AREA COUNITES: MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT & PAGE… 306 AM CST TUE FEB 19 2013 …WINTER STORM WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING…

* TIMING...SNOW IS EXPECTED TO SPREAD INTO THE AREA VERY EARLY ON THURSDAY MORNING NEAR THE TIME OF THE MORNING COMMUTE. THE HEAVIEST OF THE SNOW IS EXPECTED TO FALL FROM MID MORNING THURSDAY INTO EARLY THURSDAY AFTERNOON. OCCASIONAL LIGHT SNOW IS THEN EXPECTED INTO THURSDAY EVENING.

* ACCUMULATIONS…THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR A GENERAL SNOWFALL IN EXCESS OF 6 INCHES.

* WINDS…EAST WINDS OF 10 TO 20 MPH WILL CREATE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW ON THURSDAY MORNING INTO EARLY AFTERNOON…BUT WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DECREASE LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING LEADING TO LESS BLOWING SNOW. THE BLOWING SNOW IS MOST LIKELY IN OPEN AREAS.

* IMPACTS...TRAVEL WILL BECOME DIFFICULT DUE TO HEAVY FALLING SNOW ON THURSDAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… 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. NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE PREPARATIONS.