SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 608 AM EST MON DEC 30 2013
INZ003>009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ077>081-OHZ001-002-004- 005-015-016-024-025-302200- LA PORTE-ST. JOSEPH IN-ELKHART-LAGRANGE-STEUBEN-NOBLE-DE KALB- STARKE-PULASKI-MARSHALL-FULTON IN-KOSCIUSKO-WHITLEY-ALLEN IN- WHITE-CASS IN-MIAMI-WABASH-HUNTINGTON-WELLS-ADAMS-GRANT-BLACKFORD- JAY-BERRIEN-CASS MI-ST. JOSEPH MI-BRANCH-HILLSDALE-WILLIAMS- FULTON OH-DEFIANCE-HENRY-PAULDING-PUTNAM-VAN WERT-ALLEN OH- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MICHIGAN CITY...LA PORTE...SOUTH BEND... MISHAWAKA...NEW CARLISLE...WALKERTON...ELKHART...GOSHEN... NAPPANEE...LAGRANGE...TOPEKA...SHIPSHEWANA...ANGOLA...FREMONT... KENDALLVILLE...LIGONIER...ALBION...AUBURN...GARRETT...KNOX... NORTH JUDSON...BASS LAKE...WINAMAC...FRANCESVILLE...MEDARYVILLE... PLYMOUTH...BREMEN...CULVER...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...NILES... BENTON HARBOR...ST. JOSEPH...BUCHANAN...DOWAGIAC...CASSOPOLIS... MARCELLUS...STURGIS...THREE RIVERS...WHITE PIGEON...MENDON... 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 608 AM EST MON DEC 30 2013 /508 AM CST MON DEC 30 2013/
...SIGNIFICANT SNOW POSSIBLE NEW YEARS EVE THROUGH THURSDAY...
A POTENT UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY ADVANCING INTO WESTERN BRITISH COLUMBIA AND MAY LATER FOSTER THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SIGNIFICANT WINTER STORM. THERE IS SOME INDICATION THAT THE SYSTEM MAY TAKE A PATH FAVORABLE FOR A LONG DURATION SNOWFALL EVENT ACROSS THE SOUTHERN GREAT LAKES NEW YEARS EVE INTO THURSDAY.
WHILE THE DEVELOPMENT AND EXACT TRACK OF THIS POTENTIAL WINTER STORM REMAIN UNCERTAIN...SNOW...MAINLY LIGHT TO MODERATE...IS EXPECTED TO OVERSPREAD THE SOUTHWEST GREAT LAKES REGION AND INTO SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN AND NORTHERN INDIANA TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY.
THEN...A MORE POTENT SYSTEM COULD EXIT THE SOUTHERN PLAINS WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND INTENSIFY ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY REGION ON THURSDAY. AT PRESENT THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT DEGREE OF VARIABILITY BETWEEN MODEL SIGNALS WITH RESPECT TO THIS STORMS STRENGTH AND FORWARD SPEED. A SLOWER...MORE DEVELOPED SYSTEM WOULD FAVOR THE POTENTIAL FOR A SWATH OF HEAVY SNOW ACROSS NORTHERN INDIANA...FAR NORTHWEST OHIO AND SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY. GIVEN THE LONG DURATION OF THIS EVENT...36 TO 48 HOURS...SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL TOTALS IN THE 4 TO 8 INCH RANGE ARE CERTAINLY POSSIBLE. AT PRESENT THE LOCATION OF THE HEAVIEST SNOW APPEARS TO BE PRIMARILY ALONG AND NORTH OF ROUTE 24...AFFECTING NORTHERN INDIANA...FAR NORTHWEST OHIO...AND SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN. SMALL FLUCTUATIONS IN THE TRACK AND INTENSITY OF THIS SYSTEM COULD SIGNIFICANTLY ALTER ACCUMULATIONS.
WHILE A SIGNIFICANT SNOW EVENT IS NOT A CERTAINTY AT THIS TIME...HOLIDAY TRAVELERS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO LATER FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS...SHOULD WINTER STORM WATCHES...WARNINGS OR ADVISORIES BECOME NECESSARY. ALSO...TRAVELERS MAY WISH TO CONSIDER ALTERNATE SCHEDULES AND ROUTES.
