FYI: First winter storm of the season to impact central Kansas late Wednesday, from the National Weather Service, Wichita, Kan.

URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
TUE DEC 18 2012

…FIRST WINTER STORM OF THE SEASON TO IMPACT CENTRAL KANSAS LATE
WEDNESDAY…

.A FAST MOVING STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE OUT OF THE ROCKIES AND INTO
THE CENTRAL PLAINS DURING THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY. WIDESPREAD
PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM. A MIX
OF RAIN AND SNOW IS EXPECTED WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND WILL BECOME
ALL SNOW ACROSS CENTRAL KANSAS BY EARLY WEDNESDAY EVENING. THE
SNOW WILL BEGIN TO DIMINISH FROM WEST TO EAST DURING THE EARLY
MORNING HOURS ON THURSDAY.

———-

SALINE-RICE-MCPHERSON-MARION-CHASE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…SALINA…LYONS…MCPHERSON…MARION…
COTTONWOOD FALLS
TUE DEC 18 2012

…WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM
WATCH…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE
WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

* TIMING…A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW WILL RAPIDLY CHANGE TO SNOW BY
  WEDNESDAY EVENING ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS. THE SNOW
  WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE PREDAWN HOURS ON THURSDAY BEFORE
  DIMINISHING FROM WEST TO EAST.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS…OF 2 TO 3 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER
  AMOUNTS NEAR 4 INCHES.

* WINDS…NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO
  45 MPH WILL DEVELOP BEHIND A COLD FRONT ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
  AND CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING.

* IMPACTS…STRONG NORTH WINDS AND MODERATE SNOW WILL COMBINE TO
  CREATE REDUCED VISIBILITIES IN BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW LATE
  WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
WINTER WEATHER THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE
LATEST FORECASTS FOR UPDATED INFORMATION.

—————-

RUSSELL-LINCOLN-BARTON-ELLSWORTH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…RUSSELL…LINCOLN…GREAT BEND…
ELLSWORTH
TUE DEC 18 2012

…WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT…

A WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

* TIMING…A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW WILL RAPIDLY CHANGE TO SNOW BY
  AROUND 3 PM WEDNESDAY ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS. THE
  SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE PREDAWN HOURS ON THURSDAY BEFORE
  DIMINISHING FROM WEST TO EAST.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS…OF 2 TO 4 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER
  AMOUNTS NEAR 5 INCHES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS NORTHERN SECTIONS OF
  LINCOLN AND RUSSELL COUNTIES.

* WINDS…NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO
  45 MPH WILL DEVELOP BEHIND A COLD FRONT ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
  AND CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING.

* IMPACTS…STRONG NORTH WINDS AND MODERATE SNOW WILL COMBINE TO
  CREATE NEAR WHITE OUT CONDITIONS IN BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW
  LATE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
WINTER WEATHER THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE
LATEST FORECASTS FOR UPDATED INFORMATION.

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