830 
WWUS43 KDMX 031715
WSWDMX

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1115 AM CST FRI FEB 3 2012

...HEAVY SNOW POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL TO SOUTHWEST
IOWA LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY...

.A STRONG STORM SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE TO TRACK ACROSS
THE CENTRAL PLAINS AND INTO THE MIDWEST AND WILL BRING A CHANCE
OF RAIN TO SOUTHERN IOWA THROUGHOUT THE DAY TODAY AND INTO THIS
EVENING. COLDER TEMPERATURES WILL BEGIN TO FILTER INTO THE STATE
AS THE SURFACE LOW SHIFTS EASTWARD TONIGHT. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR A
TRANSITION PERIOD FROM RAIN TO SNOW LATE TONIGHT INTO THE EARLY
MORNING HOURS SATURDAY. A MODERATE TO LOCALLY HEAVY BAND OF SNOW
WILL SET UP FROM CENTRAL TO WEST CENTRAL IOWA BY SATURDAY
MORNING. IN ADDITION TO THE FALLING SNOW...GUSTY NORTHEAST WINDS
WILL LEAD TO VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS AND POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT
BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF SNOW.

IAZ044>048-057>060-070>072-081-082-092-040115-
/O.CON.KDMX.WS.A.0001.120204T0600Z-120205T1200Z/
CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-BOONE-STORY-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-POLK-
CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...DENISON...CARROLL...JEFFERSON...BOONE...
AMES...AUDUBON...GUTHRIE CENTER...ADEL...DES MOINES...ATLANTIC...
GREENFIELD...WINTERSET...CORNING...CRESTON...BEDFORD
1115 AM CST FRI FEB 3 2012

...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.

&&

$$

KS