COUNTIES: AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD–

236 PM CST THU JAN 16 2014

…SNOW SQUALLS AND STRONG WINDS REDUCING VISIBILITY AT TIMES…

A WIND SURGE IS MOVING ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST HALF OF IOWA THIS AFTERNOON…ACCOMPANIED BY BANDS OF SNOW SHOWERS. THE COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS AND FALLING SNOW WILL CAUSE VISIBILITY TO RAPIDLY FALL TO BELOW HALF A MILE AS THE SNOW SHOWERS MOVE THROUGH BEFORE IMPROVING AGAIN. WHILE ANY PERIOD OF LOW VISIBILITY WILL BE RELATIVELY BRIEF…DRIVERS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THESE RAPID CHANGES AS IT WILL MAKE TRAVEL HAZARDOUS AT TIMES AROUND THE AFTERNOON COMMUTE.

The Freese-Notis forecast for the KJAN listening area and weather data for Atlantic.

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A rarely-issued High Wind Warning is posted for a large portion of western and central Iowa for much of today (Thursday). Meteorologist David Pearson, at the National Weather Service, says motorists can expect to be dodging garbage cans, recycling bins and anything else that’s not nailed down.  “We don’t issue these too often so it is somewhat of a big deal,” Pearson says. “Wind gusts to 50 miles per hour wouldn’t be out of the question, even a bit higher.”

Some of the alerts say winds may reach 60 miles an hour — or stronger.  “At that point you can start even seeing some damage to structures,” Pearson says. “It’s possible, especially tree damage, too.” At 74-miles an hour, it would be considered hurricane strength. Blowing snow or dust could make driving hazardous. The winds will be more than a nuisance to anyone driving a high-profile vehicle. Pearson was asked for his advice for drivers of trucks, vans or campers who have to get from Point A to Point B.

“You need to not go and that’s just being honest as there’s not a whole lot you can do,” Pearson says. “Obviously, it depends on the vehicle and the experience of the person driving. The wind’s going to be out of the northwest so if you’re taking Interstate 80, west to east, that wind’s going to be hitting your broadside and the effects could be pretty dangerous if the wind’s high enough.”

A Wind Advisory has also been posted for parts of southwest, south central and central Iowa. Today’s warnings and advisories covers parts of Iowa and five other states: Colorado, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota and Kansas.

(Radio Iowa)

***HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6-AM to 9-PM.***

Today: Partly Sunny with a slight chance of snow showers before 2pm, then a chance of snow showers between 2pm and 4pm, then snow showers likely with patchy blowing snow after 4pm. with a temperature falling to around 23 by 5pm. Wind chill values as low as 5. Windy, with a northwest wind 20 to 25 mph increasing to 29 to 34 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 48 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Tonight: A 40 percent chance of snow, mainly before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 6. Wind chill values as low as -10. Windy, with a north northwest wind 29 to 34 mph decreasing to 22 to 27 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 27. Wind chill values as low as -15. Windy, with a north northwest wind 17 to 22 mph decreasing to 8 to 13 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 19. South southwest wind 6 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 36. Windy.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 21. Blustery.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 48.

COUNTIES: MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE

…WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM CST THIS EVENING…AND FROM 9-AM TO 9-PM FOR ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR & RINGGOLD COUNTIES.

* TIMING…STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA THIS MORNING AND BE ESPECIALLY STRONG FROM LATE MORNING INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS.

* WINDS…SPEEDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 55 MPH ARE LIKELY.

* IMPACTS…DRIVING WILL BE DIFFICULT…ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE OR LIGHT VEHICLES. IF POSSIBLE SECURE OR SHELTER OUTDOOR OBJECTS SUCH AS GARBAGE CANS AND LAWN FURNITURE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS BETWEEN 30 TO 39 MPH OR GUSTS BETWEEN 45 TO 57 MPH ARE EXPECTED. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT…ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. USE EXTRA CAUTION.

352 AM CST THU JAN 16 2014

…HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING for those counties along and north of Interstate 80 in western Iowa…

* TIMING…WINDS WILL INCREASE BY EARLY THIS MORNING AND WILL REMAIN STRONG THROUGH EARLY EVENING.

