National Weather Service meteorologist Alex Gibbs speaking to WRMJ early Wednesday morning.
BULLETIN FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE…WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 AM
CST SATURDAY…
* WHAT…Snow and blowing snow expected. Total snow accumulations
of 2 to 5 inches. Winds could gust as high as 50 mph by Friday.
Blizzard conditions will also be possible, along with extremely
cold wind chills. Wind chills as low as 30 to 40 below zero
will be possible, especially starting Thursday afternoon.
* WHERE…Portions of north central, northwest and west central
Illinois, east central and southeast Iowa and northeast
Missouri.
* WHEN…From midnight tonight to 6 AM CST Saturday.
* IMPACTS…Plan on dangerous road conditions. Widespread
blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. The
hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening
commutes. Gusty winds could bring down tree branches, leading
to power outages. The dangerously cold wind chills as low as
40 below zero could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as
little as 10 minutes.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…Impacts from the combined effects of the
wind and snow are expected. Thus, blizzard conditions will be
possible, even after the falling snow has stopped. This will
also lead to difficulty when gathering accurate measurements of
snow during the event. This will be a long duration event, so
plan appropriately prior to the start. Plan holiday travel
around peak hours of the storm, either before or after impacts.
If confidence increases, the Winter Storm Warning may eventually
be upgraded to a blizzard warning.