Bring it on!!

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
410 AM CST WED DEC 23 2009

...POWERFUL STORM SYSTEM TO AFFECT THE REGION INTO THE CHRISTMAS
WEEKEND...

.A VERY LARGE AND SLOW MOVING STORM SYSTEM DEVELOPING OVER THE
SOUTHERN PLAINS WILL SPREAD SNOW ACROSS EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND
NORTHWESTERN MINNESOTA THE NEXT FEW DAYS. LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPING
IN OKLAHOMA WILL SLOWLY MOVE INTO IOWA BY CHRISTMAS MORNING THEN
BECOME NEARLY STATIONARY. DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THIS
LOW...ABUNDANT MOISTURE WILL MOVE NORTHWARD FROM THE GULF OF
MEXICO INTO THE COLD AIR OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS. SNOW IS
FORECAST TO DEVELOP OVER THE SOUTHERN VALLEY REGION TONIGHT THEN
SPREAD NORTH...WITH SNOW CONTINUING INTO SATURDAY. THIS COULD
BRING STORM TOTALS OF 8 TO 14 INCHES OVER MANY LOCATIONS. HIGHER
AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE NEAR THE SOUTH DAKOTA BORDER AND WEST CENTRAL
MINNESOTA LAKES COUNTRY (THAT"S ME GUYS!!). NORTHERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE ON FRIDAY
TO 15 TO 30 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. THIS WOULD RESULT IN POOR
VISIBILITY.

TRAVEL FOR CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY WILL LIKELY BE
HAZARDOUS AND ANYONE WITH TRAVEL PLANS SHOULD STAY TUNED FOR
FORECAST UPDATES AS THE TRACK OF THE STORM AND SNOWFALL AMOUNTS
CAN CHANGE.

MNZ003-030-031-040-NDZ029-039-261015-
/O.UPG.KFGF.WS.A.0011.091224T0000Z-091226T0800Z/
/O.NEW.KFGF.WS.W.0011.091224T0600Z-091226T1200Z/
CLAY-WEST OTTER TAIL-EAST OTTER TAIL-GRANT-STEELE-CASS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MOORHEAD...FERGUS FALLS...
NEW YORK MILLS...ELBOW LAKE...FINLEY...FARGO
410 AM CST WED DEC 23 2009

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 AM
CST SATURDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A WINTER
STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT
TONIGHT TO 6 AM CST SATURDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER
IN EFFECT.

* SNOW WILL DEVELOP TONIGHT AND THEN CONTINUE INTO SATURDAY.

* SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 10 TO 15 INCHES COULD OCCUR WITH THIS
SYSTEM WITH THE HEAVIEST AMOUNTS ALONG THE SOUTH DAKOTA
BORDER.

* THE WIND TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY WILL NOT BE A SIGNIFICANT
FACTOR...TURNING NORTH AND INCREASING TO 20 TO 30 MPH THURSDAY
NIGHT AND FRIDAY CAUSING REDUCED VISIBILITY. EAST OF THE RED
RIVER VALLEY WINDS WILL BE 10 TO 25 MPH. THESE WINDS WILL CAUSE
REDUCED VISIBILITY IN BLOWING SNOW.

* ANYONE WITH TRAVEL PLANS FOR CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY
SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS FOR UPDATES.

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.