338 PM CST TUE FEB 28 2012

…VERY STRONG WINDS EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA WEDNESDAY…

A STRONG WINTER STORM WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHERN MINNESOTA BY WEDNESDAY MORNING. AS THE STORM TRACKS THROUGH THE REGION WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 30 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS 45 TO 55 MPH. THE STRONG WINDS WILL DEVELOP NEAR SUNRISE OVER WESTERN IOWA AND INCREASE OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE REGION BY LATE MORNING.

A WIND ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE FAR WEST & SOUTHWEST COUNTIES IN OUR LISTENING AREA (MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT- PAGE) FROM 7-A.M. WEDNESDAY UNTIL 4-P.M., AND FROM 6-AM UNTIL 6-P.M FOR CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR AND RINGGOLD COUNTIES.

* TIMING...STRONG WINDS WILL DEVELOP BY 6 AM WEST OF HIGHWAY 71 BY SUNRISE AND INCREASE TO NEAR INTERSTATE 35 BY 9 AM CST. WINDS WILL REMAIN STRONG FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY. A CORRIDOR BETWEEN HIGHWAY 30 AND HIGHWAY 34 IS EXPECTED TO EXPERIENCE THE HIGHEST WINDS WITH GUSTS TO OVER 50 MPH AT TIMES.

* WINDS…WINDS WILL REACH 30 TO 35 MPH FOR MUCH OF THE DAY WITH GUSTS BETWEEN 45 AND 55 MPH BY LATE MORNING THROUGH MID AFTERNOON.

* IMPACTS…LOOSE OBJECTS WILL BE BLOWN AROUND. HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES WILL HAVE DIFFICULTY DRIVING ESPECIALLY ON NORTH SOUTH ROADS AND INTERSTATES. SNOW DEVELOPING OVER FAR NORTHERN IOWA BY MID MORNING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON WILL RESULT IN A PERIOD OF LOWER VISIBILITY AND POSSIBLY DIFFICULT TRAVEL FOR SEVERAL HOURS. ISOLATED POWER OUTAGES OR TREE DAMAGE MAY OCCUR IF STRONGER WINDS DEVELOP OVER PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT WINDS OF 30 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH WIND GUSTS TO OVER 45 MPH. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT…ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. USE EXTRA CAUTION. MINOR PROPERTY DAMAGE MAY ALSO OCCUR DUE TO UNSECURED OBJECTS BLOWING AROUND.