NWS Posts Blizzard Warning for S.E. Colorado

Blizzard Warning

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
400 AM MST MON DEC 19 2011

COZ094>099-191700-
/O.CON.KPUB.BZ.W.0004.111219T1800Z-111220T1600Z/
EASTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY-WESTERN KIOWA COUNTY-
EASTERN KIOWA COUNTY-LAS ANIMAS VICINITY/BENT COUNTY-
LAMAR VICINITY/PROWERS COUNTY-SPRINGFIELD VICINITY/BACA COUNTY-
INCLUDING...BRANSON...KIM...EADS...SHERIDAN LAKE...LAS ANIMAS...
LAMAR...SPRINGFIELD...WALSH
400 AM MST MON DEC 19 2011

...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO
9 AM MST TUESDAY...

A BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO
9 AM MST TUESDAY.

* LOCATION...KIOWA COUNTY...EASTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY...BENT
  COUNTY...PROWERS COUNTY AND BACA COUNTY.

* CAUSE AND TIMING...A POWERFUL WINTER STORM WILL MOVE FROM
  SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO MONDAY MORNING INTO THE OKLAHOMA
  PANHANDLE BY TUESDAY MORNING. IN ADDITION...A COLD FRONT WILL
  BRING STRONG WINDS AND MUCH COLDER AIR INTO THE REGION ON
  MONDAY.

* SNOW ACCUMULATION... FOR KIOWA COUNTY...6 TO 10 INCHES WITH
  LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. ELSEWHERE...10 TO 20 INCHES
  WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE.

* WIND...NORTH WINDS 15 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 45 MPH.

* IMPACT...TRAVEL MAY BECOME HAZARDOUS IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE AT
  TIMES DUE TO A COMBINATION OF HEAVY SNOW...BLOWING AND
  DRIFTING SNOW...WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AND ICY...SNOW COVERED
  ROADS. DRIFTING SNOW COULD LEAD TO ROAD CLOSURES AT TIMES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

LIFE THREATENING WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED.
SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OR FREQUENT GUSTS OVER 35 MPH AND
VISIBILITY REDUCED TO BELOW 1/4 MILE BY FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW
ARE EXPECTED.

AVOID TRAVELING IN THE WARNING AREA. IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO
TRAVEL IN THE WARNING AREA DURING THE TIME OF THE WARNING...
LISTEN TO THE LATEST WEATHER FORECAST AND CONSIDER TRAVELING AT
ANOTHER TIME OR BY ANOTHER ROUTE. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL IN THE
WARNING AREA DURING THE TIME OF THE WARNING...TAKE ALONG A WINTER
SURVIVAL KIT. IF YOU BECOME STRANDED IN A RURAL AREA...STAY WITH
YOUR VEHICLE UNTIL HELP ARRIVES. IN SIMILAR CONDITIONS DURING
PAST BLIZZARDS...PEOPLE HAVE DIED OF EXPOSURE WHILE TRYING TO
WALK TO SHELTER. TO KEEP WARM IN YOUR VEHICLE...RUN YOUR ENGINE
10 MINUTES EACH HOUR...AND MAKE SURE THE EXHAUST PIPE IS CLEAR OF
SNOW TO AVOID CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING.