331 AM CST SAT JAN 31 2015: AREA COUNTIES…SAC-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-CASS- DALLAS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD–

WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 PM CST SUNDAY

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 PM CST SUNDAY.

* TIMING…RAIN WILL CHANGE TO SNOW BY THIS EVENING AND ACCUMULATE HEAVILY OVERNIGHT. SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO FALL THROUGH THE DAY SUNDAY WITH INCREASING WINDS.

* STORM TOTAL SNOW…ACCUMULATIONS OF 7 TO 10 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS.

* WINDS/VISIBILITY…TURNING TO NORTHEAST 10 TO 20 MPH BY EARLY SUNDAY MORNING…THEN BECOMING NORTH 15 TO 25 MPH AND GUSTY BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

* IMPACTS…ROADS WILL BECOME SNOW COVERED AND HAZARDOUS. BLOWING SNOW ON SUNDAY WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO CLEAR THE ROADS…ESPECIALLY IN OPEN AND RURAL AREAS.

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 OF AN EMERGENCY. ANY REPORTS OF SNOW…SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN ACCUMULATIONS ARE MUCH APPRECIATED AND CAN BE RELAYED DIRECTLY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE USING TWITTER HANDLE NWS DES MOINES…HASHTAG
NWSDMX OR POST TO THE NWS DES MOINES FACEBOOK PAGE.