* WINDS…NORTHWEST WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED BY MID MORNING…WITH GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH POSSIBLE DURING THE LATE MORNING AND AFTERNOON HOURS.

* IMPACTS…LOOSE OBJECTS WILL BE BLOWN ABOUT BY THE STRONG WINDS. IN ADDITION SMALL TREE BRANCHES MAY BREAK. BRIEF VIGOROUS SNOW SQUALLS ARE POSSIBLE FROM LATE MORNING NORTH TO EARLY EVENING SOUTH. THESE MAY ALSO DRAMATICALLY REDUCE VISIBILITY IN BLOWING SNOW…AND WITH A QUICK ACCUMULATION OF UP TO AN INCH OF SNOW POSSIBLE…CAUSE TRAVEL PROBLEMS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS A HAZARDOUS HIGH WIND EVENT IS EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH OR GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR MORE CAN LEAD TO PROPERTY DAMAGE. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT…ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. USE EXTRA CAUTION.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A HIGH WIND WARNING EFFECTIVE 6-AM THURSDAY UNTIL 9-PM FOR COUNTIES ALONG AND NORTH OF I-80, EXCEPT FOR MONONA, HARRISON & POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTIES, WHERE THE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 8-AM TO 8-PM THURSDAY. THE HIGH WIND WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* TIMING…WINDS WILL INCREASE BY EARLY MORNING THURSDAY AND WILL REMAIN STRONG THROUGH EARLY EVENING.

* WINDS…NORTHWEST WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH THURSDAY…WITH GUSTS FROM 55-TO 60 MPH POSSIBLE.

* IMPACTS…LOOSE OBJECTS WILL BE BLOWN ABOUT BY THE STRONG WINDS. IN ADDITION SMALL TREE BRANCHES MAY BREAK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS A HAZARDOUS HIGH WIND EVENT IS EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH OR GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR MORE CAN LEAD TO PROPERTY DAMAGE. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT…ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. USE EXTRA CAUTION.

MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE COUNTIES:

…WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM CST THURSDAY…

ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD COUNTIES:

…WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM TO 9 PM CST THURSDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA/VALLEY AND IN DES MOINES HAVE ISSUED WIND ADVISORIES FOR SOUTHWEST IOWA BEGINNING THURSDAY MORNING.

* TIMING…STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA THURSDAY MORNING AND BE ESPECIALLY STRONG FROM LATE MORNING INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS.

* WINDS…SPEEDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 55 MPH ARE LIKELY.

* IMPACTS…DRIVING ON THURSDAY WILL BE DIFFICULT…ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE OR LIGHT VEHICLES. IF POSSIBLE SECURE OR SHELTER OUTDOOR OBJECTS SUCH AS GARBAGE CANS AND LAWN FURNITURE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS BETWEEN 30 TO 39 MPH OR GUSTS BETWEEN 45 TO 57 MPH ARE EXPECTED. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT…ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. USE EXTRA CAUTION.

IN ADDITION, A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 6-AM THURSDAY THROUGH 6-PM, FOR THOSE COUNTIES ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80. THE HIGH WIND WARNING REPLACES THE WATCH ISSUED EARLIER.

The Freese-Notis forecast for the KJAN listening area and weather data for Atlantic.

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(Updated 3:26-a.m., 1/15/14)

Today: Increasing clouds, with a high near 33. Wind chill values as low as -10. Northwest wind 7 to 13 mph becoming south southwest in the afternoon.                                                                                       Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a temperature rising to around 35 by 5am. Windy, with a south southwest wind 13 to 21 mph becoming west northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 29 mph.

Thursday: A 20 percent chance of snow after noon. Partly sunny, with a temperature rising to near 37 by 9am, then falling to around 20 during the remainder of the day. Wind chill values as low as zero. Very windy, with a northwest wind 22 to 27 mph increasing to 32 to 37 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 48 mph.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of snow before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 5. Windy, with a north northwest wind 22 to 32 mph, with gusts as high as 44 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 25. Windy.
Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 34. Breezy.