URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1109 AM EST FRI JAN 3 2014



...INCREASING CHANCES FOR WINTER STORM TO IMPACT THE AREA STARTING
SATURDAY EVENING AND CONTINUING INTO SUNDAY EVENING...

.A SIGNIFICANT WINTER STORM WILL LIKELY IMPACT THE REGION
BEGINNING AS EARLY AS SATURDAY EVENING AND PERSISTING THROUGH AT
LEAST SUNDAY EVENING.

A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT WITH LIGHT
SNOW SPREADING FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST. AT THIS TIME...LIGHT
ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS FRONT. GREATER CONCERN LIES
WITH LOW PRESSURE THAT WILL DEVELOP AND RAPIDLY DEEPEN AS IT
TRACKS FROM ARKANSAS SUNDAY MORNING TO OHIO SUNDAY NIGHT.

SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 6 TO POSSIBLY AS MUCH AS 12 INCHES IS POSSIBLE
BY SUNDAY NIGHT ACROSS THE WATCH AREA. IN ADDITION...GUSTY WINDS
ARE EXPECTED STARTING SUNDAY...CAUSING BLOWING AND DRIFTING
SNOW AND THE POTENTIAL FOR NEAR ZERO VISIBILITY AT TIMES.

AS WINDS INCREASE AND COLDER AIR ARRIVES...WIND CHILLS WILL
QUICKLY DROP BELOW ZERO LATE SUNDAY AFTERNOON INTO SUNDAY NIGHT
WITH VALUES OF 10 TO 20 BELOW ZERO DURING THE WATCH PERIOD. VALUES
IN THE 30 TO 45 BELOW ZERO RANGE WILL BE POSSIBLE MONDAY THROUGH
TUESDAY.

THOSE PLANNING TRAVEL THIS WEEKEND SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS
AND BE PREPARED TO ADJUST PLANS ACCORDINGLY.

INZ006>009-015>018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ080-081-OHZ001-002-004-
005-015-016-024-025-040015-
/O.NEW.KIWX.WS.A.0001.140105T0600Z-140106T0600Z/
LAGRANGE-STEUBEN-NOBLE-DE KALB-FULTON IN-KOSCIUSKO-WHITLEY-
ALLEN IN-WHITE-CASS IN-MIAMI-WABASH-HUNTINGTON-WELLS-ADAMS-GRANT-
BLACKFORD-JAY-BRANCH-HILLSDALE-WILLIAMS-FULTON OH-DEFIANCE-HENRY-
PAULDING-PUTNAM-VAN WERT-ALLEN OH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LAGRANGE...TOPEKA...SHIPSHEWANA...
ANGOLA...FREMONT...KENDALLVILLE...LIGONIER...ALBION...AUBURN...
GARRETT...ROCHESTER...AKRON...WARSAW...WINONA LAKE...SYRACUSE...
MENTONE...COLUMBIA CITY...TRI-LAKES...SOUTH WHITLEY...
FORT WAYNE...NEW HAVEN...MONTICELLO...BROOKSTON...MONON...
LOGANSPORT...ROYAL CENTER...PERU...GRISSOM AFB...MEXICO...
WABASH...NORTH MANCHESTER...HUNTINGTON...ROANOKE...BLUFFTON...
OSSIAN...DECATUR...BERNE...MARION...GAS CITY...UPLAND...
HARTFORD CITY...MONTPELIER...PORTLAND...DUNKIRK...COLDWATER...
BRONSON...HILLSDALE...LITCHFIELD...JONESVILLE...BRYAN...WAUSEON...
ARCHBOLD...FAYETTE...SWANTON...DEFIANCE...SHERWOOD...HICKSVILLE...
NAPOLEON...DESHLER...LIBERTY CENTER...PAULDING...ANTWERP...
MELROSE...OTTAWA...PANDORA...KALIDA...FORT JENNINGS...VAN WERT...
DELPHOS...OHIO CITY...LIMA...SPENCERVILLE
1109 AM EST FRI JAN 3 2014

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH
LATE SUNDAY NIGHT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORTHERN INDIANA HAS ISSUED A
WINTER STORM WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE SATURDAY NIGHT
THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT.

HAZARDOUS WEATHER...

 * LIGHT SNOW IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN LATE SATURDAY EVENING. THE SNOW
   MAY BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY EVENING.
   ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 12 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH SUNDAY
   NIGHT.

 * GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CAUSE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW
   SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY NIGHT.

IMPACTS...

 * ROADS WILL BE SNOW COVERED...SLICK AND HAZARDOUS. TRAVEL
   CONDITIONS WILL RAPIDLY DETERIORATE...ESPECIALLY SUNDAY AND
   SUNDAY NIGHT. DRIFTING SNOW MAY CAUSE ALL ROADWAYS TO BECOME
   PARTIALLY IMPASSABLE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.

 * VISIBILITIES MAY BE REDUCED TO ONE QUARTER MILE OR LESS BOTH IN
   HEAVIER SNOW SHOWERS AND BLOWING SNOW.

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.

(From the January, 2014 issue of “Allen County HamNews.”)

We often focus on thunderstorms and related weather when we consider the role of SKYWARN spotters. But reports of winter weather from trained spotters are also important to the National Weather Service. For that reason, NWS has made available via the Web a 23-minute instructional video, “Measuring Snow.” It turns out that making accurate reports of winter precipitation is more involved than you might think.

Not every part of your back yard is appropriate for snow measurements, so the video begins with a discussion of how to decide where to place equipment, including a snow board. For example, the video explains why your deck or patio is not the best place to measure snow.

The video explains how to capture snow in a rain gauge and a good way to melt the captured snow so you can report a water equivalent (the NWS considers this to be among the most important information you can report).

The video also discusses the measurement of new snowfall and total depth and explains why measurements taken on grassy surfaces are usually inaccurate.

The largest enemy of accurate snow measurements is wind. In high-wind conditions, gauges often catch less than the total amount of snow that fell. For such cases, the video explains how to take a core sample to get a more accurate reading of precipitation.

These are just a few of the issues the video covers. If you’d like to help the National Weather Service this winter by providing accurate winter precipitation measurements, I strongly encourage you to view the video before you make a report. You can find it at http://tinyurl.com/md3yd9n.

By the way, have you ever wondered how NWS decides whether to issue a Winter Storm Warning? The official criteria is, “Combination of any winter warning hazards, including significant blowing and drifting snow below blizzard conditions (lesser amounts may be warranted especially if significant mixed precipitation in an early or late season event).” You can read the criteria for all winter weather products (including advisories, watches and warnings) here: http://tinyurl.com/n3dox2j.

Do NOAA Weather Radios (NWR) sound off when NWS issues a Winter Storm Warning? It depends. The official list of products that warrant NWR alerts is available online here: http://tinyurl.com/kffp9bl. You’ll note that many products, including Winter Storm Warnings, prompt NWR alerts “at forecaster discretion or in response to customer demand” (including the requirements of emergency managers and broadcasters as outlined in local and state Emergency Alert System plans).

Finally, by the time you read this, annual SKYWARN spotter training sessions will be less than two months away. This is therefore a great time to complete the free online spotter training course provided by The COMET Program. Or, if you’ve already completed the online training, it’s a good time to review the modules. That way, you’ll have all the background you need for the upcoming group training sessions. You can find the modules here: http://tinyurl.com/3z5l4lb.

For the latest snow-related travel advisories by county, check out the the Indiana Department of Homeland Security website.