Ground Hog Day Thursday, Plenty of Winter Left

URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO

321 PM MST WED FEB 1 2012 

LAS ANIMAS VICINITY/BENT COUNTY-LAMAR VICINITY/PROWERS COUNTY-

INCLUDING…LAS ANIMAS…LAMAR

321 PM MST WED FEB 1 2012 

…WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH

FRIDAY EVENING. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING. 

* LOCATION…KIOWA COUNTY. 

* CAUSE AND TIMING…A WINTER STORM SYSTEM WILL GATHER STRENGTH AS
  IT MOVES ACROSS NORTHERN NEW MEXICO AND SOUTHERN COLORADO
  THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY…SPREADING THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG
  WINDS AND MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW INTO THE AREA. PRECIPITATION
  WILL BEGIN AS RAIN ON THURSDAY…CHANGING TO SNOW THURSDAY  NIGHT. 

* SNOW ACCUMULATION…5 TO 8 INCHES. HOWEVER…THESE SNOWFALL|  AMOUNTS ARE HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON THE STORM TRACK AND ARE SUBJECT
TO CHANGE AS THE STORM GETS CLOSER. AMOUNTS COULD BE   SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER IF RAIN CHANGES TO SNOW EARLIER THAN  CURRENTLY EXPECTED. 

* WIND…INCREASING FROM THE NORTH AT 20 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP   TO 50 MPH ON FRIDAY. 

* IMPACT…A COMBINATION OF HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG WINDS MAY  RESULT IN POOR VISIBILITIES IN BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW.    TRAVEL CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY DETERIORATE LATE THURSDAY NIGHT   THROUGH FRIDAY.