URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
436 AM CDT THU APR 10 2008

...MAJOR WINTER STORM TO BRING HEAVY SNOW AND HIGH WINDS TO PARTS
OF THE REGION TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...

.A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR A PORTION OF
CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SATURDAY MORNING. THE WARNING BEGINS AT 1 PM FOR WEST CENTRAL AND
SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA INCLUDING THE COMMUNITIES OF APPLETON...
CANBY...REDWOOD FALLS...HUTCHINSON AND ST. CLOUD. THE WARNING
BEGINS AT 7 PM FURTHER TO THE NORTH IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
INCLUDING ALEXANDRIA...LITTLE FALLS...AND MORA.

A WINTER STORM WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON
INTO SATURDAY MORNING FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND THE
HIGHWAY 8 CORRIDOR IN WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. THIS INCLUDES
THE TWIN CITIES METROPOLITAN AREA...RICE LAKE AND LADYSMITH.

HEAVY SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED ACROSS CENTRAL THROUGH SOUTHWEST AREAS
OF MINNESOTA BEGINNING THIS AFTERNOON AND LASTING THROUGH
FRIDAY. THE PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN AS A PERIOD OF RAIN
AND SNOW...BUT A QUICK TRANSITION TO ALL SNOW IS EXPECTED ACROSS
WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA THIS AFTERNOON AND BY EVENING ACROSS THE
REST OF THE WARNING AREA.

THE CUTOFF FROM SNOW TO RAIN WILL BE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO
SOUTHEASTERN PORTIONS OF THE TWIN CITIES METRO AREA AND ALONG THE
HIGHWAY 8 CORRIDOR IN WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. THESE AREAS MAY SEE
PRECIPITATION OSCILLATE BETWEEN RAIN AND SNOW...AND POSSIBLY
SLEET...THIS EVENING WHICH WILL DRAMATICALLY REDUCE SNOW
ACCUMULATIONS. ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATING SNOW IS THEN EXPECTED ON
FRIDAY.

VISIBILITY IN THE HEAVY SNOW THIS EVENING WILL BE REDUCED TO A
QUARTER MILE OR LESS AT TIMES WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERAL
INCHES OF SNOW ACCUMULATING OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THIS WILL
MAKE TRAVEL HAZARDOUS IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT.
SNOWFALL INTENSITY WILL DECREASE FRIDAY...BUT ADDITIONAL
ACCUMULATION WILL OCCUR.

THE HIGHEST SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR IN A SWATH FROM
CANBY TO REDWOOD FALLS NORTHEAST TO ALEXANDRIA TO CAMBRIDGE WHERE
12 TO 15 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS...IS EXPECTED BY
LATE FRIDAY NIGHT. LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING TO THE SOUTHEAST OF
THESE AREAS...INCLUDING GAYLORD...THE TWIN CITIES METRO
AREA...RICE LAKE...AND LADYSMTH ARE EXPECTED TO SEE FROM AROUND 6 TO AS
MUCH AS 12 INCHES OF SNOW BY LATE FRIDAY NIGHT.

IN ADDITION TO THE SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS...THERE WILL BE VERY
STRONG NORTHEAST WINDS WITH SPEEDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. THIS
WILL CAUSE CONSIDERABLE BLOWING SNOW AND POOR VISIBILITY IN OPEN
AREAS THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY.

THE HEAVY SNOW IS IN RESPONSE TO A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVING
NORTHEAST FROM THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS
FORECAST TO REACH SOUTHERN WISCONSIN BY EARLY SATURDAY.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW...
SLEET...AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO
POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.
CONSIDERING THE LATE SEASON NATURE OF THIS STORM...ENSURE YOU AND
YOUR FAMILY ARE STILL PREPARED FOR WINTER WEATHER.