...SIGNIFICANT WINTER SYSTEM TO IMPACT PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA
THURSDAY...
.PRECIPITATION WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA WEDNESDAY NIGHT INITIALLY AS RAIN BEFORE SWITCHING TO A WINTRY MIX THEN ALL SNOW BY THURSDAY MORNING. A PERIOD OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW FOLLOWED BY VERY STRONG AND GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS WILL LEAD TO THE POTENTIAL FOR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ESPECIALLY THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
IAZ005>007-016-017-024>028-035>039-046>050-058>061-071>074-181815-
/O.NEW.KDMX.BZ.A.0002.140220T1200Z-140221T1200Z/
KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-
FRANKLIN-BUTLER-BREMER-WEBSTER-HAMILTON-HARDIN-GRUNDY-BLACK HAWK-
GREENE-BOONE-STORY-MARSHALL-TAMA-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-POLK-JASPER-ADAIR-
MADISON-WARREN-MARION-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALGONA...FOREST CITY...LAKE MILLS...
NORTHWOOD...MANLY...GARNER...BRITT...KANAWHA...MASON CITY...
CLEAR LAKE...HUMBOLDT...EAGLE GROVE...CLARION...BELMOND...
HAMPTON...PARKERSBURG...CLARKSVILLE...SHELL ROCK...GREENE...
APLINGTON...ALLISON...DUMONT...WAVERLY...FORT DODGE...
WEBSTER CITY...IOWA FALLS...ELDORA...ACKLEY...GRUNDY CENTER...
REINBECK...CONRAD...DIKE...WELLSBURG...WATERLOO...CEDAR FALLS...
JEFFERSON...BOONE...AMES...MARSHALLTOWN...TAMA...TOLEDO...TRAER...
DYSART...GLADBROOK...GUTHRIE CENTER...PANORA...BAYARD...CASEY...
PERRY...WAUKEE...ADEL...DES MOINES...NEWTON...GREENFIELD...
STUART...ADAIR...FONTANELLE...WINTERSET...EARLHAM...INDIANOLA...
NORWALK...CARLISLE...PELLA...KNOXVILLE
406 AM CST TUE FEB 18 2014
...BLIZZARD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH LATE
THURSDAY NIGHT...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD
WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH LATE
THURSDAY NIGHT.
* TIMING...THE PRECIPITATION WILL SWITCH TO SNOW THURSDAY MORNING
AND MAY BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES WITH SNOW FALL RATES OF ONE TO TWO
INCHES PER HOUR POSSIBLE FOR A BRIEF PERIOD. VERY STRONG
NORTHWEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING
AND MAY CREATE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS.
* STORM TOTAL SNOW/ICE ACCUMULATIONS...3 TO 7 INCHES OF SNOW IS
EXPECTED. MINOR ICE ACCUMULATIONS MAY OCCUR.
* WINDS/VISIBILITY...THE WIND WILL BE LIGHT INITIALLY WITH THIS
SYSTEM AS THE PRECIPITATION CHANGES TO SNOW. THE WIND WILL
QUICKLY INTENSIFY AS IT BECOMES NORTHWEST AT 25 TO 35 MPH WITH
GUSTS OVER 50 MPH POSSIBLE THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
* IMPACTS...IN ADDITION TO THE BLIZZARD POTENTIAL...A BAND OF WET
AND HEAVY SNOW IS ALSO POSSIBLE. THE WET SNOW MAY BE HEAVY
ENOUGH TO CAUSE TREE DAMAGE ONCE THE WIND INCREASES AND COULD
LEAD TO DOWNED POWER LINES.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A BLIZZARD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FALLING AND/OR
BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS AND EXTREMELY POOR VISIBILITIES. THIS CAN LEAD TO WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AND MAKE TRAVEL VERY DANGEROUS.
Extreme winds and blizzard conditions
Extremely high winds have been screaming along the Rocky Mountain Front this morning with some gusts approaching 100 mph near St. Mary in Glacier National Park.
This wind has been causing widespread blowing snow and creating blizzard conditions with visibilities near zero.
Check out this Eyecam shot captured earlier from St. Mary showing the near whiteout conditions:
The Montana Department of Transportation is reporting severe driving conditions along Highway 89 near Browning and Highway 2 southwest of Browning is now closed due to these dangerous conditions. Travel over mountain passes including Marias pass will be nearly impossible for the next couple hours.
Check out some of the measured wind gusts so far this morning:
Blizzard Warnings have been issued for the Northern Rocky Mountain Front until 6pm today.
In this region, 3-6" of additional snow could accumulate and this will combine with winds gusting over 70 mph to create dangerous conditions.
http://www.krtv.com/news/extreme-winds-and-blizzard-conditions/
I Luv Herfrds said:Wind was so bad yesterday it blew a round bale right off the feed truck! :shock: Didn't roll it but blew it off the side.
Have not found any damage yet, luckily. A lot of our snow and ice has melted but suppose to have more snow on the way tomorrow.