(Source: Severe Storms Predication Center/Norman, OK 3:28-A.M. cst)

AREAS AFFECTED…Eastern NE & Western IA

CONCERNING…HEAVY SNOW….

INCH AN HOUR SNOWFALL RATES /GREATER IN THUNDERSNOW/ WILL GRADUALLY TAPER OFF LATER THIS MORNING. CESSATION OF HEAVIER RATES IS ALREADY ONGOING ACROSS CENTRAL NEB.  HEAVY SNOWFALL HAS DEVELOPED IN THE FAVORED LEFT EXIT REGION OF A MID-UPPER LEVEL JET…NOW QUICKLY PROGRESSING NORTHEASTWARD.

WITH THE LESSENING OF MORE SUPPORTIVE VERTICAL MOTION…RATES SHOULD GRADUALLY BEGIN TO TAPER OFF THIS MORNING. UNTIL THEN…WEAK MID-LEVEL INSTABILITY HAS SUPPORTED THE OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING STRIKE ACROSS SOUTHERN NEB. THIS AREA OF ENHANCED CONVECTIVE SNOWFALL POTENTIAL WILL SHIFT INTO SOUTHERN IA OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS. BRIEF BURSTS OF HEAVIER SNOW REMAIN POSSIBLE IN THUNDERSNOW.

A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect until Midnight for Fremont & Page Counties, where 1-3 inches of snow are expected.

WINTER STORM WARNING…

MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY COUNTIES...

…WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT…

* TIMING…SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF DAY. THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL WILL OCCUR THROUGH THE LATE MORNING HOURS WITH SNOW TAPERING OFF BY LATE AFTERNOON. * ACCUMULATIONS…A BAND OF SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 11 INCHES IS EXPECTED TO EXTEND FROM SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA ROUGHLY ALONG AND NORTH OF THE INTERSTATE 80 CORRIDOR AND INTO WEST CENTRAL IOWA. LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS UP TO OVER A FOOT ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THAT BAND OF HEAVY SNOW. * IMPACTS…TRAVEL WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT THROUGH THE DAY DUE TO HEAVY WET SNOW AND SOME BLOWING SNOW IS POSSIBLE. THE COMBINATION OF SNOWFALL AND WINDS OF 15 TO 30 MPH WILL REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO A HALF MILE OR LESS AT TIMES.

907 PM CST FRI FEB 3 2012

…WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST SUNDAY…

REST OF TONIGHT...LIGHT RAIN LIKELY BEFORE MIDNIGHT…THEN SNOW AND RAIN AFTER MIDNIGHT. BREEZY. SNOW ACCUMULATION UP TO 2 INCHES. LOW IN THE LOWER 30S. NORTHEAST WIND 15 TO 25 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION NEAR 100 PERCENT.

SATURDAY…SNOW…BREEZY. SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 4 TO 5 INCHES. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATION 4 TO 7 INCHES. HIGH IN THE MID 30S. NORTHEAST WIND 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH. CHANCE OF SNOW NEAR 100 PERCENT.

SATURDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF SNOW THROUGH MIDNIGHT. BREEZY…COLDER. LOW AROUND 20. NORTH WIND 5 TO 20 MPH.

SUNDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 30S. NORTHWEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

SUNDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW AROUND 15. WEST WIND NEAR 5 MPH.

MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. HIGH IN THE MID 30S. LOW 15 TO 20.

URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA

905 PM CST FRI FEB 3 2012

…HEAVY SNOW EXPECTED ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL TO SOUTHWEST IOWA BEGINNING OVERNIGHT AND CONTINUING THROUGH SATURDAY…

A STRONG UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK INTO THE MIDWEST TONIGHT. RAIN WILL MIX WITH AND EVENTUALLY CHANGE OVER TO SNOW OVERNIGHT AND INTO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. A MODERATE TO LOCALLY HEAVY BAND OF SNOW WILL SET UP FROM CENTRAL TO WEST CENTRAL IA

CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-BOONE-STORY-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-POLK-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…DENISON…CARROLL…JEFFERSON…BOONE…AMES…AUDUBON…GUTHRIE CENTER…ADEL…DES MOINES…ATLANTIC…GREENFIELD…WINTERSET…CORNING…CRESTON

905 PM CST FRI FEB 3 2012

…WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 AM CST SUNDAY…

* TIMING…A GRADUAL TRANSITION FROM RAIN TO SNOW WILL BEGIN LATE THIS DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. MUCH OF THE WARNED AREA WILL SEE ALL SNOW BY SATURDAY MORNING. A NARROW BAND OF HEAVY SNOW IS EXPECTED TO SET UP ACROSS CENTRAL IOWA DURING THE DAY ON SATURDAY. SNOW WILL BEGIN TO DIMINISH SATURDAY EVENING.

* STORM TOTAL SNOW…SNOWFALL AMOUNTS FROM 4 TO 8 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HEAVIER AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE. HEAVIEST TOTALS ARE EXPECTED OVER THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE WARNED AREA.

* WINDS/VISIBILITY…NORTHEAST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH A FEW HIGHER GUSTS WILL CAUSE VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS AND DRIFTING OF SNOW ON SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT.

* IMPACTS…HEAVY SNOW WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. THE FALLING SNOW…COMBINED WITH STRONG WINDS…WILL LEAD TO REDUCED VISIBILITIES. ROADS WILL LIKELY BECOME SLIPPERY AS THE WET SNOW FREEZES TO THE PAVEMENT.

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 YOU BECOME STRANDED.

CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-BOONE-STORY-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-POLK-
CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTIES
336 PM CST FRI FEB 3 2012

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

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

* TIMING...A GRADUAL TRANSITION FROM RAIN TO SNOW WILL BEGIN LATE
  THIS EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. MUCH OF THE WARNED AREA
  WILL SEE ALL SNOW BY EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. A NARROW BAND OF
  HEAVY SNOW IS EXPECTED TO SET UP ACROSS CENTRAL IOWA DURING THE
  DAY ON SATURDAY. SNOW WILL BEGIN TO DIMINISH SATURDAY EVENING.

* STORM TOTAL SNOW...SNOWFALL AMOUNTS FROM 4 TO 8 INCHES WITH
  LOCALLY HEAVIER AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE. 6 to 9 INCHES IS POSSIBLE OVER
  MONONA, HARRISON, SHELBY AND POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTIES. 
 * WINDS/VISIBILITY...NORTHEAST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH A FEW
  HIGHER GUSTS WILL CAUSE VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS AND DRIFTING OF
  SNOW ON SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT.

* IMPACTS...HEAVY SNOW WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS ACROSS THE
  WARNED AREA. THE FALLING SNOW...COMBINED WITH STRONG
  WINDS...WILL LEAD TO REDUCED VISIBILITIES. ROADS WILL LIKELY
  BECOME SLIPPERY AS THE WET SNOW FREEZES TO THE PAVEMENT.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL BE IN EFFECT FROM 6AM SATURDAY UNTIL
MIDNIGHT SATURDAY, FOR FREMONT & PAGE COUNTIES, AND FROM MIDNIGHT FRIDAY 
TO 6AM SUNDAY FOR RINGGOLD AND TAYLOR COUNTIES. 

Here’s the forecast for Atlantic, and the KJAN listening area….

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FOR: CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-BOONE-STORY-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-POLK-
CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-COUNTIES….(issued 5:03-am NWS/Dsm)

A WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH LATE SATURDAY NIGHT…

* TIMING…A GRADUAL TRANSITION FROM RAIN TO SNOW WILL BEGIN
  LATE THIS EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. MUCH OF THE WATCH
  AREA WILL SEE ALL SNOW BY EARLY SATURDAY MORNING WHERE THE
  HEAVIEST SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ARE LIKELY TO OCCUR. SNOW WILL BEGIN
  TO DIMINISH SATURDAY EVENING.

* STORM TOTAL SNOW…SNOWFALL AMOUNTS FROM 4 TO 8 INCHES WITH
  LOCALLY HEAVIER AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE.

