Lake Effect Snow watch

...LAKE EFFECT SNOW POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTER COUNTY SATURDAY...

.LAKE EFFECT SNOW WILL BE ONGOING JUST TO THE EAST OF PORTER
COUNTY SATURDAY MORNING. ATMOSPHERIC FLOW WILL BECOME MORE
NORTHERLY ALLOWING THE LAKE EFFECT SNOW TO SHIFT WESTWARD LATE
SATURDAY MORNING...POTENTIALLY ENTERING PORTER COUNTY. THE EXTENT
TO WHICH THE SNOW SPREADS ACROSS PORTER COUNTY...IF AT ALL...IS
UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME BUT THE POTENTIAL FOR THIS TO OCCUR DOES
EXIST. IF THE LAKE EFFECT SNOW DOES ENTER PORTER COUNTY THEN VERY
INTENSE SNOW IS LIKELY WITH ACCUMULATION RATES IN EXCESS OF 2
INCHES PER HOUR POSSIBLE. THE SNOW BAND WOULD THEN SHIFT BACK TO
THE EAST SOMETIME SATURDAY EVENING. TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS IN EXCESS
OF 6 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE BY LATE SATURDAY NIGHT. SNOWFALL MAY
BECOME VERY LOCALIZED WITH SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OVER SOME AREAS
AND LITTLE IF ANY SNOW OVER OTHERS.

COUNTY SPECIFIC MESSAGE:

/O.NEW.KLOT.LE.A.0001.110108T1600Z-110109T1000Z/
PORTER-
INCLUDING THE CITY OF...VALPARAISO
857 PM CST FRI JAN 7 2011

...LAKE EFFECT SNOW WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH
LATE SATURDAY NIGHT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHICAGO HAS ISSUED A LAKE EFFECT
SNOW WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH
LATE SATURDAY NIGHT.

* TIMING...LATE SATURDAY MORNING POTENTIALLY CONTINUING INTO
SATURDAY NIGHT.

* ACCUMULATIONS...LOCALIZED TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS IN EXCESS OF
6 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE...WITH ACCUMULATION RATES OF 2 INCHES PER
HOUR OR MORE NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION WITH THE MOST INTENSE SNOW
SQUALLS. ACCUMULATIONS MAY BE QUITE VARIABLE WITH SOME AREAS
RECEIVING SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS AND OTHERS LITTLE IF ANY.

* HAZARDS...RAPID SNOW ACCUMULATION...NEAR WHITE OUT CONDITIONS...
NORTHWEST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH...BLOWING
AND DRIFTING SNOW.

* IMPACTS...TRAVEL MAY BECOME EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IF HEAVY SNOW
CAN DEVELOP WITH VISIBILITIES DOWN TO ONE-QUARTER MILE OR LESS
AND SNOW COVERED ROADS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A LAKE EFFECT SNOW WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR A LARGE
AMOUNT OF SNOW IN ONLY A FEW HOURS. VISIBILITIES AND DEPTH OF
SNOW CAN VARY GREATLY...IMPACTING TRAVEL SIGNIFICANTLY. CONTINUE
TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.