238 WWUS43 KFGF 171048 WSWFGF URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND 448 AM CST SUN FEB 17 2013 ...SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW BRINGING POSSIBLE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS BY EARLY MONDAY MORNING... .AN UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM WILL MOVE OUT OF THE ROCKIES AND INTO THE PLAINS LATE TODAY AND INTO TONIGHT. SNOW WILL BEGIN TO DEVELOP NEAR THE CANADIAN BORDER DURING THE DAY TODAY...AND THEN WILL SPREAD SOUTH AND EASTWARD TONIGHT AS LOW PRESSURE MOVES EASTWARD. SNOW AMOUNTS WILL BE HIGHEST ALONG THE DEVILS LAKE BASIN INTO LAKE OF THE WOODS REGION...WHERE 4 TO 7 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE. HOWEVER...THE GREATER CONCERN IS BLOWING SNOW TONIGHT AND INTO TOMORROW AS NORTHERLY WINDS PICK UP BEHIND A STRONG COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH THE REGION. WITH WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH...BLOWING SNOW COULD BECOME A PROBLEM ANYWHERE FRESH SNOW HAS FALLEN...EVEN IF IT IS ONLY AN INCH OR SNOW. VISIBILITIES OF A QUARTER MILE OR LESS ARE POSSIBLE. FURTHER EAST ALONG THE LAKE OF THE WOODS AND RED LAKES REGION...WINDS WILL BE LESS BUT SNOW AMOUNTS COULD REACH 6 INCHES OR MORE. MNZ001>005-007-008-013>015-022-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-026>030-038- 039-054-190000- /O.NEW.KFGF.BZ.A.0003.130218T0000Z-130219T0000Z/ WEST POLK-NORMAN-CLAY-KITTSON-ROSEAU-WEST MARSHALL-EAST MARSHALL- PENNINGTON-RED LAKE-EAST POLK-MAHNOMEN-TOWNER-CAVALIER-PEMBINA- BENSON-RAMSEY-EASTERN WALSH-EDDY-NELSON-GRAND FORKS-GRIGGS-STEELE- TRAILL-BARNES-CASS-WESTERN WALSH- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CROOKSTON...EAST GRAND FORKS... HALSTAD...MOORHEAD...HALLOCK...ROSEAU...WARREN...NEWFOLDEN... THIEF RIVER FALLS...RED LAKE FALLS...FOSSTON...MAHNOMEN...CANDO... LANGDON...CAVALIER...MADDOCK...LEEDS...DEVILS LAKE...GRAFTON... NEW ROCKFORD...LAKOTA...GRAND FORKS...COOPERSTOWN...FINLEY... MAYVILLE...VALLEY CITY...FARGO...ADAMS 448 AM CST SUN FEB 17 2013 ...BLIZZARD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON. * TIMING...LIGHT SNOW WILL BEGIN TO MOVE INTO THE REGION LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO SUNDAY EVENING. SNOWFALL WILL BECOME HEAVIER LATE TONIGHT AND WINDS WILL INCREASE OUT OF THE NORTH AS A COLD FRONT MOVES INTO THE AREA. SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MONDAY MORNING BEFORE TAPERING OFF MONDAY AFTERNOON. * WINDS/VISIBILITY...WINDS WILL INCREASE OUT OF THE NORTH AT 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH. SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW COULD REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO A QUARTER OF A MILE OR LESS AT TIMES. * SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...WILL RANGE FROM 3 TO 6 INCHES FROM DEVILS LAKE TO GRAND FORKS TO ROSEAU AREA...WITH HEAVIEST AMOUNTS IN NORTHWESTERN MINNESOTA. AMOUNTS RANGING FORM 1 TO 3 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE NEAR CANDO TO LANGDON AND IN THE VALLEY CITY TO FARGO AREAS. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A BLIZZARD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FALLING AND/OR BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS AND EXTREMELY POOR VISIBILITIES. THIS CAN LEAD TO WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AND MAKE TRAVEL VERY DANGEROUS. && $$ MNZ006-009-016-017-190000- /O.NEW.KFGF.WS.A.0005.130218T0000Z-130219T0000Z/ LAKE OF THE WOODS-NORTH BELTRAMI-NORTH CLEARWATER-SOUTH BELTRAMI- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BAUDETTE...RED LAKE...BAGLEY...BEMIDJI 448 AM CST SUN FEB 17 2013 ...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON. * TIMING...SNOW WILL BEGIN TO DEVELOP DURING THE DAY ON SUNDAY BUT HEAVIEST ACCUMULATIONS WILL ARRIVE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY BEFORE TAPERING OFF MONDAY AFTERNOON. * WINDS...SOUTHERLY WINDS AT 15 MPH WILL SHIFT TO THE NORTH BY MONDAY MORNING AND INCREASE INTO THE 15 TO 25 MPH RANGE. * VISIBILITIES...FALLING SNOW COULD REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO UNDER A MILE AT TIMES. * SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...WILL RANGE FROM 4 TO 8 INCHES. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW...SLEET...OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS. && $$ JR