAT FEB 4 2012

…HEAVY SNOW EXPECTED TO EXPAND ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST IOWA TODAY…

A POWERFUL WINTER STORM WILL AFFECT THE AREA TODAY AND BRING MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOWFALL TO THE REGION. A PERIOD OF SNOW WITH THUNDER IS POSSIBLE THIS MORNING. IF THE THUNDER SNOW OCCURS…SNOWFALL RATES WILL APPROACH 2 INCHES PER HOUR. THE SNOWFALL WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH FROM NORTH TO SOUTH THIS AFTERNOON.

CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-BOONE-STORY-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-POLK-

CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS & UNION COUNTIES, INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…DENISON…CARROLL…JEFFERSON…BOONE…AMES…AUDUBON…GUTHRIE CENTER…ADEL…DES MOINES…ATLANTIC…GREENFIELD…WINTERSET…CORNING…CRESTON

…WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST SUNDAY…

* SHORT TERM TRENDS...PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND TRANSITION TO ALL SNOW EARLY THIS MORNING. EXPECT THE HEAVIEST SNOW TO OCCUR BETWEEN 6 AM AND NOON TODAY.

* STORM TOTAL SNOW…SNOWFALL AMOUNTS FROM 4 TO 8 INCHES ARE FORECAST FOR THE AREA. LOCALLY HEAVIER AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE WARNED AREA. A SHARP CUTOFF IS EXPECTED ALONG A WEST TO EAST LINE FROM NORTHERN CRAWFORD THROUGH NORTHERN STORY COUNTIES.

* WINDS/VISIBILITY…NORTHEAST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH A FEW HIGHER GUSTS WILL CAUSE VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS AND DRIFTING OF SNOW TODAY AND TONIGHT.

* IMPACTS…HEAVY SNOW WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS DURING THE PERIOD. THE FALLING SNOW…COMBINED WITH STRONG WINDS… WILL LEAD TO REDUCED VISIBILITIES. UNTREATED SURFACES WILL BECOME ICY AS THE SNOW FREEZES TO THE PAVEMENT.

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 YOU BECOME STRANDED.