NWS Posts Blizzard Warning for S.E. Colorado
Russ Baldwin | Dec 19, 2011 | Comments 0
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.
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