
WINTER STORM WATCH
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
420 AM CST MON DEC 8 2003
...WINTER STORM WILL BRING POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL TO PORTIONS OF THE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...
.A STORM SYSTEM OVER THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST EARLY THIS MORNING WILL MOVE SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES INTO THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES BY TUESDAY MORNING. LATEST INDICATIONS ARE THAT A FRONT WILL STALL ACROSS THE REGION ON TUESDAY AS LOW PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE DEVELOPS OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. THIS LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL LIFT NORTHEAST INTO THE MID MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY OR OHIO RIVER VALLEY ON WEDNESDAY. AT THIS TIME...THERE IS STILL A GREAT DEAL OF UNCERTAINTY ON THE TRACK AND TIMING OF THIS STORM SYSTEM. THE BEST ESTIMATE IS FOR THE STORM SYSTEM TO TRACK NORTHEAST FROM EASTERN OKLAHOMA THROUGH EASTERN MISSOURI INTO CENTRAL ILLINOIS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. IF THE STORM SYSTEM FOLLOWS THIS TRACK...THE POTENTIAL WILL EXIST FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY. AT THIS TIME...LOCATIONS ALONG AND WEST OF A LINE FROM FORT MADISON IOWA...TO CLINTON IOWA...TO GALENA ILLINOIS...WOULD APPEAR TO FAVORED FOR THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL.
(Along that line I am!!

A WINTER STORM WATCH IS ISSUED WHEN SEVERE WINTER WEATHER IS
POSSIBLE...BUT NOT IMMINENT. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS AND HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS. BE SURE TO MONITOR LATER FORECASTS FOR POSSIBLE WINTER STORM WARNINGS OR WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES.
...WINTER STORM WATCH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...
RAIN IS EXPECTED TO INITIALLY FALL OVER THE AREA TUESDAY AND TUESDAY EVENING. THE RAIN IS LIKELY TO THEN CHANGE TO SNOW OVER MOST LOCATIONS AFTER MIDNIGHT. DURING THIS PROCESS THE POTENTIAL WILL EXIST FOR SOME SLEET TO MIX IN WITH THE RAIN AND SNOW...BEFORE COLDER AIR TURNS THE WINTERY MIXTURE TO ALL SNOW. SNOW...POSSIBLY MODERATE TO HEAVY AT TIMES...WILL CONTINUE INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON BEFORE GRADUALLY TAPERING TO FLURRIES. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 7 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. IN ADDITION...INCREASING NORTH WINDS ON WEDNESDAY MAY CAUSE SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW.