- ... WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY MORNING...
- THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PADUCAH HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH... WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY MORNING.
- THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS FOR AREAS GENERALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM CARBONDALE ILLINOIS TO MADISONVILLE KENTUCKY. THIS INCLUDES ALL OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI... AND MOST OF WESTERN KENTUCKY SOUTH OF THE HENDERSON AND OWENSBORO AREAS.
- * ACCUMULATIONS: THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY SNOWFALL IN THE WATCH AREA. IN OUR REGION... HEAVY SNOWFALL IS DEFINED AS 4 INCHES OR MORE IN 12 HOURS... OR 6 INCHES IN 24 HOURS.
- * TIMING: SNOW WILL OVERSPREAD MOST OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI DURING SUNDAY AFTERNOON. THE SNOW MAY NOT REACH WESTERN KENTUCKY AND FAR SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNTIL SUNDAY EVENING. THE STEADIEST AND HEAVIEST SNOW WILL OCCUR SUNDAY NIGHT. SNOW WILL TAPER OFF FROM WEST TO EAST ON MONDAY MORNING.
- * MAIN IMPACT: TRAVEL WILL LIKELY BECOME HAZARDOUS. VERY COLD TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER TEENS TO LOWER 20S WILL CONTRIBUTE TO HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS. THE MONDAY MORNING COMMUTE WILL BE HEAVILY IMPACTED BY THIS SNOWSTORM.
- PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
- A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW... SLEET... OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT WOULD GREATLY IMPACT TRAVEL. STAY TUNED FOR LATER STATEMENTS. THIS WATCH WILL BE UPGRADED TO A WARNING IF WINTER STORM CONDITIONS BECOME MORE CERTAIN.
- ... GUSTY NORTH WINDS BRINGING AN ARCTIC CHILL...
- A STRONG COLD FRONT MOVED SOUTH ACROSS OUR REGION TODAY. IN ITS WAKE... STRONG NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS WILL BRING MUCH COLDER AIR FOR TONIGHT AND SUNDAY.
- WIND CHILLS WILL FALL BELOW ZERO TONIGHT. THE COLDEST WIND CHILL READINGS ARE EXPECTED EARLY SUNDAY MORNING... WHEN AVERAGE WIND CHILL VALUES SHOULD BE AROUND 5 BELOW ZERO. ACTUAL LOW TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE SINGLE DIGITS ABOVE ZERO IN MANY AREAS... EXCEPT 10 TO 15 IN PARTS OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI.
- SNOW WILL SPREAD EAST ACROSS OUR REGION SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AT THIS TIME... A LIGHT SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED ACROSS SOUTHWEST INDIANA... THE INTERSTATE 64 CORRIDOR OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS... AND THE HENDERSON AND OWENSBORO AREAS OF WEST KENTUCKY. HEAVIER AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE FURTHER SOUTH. THE SNOW WILL END MONDAY MORNING... FOLLOWED BY A CONTINUATION OF UNSEASONABLY COLD CONDITIONS.
- TAKE THE PROPER PRECAUTIONS IF YOU VENTURE OUTDOORS THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
- ... SNOW LIKELY FROM LATE SUNDAY THROUGH EARLY MONDAY MORNING...
- A STORM SYSTEM IS STILL FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT. IT WILL LIKELY BRING ACCUMULATING SNOW TO MOST OF THE AREA.
- SNOW SHOULD DEVELOP SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND SPREAD EAST AND SOUTHEAST ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI... SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AND WESTERN KENTUCKY THROUGH SUNSET. SNOW WILL EXPAND ACROSS THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT. MODERATE ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW CANNOT BE RULED OUT ESPECIALLY SOUTH OF A LINE FROM CARBONDALE ILLINOIS TO CALHOUN KENTUCKY. LIGHTER ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED NORTH OF THIS LINE UP TO THE INTERSTATE 64 CORRIDOR. THE SNOW SHOULD TAPER OFF QUICKLY MONDAY MORNING ACROSS WEST KENTUCKY.
- THE COMBINATION OF AN EXPECTED DRY SNOW... AND COLD CONDITIONS AT ONSET MEANS ACCUMULATIONS SHOULD START IMMEDIATELY. MOST OF THE SNOW IS EXPECTED SUNDAY NIGHT WITH TEMPERATURES FALLING BACK INTO THE TEENS. AS A RESULT... SNOW MAY ACCUMULATE EFFICIENTLY ON ROADS DESPITE TREATMENT GIVEN THE RATHER COLD CONDITIONS.
