COUNTIES: MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT & PAGE….

352 AM CST WED FEB 20 2013 …

A WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH LATE THURSDAY NIGHT…

* TIMING…SNOW IS EXPECTED TO SPREAD INTO THE AREA LATE THURSDAY MORNING OR EARLY THURSDAY AFTERNOON…WITH THE HEAVIEST SNOW POTENTIALLY FALLING DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING COMMUTE. LIGHT SNOW IS LIKELY THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY MORNING.

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

* WINDS...EAST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH COULD CREATE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW ON EARLY THURSDAY AFTERNOON…BUT WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DECREASE THURSDAY EVENING LEADING TO LESS BLOWING SNOW. THE BLOWING SNOW IS MOST LIKELY IN OPEN AREAS.

* IMPACTS…TRAVEL COULD BECOME DIFFICULT DUE TO HEAVY FALLING SNOW…ESPECIALLY THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND THURSDAY NIGHT.

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.

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 THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.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.

The Iowa Department of Transportation has a wide network of dynamic message boards on state highways. During emergency situations like the impending winter storm, the boards will show safety messages to assist motorists. Prior to the winter storm, the Iowa DOT is using the boards to gain additional eyes on the roadway by encouraging drivers to follow the Iowa DOT’s twitter feed at @iowadot. By following the twitter account, followers will also have access to information on the @statewide511 twitter feed.

Other ways to connect to the Iowa DOT via social media include:

•Geotag photos and video: All smartphones have a global position system because of enhanced 911 service. If you are a social media user who likes to share photos and video during winter storms, be sure your geotagging is enabled on your mobile device. Then the location of where your photo or video was taken will be tagged. Geotagging helps the Iowa DOT and travelers stay informed about traffic incidents and road conditions based on citizen observations.

•Use the traffic hashtag: The Iowa DOT will be using the hashtag #iatraffic during this event and recommends that other Twitter users do the same to find relevant tweets using that key phrase.

•Tell the DOT what you are seeing: Your information could be invaluable to others who are considering travel. You can also be another set of eyes for the Iowa DOT. When posting to Twitter reference @iowadot in your post. Tag them in your posts and photos on Facebook.

…WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING…

* TIMING...SNOW WILL DEVELOP THURSDAY MORNING OVER SOUTHWEST IOWA AND SPREAD NORTHEAST THROUGH THE DAY. THE HIGHEST SNOWFALL RATES WILL OCCUR ON THURSDAY AND INTO THE EARLY EVENING THOUGH LIGHT SNOW WILL CONTINUE THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT. TRAVEL DURING THE THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND 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 ALONG AND WEST OF INTERSTATE 35.

* 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 CLOGGED.

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.

A WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING    THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING…

* TIMING…SNOW WILL DEVELOP THURSDAY MORNING OVER SOUTHWEST IOWA AND SPREAD NORTHEAST THROUGH THE DAY. THE HIGHEST SNOWFALL RATES WILL OCCUR ON THURSDAY THOUGH LIGHT SNOW WILL CONTINUE THURSDAY NIGHT. TRAVEL DURING THE THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND 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 ALONG AND WEST OF INTERSTATE 35.

* 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 CLOGGED.

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.

The National Weather Service Tuesday (Today), issued a winter storm watch for Thursday morning into Friday morning for much of the state. N-W-S meteorologist, Jim Lee, says the storm has been steadily heading for the state. “We’ve been watching this for several days — in fact all the way since last week — and things remain more or less on track,” Lee says. “We’re looking at a potentially significant winter storm coming up. Mostly on Thursday and then lingering into Thursday night and into Friday.”

Snow forecast totals range from six to 12 inches with this storm, but Lee says the snow won’t be the biggest concern.  “We’re not really trying to focus on the amounts too much. Most of the impact of this storm will come with the initial swath of snow moving across the state on Thursday. In which most of your accumulation is going to fall, but also there will be very strong winds,” according to Lee. “So for several hours as that moves through it’s gonna be near-zero visibilities, drifting snow, very dangerous conditions to be outside.”

Things will calm down as the storm pulls out Friday. Another storm is expected to move through early next week. “However with that system, the temperatures are quite a bit warmer — so there’s a question of how much will be rain and how much will be snow. Right now I wouldn’t necessarily say we are anticipating any high snow accumulations until we see how that pans out. We’ll keep an eye on that one,” Lee says.

(Radio Iowa)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A powerful winter storm system is heading for Nebraska and Iowa, promising a foot or more of snow and high winds.  The National Weather Service says in a winter storm watch that snow will begin falling in western Nebraska on Wednesday evening and then hamper morning traffic in Omaha and other cities as the system heads east.

Accumulations of more than a foot are possible east of a line from Hayes Center in southwest Nebraska north through Valentine in the north. In Iowa, up to a foot is expected in some spots west of Interstate 35.  The weather service says the heavy snow and 15-25 mph winds will make travel hazardous.

The Freese-Notis (Podcast) forecast for the KJAN listening area and weather data for Atlantic…

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Today: Sunny, with a high near 20. Wind chill values as low as -10. Windy, with a northwest wind 15 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 4. Wind chill values as low as -5. Northwest wind 6 to 14 mph becoming northeast after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 18 mph.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 25. Wind chill values as low as -10. East wind 7 to 11 mph.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of snow, mainly after 3am. Cloudy, with a low around 17. Wind chill values as low as 5. Breezy, with a east wind 10 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.
**WINTER STORM WATCH THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING**
Thursday: Snow. High near 25. Windy, with a east wind 16 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
Thursday Night: Snow likely, mainly before midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 19. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 24.

COUNTIES IN THE KJAN LISTENING AREA: SAC-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR & RINGGOLD- 401 AM CST TUE FEB 19 2013...

WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING.

* TIMING...SNOW WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHWEST IOWA BY SUNRISE THURSDAY AND SPREAD NORTHEAST INTO CENTRAL IOWA BY MID TO LATE MORNING…AND TO NORTHEAST IOWA IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON.

* STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL RANGE FROM 5 TO 10 INCHES WITH LOCAL AMOUNTS UP TO 12 INCHES. THE HEAVIEST SNOW WILL FALL WEST OF INTERSTATE 35.

* WINDS/VISIBILITY...EASTERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 MPH AND GUSTY ON THURSDAY…THEN DIMINISH BY LATER THURSDAY NIGHT. SNOWFALL 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. AT THE ONSET…VISIBILITY WILL FALL TO UNDER 1/2 MILES WITHIN 15 MINUTES OR SO. TRAVEL WILL BECOME HAZARDOUS DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY AND THE ROADS RAPIDLY BECOMING ICY AND SNOW CLOGGED.

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.