344 AM CST WED FEB 20 2013 COUNTIES: AUDUBON-CASS-ADAIR-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD…

…A WINTER STORM WARNING WILL BE IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THURSDAY TO NOON CST FRIDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THURSDAY TO NOON CST FRIDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* TIMING...SNOW WILL DEVELOP BY MID TO LATE MORNING THURSDAY OVER SOUTHWEST IOWA AND SPREAD NORTHEAST THROUGH THE DAY. THE HIGHEST SNOWFALL RATES WILL OCCUR FROM LATE MORNING THROUGH MID AFTERNOON. LIGHT SNOW WILL CONTINUE THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT. TRAVEL BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND ESPECIALLY THE EVENING COMMUTE WILL LIKELY BE QUITE HAZARDOUS AND DIFFICULT.

* STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL RANGE FROM 6 TO 10 INCHES WITH LOCAL HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL IS LIKELY TO OCCUR OVER THE FAR SOUTHWEST.

* WINDS/VISIBILITY…EASTERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS ON THURSDAY…THEN DIMINISH BY THURSDAY EVENING. SNOWFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR DURING THE PERIOD OF STRONGEST WINDS WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY TO 1/4 MILE OR LESS FOR A PERIOD OF SEVERAL HOURS.

* IMPACTS...CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE RAPIDLY AS THE SNOW MOVES IN THURSDAY AFTERNOON. AT THE ONSET…VISIBILITY OF LESS THAN ONE HALF MILE AT TIMES CAN BE EXPECTED. TRAVEL WILL BECOME HAZARDOUS DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY AND THE ROADS RAPIDLY BECOMING ICY AND SNOW PACKED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST…COMBINED WITH BLOWING SNOW…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.