* WINDS/VISIBILITY…NORTHEAST WINDS AT 20 TO 30 MPH WITH A FEW
  HIGHER GUSTS WILL CAUSE VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS AND
  CONSIDERABLE DRIFTING OF SNOW ON SATURDAY AND SATURDAY 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.

NWS/Des Moines issued 4:37-a.m.

Today…Cloudy. A chance of rain and isolated thunderstorms in the morning…then light rain in the afternoon. Colder. High in the mid 40s. East wind 10 to 15 mph. Gusts up to 25 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation 90 percent.
***WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT***
Tonight…Light rain in the evening…then rain and snow overnight. Breezy. Snow accumulation up to 3 inches. Low in the lower 30s. Northeast wind 15 to 20 mph with gusts to around 30 mph. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent.

Saturday…Snow…breezy…colder. Snow accumulation of 4 to 6 inches. Total snow accumulation 4 to 9 inches. High in the lower 30s. Northeast wind 15 to 20 mph with gusts to around 30 mph. Chance of snow 90 percent.

Saturday Night…Cloudy. A chance of snow through midnight…then a slight chance of light snow after midnight. Breezy. Low in the lower 20s. North wind 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 50 percent.

Sunday…Partly sunny. High in the lower 30s. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Sunday Night…Partly cloudy. Low around 20.

Monday And Monday Night…Mostly clear. High in the upper 30s. Low around 20.

47 AM CST FRI FEB 3 2012 NWS/Valley NE

…HEAVY SNOW TO HIT THE REGION LATE TONIGHT AND SATURDAY…

A STRONG WINTER STORM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION TODAY AND SATURDAY…AFFECTING WESTERN AND CENTRAL NEBRASKA TODAY…THEN EASTERN NEBRASKA AND SOUTHWEST IOWA LATE TONIGHT AND SATURDAY. SNOW COULD BEGIN AS EARLY AS FRIDAY EVENING IN PARTS OF NORTHEAST NEBRASKA…BUT WILL REALLY BEGIN TO ACCUMULATE FRIDAY NIGHT.

FOR MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE COUNTIES IN IA…

WINTER STORM WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING...

RAIN WILL GRADUALLY CHANGE OVER TO SNOW ACROSS THE AREA EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. SNOW IS EXPECTED THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY SATURDAY WITH THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL OCCURRING SATURDAY MORNING AND INTO THE AFTERNOON. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL VARY FROM NEAR 4 TO 7 INCHES WITH THE HIGHER ACCUMULATIONS TO THE NORTH ALONG THE INTERSTATE 80 CORRIDOR. THE TIMING OF THE CHANGEOVER TO SNOW WILL AFFECT SNOW AMOUNTS GREATLY. IF THE CHANGE STARTS EARLIER IN THE NIGHT…SNOW AMOUNTS COULD BE SEVERAL MORE INCHES THAN FORECAST. TRAVEL WILL BECOME DIFFICULT SATURDAY MORNING OVER THE AREA AND SOME BLOWING SNOW COULD DEVELOP. THE COMBINATION OF SNOWFALL AND WINDS OF 15 TO 30 MPH WILL REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO A HALF MILE OR LESS AT TIMES.

The National Weather Service has expanded the Winter Storm Watch to include Taylor and Ringgold Counties in southwest Iowa. The Watch now covers nearly all of the KJAN listening area. Officials say a mixture of rain and snow will develop over area Friday evening before switching over to all snow past midnight Friday into the early morning hours on Saturday.

The heaviest accumulations are expected to occur Saturday morning into Saturday afternoon before it tapers off Saturday evening. Total snowfall across southwest and western Iowa may range from 4- to 7-inches. In addition, northeast winds at 20- to 30-miles per hours with higher gusts possible, are expected to cause significant visibility restrictions and drifting of snow on Saturday and Saturday night.

Continue to keep abreast of the latest weather forecasts, and consider postponing any travel plans early this weekend.

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/dmx/