Severe Weather hits our part of the Midwestern U.S.A. -- posted latest bulletin (2/2/2011: Groundhog Day)

BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST /6 PM CST/


WEDNESDAY.
* TIMING...HEAVY SNOW WITH SNOWFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER

HOUR WILL INTO EARLY MORNING BEFORE BEGINNING TO DIMINISH IN

INTENSITY. SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY...BUT WILL TAPER

FURTHER IN INTENSITY. WIDESPREAD BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WILL

CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. SOME SLEET MAY MIX IN WITH

THE SNOW THIS EVENING OUTSIDE THE HEAVIER BANDS. NORTHEAST WINDS

OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH WILL CONTINUE THROUGH

DAYBREAK.
* MAIN IMPACT...SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 12 TO 18 INCHES ARE

EXPECTED...WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS IN NORTHWEST AND NORTH

CENTRAL INDIANA AND INTO SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. SOME

LOCALIZED SLIGHTLY HIGHER STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE

POSSIBLE DUE TO LINGERING LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS WEDNESDAY

AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH

GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH WILL CREATE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS...WITH

BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AND ZERO VISIBILITIES IN BLOWING SNOW AND

SIGNIFICANT DRIFTING. SNOW DRIFTS OF 4 TO 8 FEET ARE LIKELY IN

MANY OPEN AREAS.

* OTHER IMPACTS...TRAVEL WILL BE HIGHLY IMPACTED WITH HEAVY SNOW

AND BLOWING SNOW CREATING VERY DANGEROUS CONDITIONS. HIGHWAY

CREWS WILL LIKELY HAVE A HARD TIME KEEPING UP WITH THE

CONDITIONS...LEADING TO SEVERAL ROAD CLOSURES. UNNECESSARY

TRAVEL SHOULD BE AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS. POWER OUTAGES WILL ALSO

BE POSSIBLE DUE TO WET HEAVY SNOW AND GUSTY WINDS.