A BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM CST THIS
AFTERNOON. A WIND CHILL WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM CST
THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING.

* TIMING...A BAND OF HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS WILL MOVE OUT
OF FAR EASTERN ILLINOIS BY NOON...AND MOVE SLOWLY EASTWARD
ACROSS FAR NORTHWEST INDIANA DURING THE AFTERNOON. SNOW SHOWERS
SHOULD PUSH EAST OF PORTER COUNTY BY LATE AFTERNOON.

* ACCUMULATIONS...ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES WILL
PILE UP AS THIS LAKE EFFECT SNOW BAND MOVES ACROSS THE AREA.

* WINDS...NORTHERLY WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH
WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH TO 10 TO 20 MPH BY EVENING.

* BLIZZARD CONDITIONS...OUTSIDE OF THE LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS...A
GROUND BLIZZARD CONTINUES IN OPEN AREAS. BLOWING AND DRIFTING
SNOW WILL RESULT IN VISIBILITIES NEAR ZERO IN RURAL AND OPEN
AREAS.

* TRAVEL...LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO REPORT THAT MANY
ROADWAYS REMAIN IMPASSABLE DUE TO BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW.
ROAD CREWS ARE WORKING HARD TO CLEAR ROADWAYS...BUT THE STRONG
WINDS ARE RESULTING IN SNOW BLOWING BACK ONTO FRESHLY CLEANED
ROADS. LOCAL OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO PLEAD WITH PEOPLE TO STAY
HOME AND NOT TO TRAVEL...AS DOING SO WILL PUT YOUR LIFE AT RISK.

* POWER OUTAGES...STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO RESULT
IN NUMEROUS POWER OUTAGES. IN ADDITION...THE ADVERSE CONDITIONS
COULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO RESTORE POWER.

* OTHER IMPACTS...THE DEEP SNOW ACCUMULATION WILL MAKE SHOVELING
VERY DIFFICULT...AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY. DURING AND
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE BLIZZARD OF 1999 OVER 40 PEOPLE IN
THE CHICAGO AREA ALONE LOST THEIR LIVES TO HEART ATTACKS WHILE
SHOVELING THE HEAVY SNOWFALL. TAKE FREQUENT BREAKS INDOORS AND
DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE TASK AT HAND WHEN SHOVELING.

* WIND CHILLS...STRONG WINDS AND COLD TEMPERATURES ARE RESULTING
IN VERY COLD CONDITIONS TODAY WITH WIND CHILLS NEAR ZERO.
HOWEVER TONIGHT...BITTERLY COLD TEMPERATURES ARE LIKELY WITH
TEMPERATURES RANGING FROM 5 BELOW DOWNTOWN TO 20 BELOW IN THE
COLDEST OUTLYING AREAS. THE WINDS WILL SUBSIDE TONIGHT...BUT
STILL BE STRONG ENOUGH TO PRODUCE WIND CHILLS OF 20 TO 40 BELOW
ZERO.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS
AND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO WHITEOUT
CONDITIONS...MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. DO NOT TRAVEL! IF
YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST TRAVEL...HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU.
IF YOU GET STRANDED...STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE.

A WIND CHILL WATCH MEANS THE THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A
COMBINATION OF VERY COLD AIR AND STRONG WINDS TO CREATE
DANGEROUSLY LOW WIND CHILL VALUES. MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS
AND WARNINGS FOR UPDATES ON THIS SITUATION.