- THIS SYSTEM IS STILL EVOLVING. THE FORECAST TRACK AND AMOUNT OF PRECIPITATION HAVE BEEN CHANGING. ADJUSTMENTS TO BOTH ARE STILL EXPECTED. HOWEVER... CONFIDENCE IS INCREASING THAT ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL OCCUR.
- .. FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM THIS MORNING TO 9 AM CST MONDAY...
- A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM THIS MORNING TO 9 AM CST MONDAY.
- * TIMING... FREEZING RAIN... POSSIBLY MIXED WITH SLEET... WILL SPREAD ACROSS SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND THE WESTERN HALF OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS THIS MORNING. THE PRECIPITATION WILL LIKELY TRANSITION TO RAIN AT TIMES THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT AS TEMPERATURES WAIVER NEAR THE FREEZING MARK.
- * ICE ACCUMULATIONS... RANGING FROM A FEW HUNDREDTHS TO NEAR ONE TENTH OF AN INCH.
- * IMPACTS... HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP... MAINLY ON UNTREATED ROADS... BRIDGES... AND OVERPASSES. PARKING LOTS AND SIDEWALKS MAY BECOME SLIPPERY AS WELL.
- PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
- A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY MEANS THAT LESS THAN ONE QUARTER INCH OF FREEZING RAIN OR FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL CAUSE HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS. SLOW DOWN AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.
- .. BRUTALLY COLD WIND CHILLS EXPECTED WEDNESDAY...
- AN EXTREMELY COLD AREA OF ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE WILL SURGE SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE REGION WEDNESDAY. NORTHWEST WINDS AT 15 TO 25 MPH WILL GUST TO 35 MPH AT TIMES... AND TEMPERATURES WILL FALL THROUGH THE TEENS AND EVEN INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS IN SOME LOCATIONS BY LATE AFTERNOON. WIND CHILLS WILL DROP INTO THE ZERO TO 10 BELOW ZERO RANGE THROUGHOUT THE AREA DURING THE AFTERNOON.
- WINDS WILL DIE OFF OVERNIGHT WEDNESDAY NIGHT... WHICH WILL ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO PLUMMET INTO THE ZERO TO 5 ABOVE RANGE. SOME LOCATIONS MAY EVEN DROP A BIT BELOW ZERO. SOUTH WINDS WILL INCREASE AND BECOME GUSTY QUICKLY THURSDAY MORNING... SO WIND CHILLS WILL DROP BACK BELOW ZERO FOR A FEW HOURS BEFORE MIDDAY. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO WARM UP INTO THE TEENS IN THE AFTERNOON... WHICH SHOULD KEEP WIND CHILLS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS ABOVE ZERO. THESE CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY TO CONTINUE THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT AND INTO FRIDAY.
- EVERYONE IS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO LIMIT OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO WATER LINES. STRONG WINDS DURING THE EXTREME COLD SNAP CAN DIRECT THE FRIGID AIR INTO POORLY INSULATED AREAS MORE EFFICIENTLY AND RESULT IN DAMAGE TO PIPES. ALSO MAKE SURE ANY OUTDOOR PETS HAVE WARM SHELTER AND AN UNFROZEN WATER SUPPLY.
- ... EXTENDED PERIOD OF ARCTIC COLD EXPECTED THIS WEEK...
- WELL BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST THIS WEEK. IN FACT... AFTER TODAY... HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL LIKELY STAY WELL BELOW FREEZING. THE PERIOD OF GREATEST CONCERN CONTINUES TO BE LATE TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT... WHEN A VERY STRONG ARCTIC HIGH WILL SURGE SOUTHEAST OVER THE REGION.
- GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS AT 15 TO 30 MPH WILL FORCE TEMPERATURES TO FALL THROUGH THE TEENS WEDNESDAY. THE COMBINATION OF THE COLD TEMPERATURES AND GUSTY WINDS WILL RESULT IN WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES AS LOW AS 5 TO 15 DEGREES BELOW ZERO FROM MIDDAY WEDNESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING. THE LOWEST WIND CHILLS WILL IMPACT THE AREA ALONG THE INTERSTATE 64 CORRIDOR OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AND SOUTHWEST INDIANA. AS THE WINDS DIMINISH WEDNESDAY NIGHT... TEMPERATURES WILL FALL TO NEAR OR SLIGHTLY BELOW ZERO OVER MOST OF THE REGION.
- EVERYONE IS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO LIMIT OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES WEDNESDAY INTO EARLY THURSDAY. TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO WATER LINES. STRONG WINDS DURING THE EXTREME COLD SNAP CAN DIRECT THE FRIGID AIR INTO POORLY INSULATED AREAS MORE EFFICIENTLY AND RESULT IN DAMAGE TO PIPES. ALSO MAKE SURE ANY OUTDOOR PETS HAVE WARM SHELTER AND AN UNFROZEN WATER SUPPLY.
Stoddard County, Missouri – Winter has arrived in southeast Missouri and with much of Missouri having temps below freezing or at least near the zero march this week there are few things we need to do to prepare!
The National Weather Service in Paducah, KY says an extended period of arctic cold is expected this week. High temperatures will likely stay well below freezing after Tuesday. The greatest concern is late Tuesday night through Wednesday night. Gusty winds will force temperatures to fall through the teens Wednesday.
That has prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to urge people to be prepared in case of winter weather emergencies.
The CDC has a list of things to areas to double check before temperatures get dangerously low.
Communication Checklist
•Make sure you have at least one of the following in case there is a power failure: ◦Cell phone, portable charger, and extra batteries.
◦Battery-powered radio, with extra batteries, for listening to local emergency instructions ◾National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radio receiver for listening to National Weather Service broadcasts.
•Listen to emergency broadcasts.
•Make a Family Communication Plan. Your family may not be together during an extreme winter event, so it is important to know how you will contact one another, how you will get back together, and what you will do during an emergency.
•Be sure to check on older neighbors and family members; assist as necessary.
Heating Checklist
•Turning on the stove for heat is not safe; have at least one of the following heat sources in case the power goes out: ◦Extra blankets, sleeping bags, and warm winter coats
◦Fireplace with plenty of dry firewood or a gas log fireplace
◦Portable space heaters or kerosene heaters
•Check with your local fire department to make sure that kerosene heaters are legal in your area.
•Use electric space heaters with automatic shut-off switches and non-glowing elements.
•Never place a space heater on top of furniture or near water.
•Never leave children unattended near a space heater.
•Keep heat sources at least 3 feet away from furniture and drapes.
•Have the following safety equipment: ◦Chemical fire extinguisher
◦Smoke alarm in working order (Check prior to winter storm season and change batteries, if needed.)
◦Carbon monoxide detector (Check prior to winter storm season and change batteries, if needed.)
•Never use an electric generator indoors, inside the garage, or near the air intake of your home because of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
•Do not use the generator or appliances if they are wet.
•Do not store gasoline indoors where the fumes could ignite.
•Use individual heavy-duty, outdoor-rated cords to plug in other appliances.
Cooking and Lighting Checklist
•Use battery-powered flashlights or lanterns.
•Never use charcoal grills or portable gas camp stoves indoors. The fumes are deadly.
•Avoid using candles as these can lead to house fires.
•If you do use candles, never leave lit candles alone.
Food and Safety Checklist
Have a week’s worth of food and safety supplies. If you live far from other people, have more supplies on hand. Make sure you have the following supplies:
•Drinking water
•Canned/no-cook food (bread, crackers, dried fruits)
•Non-electric can opener
•Baby food and formula (if baby in the household)
•Prescription drugs and other medicine
•First-aid kit
•Rock-salt to melt ice on walkways
•Supply of cat litter or bag of sand to add traction on walkways
•Flashlight and extra batteries
•Battery-powered lamps or lanterns
(To prevent the risk of fire, avoid using candles.)
Water Checklist
Keep a water supply. Extreme cold can cause water pipes in your home to freeze and sometimes break.
•Leave all water taps slightly open so they drip continuously.
•Keep the indoor temperature warm.
•Allow more heated air near pipes. Open kitchen cabinet doors under the kitchen sink.
•If your pipes do freeze, do not thaw them with a torch. Thaw the pipes slowly with warm air from an electric hair dryer.
•If you cannot thaw your pipes, or if the pipes have broken open, use bottled water or get water from a neighbor’s home.
•Fill the bathtub or have bottled water on hand.
•In an emergency, if no other water is available, snow can be melted for water. Bringing water to a rolling boil for one minute will kill most germs but won’t get rid of chemicals sometimes found in snow.
Car and Emergency Checklist
Is Your Vehicle Winter Ready? - A bird character near the back of a vehicle with a water bottle, flash light, ice scraper, jumper cables, cell phone, shovel, first aid kit, and blankets. Minimize travel, but if travel is necessary, keep the following in your vehicle:
•Cell phone, portable charger, and extra batteries
•Shovel
•Windshield scraper
•Battery-powered radio with extra batteries
•Flashlight with extra batteries
•Water
•Snack food
•Blankets
•Road salt and sand
•Booster cables
•Bright colored flag or help signs
•First aid kit
•Tool kit
•Road maps
•Compass
•Waterproof matches and a can to melt snow for water
•Paper towels
