A BAD WAY TO START THE NEW YEAR

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
406 AM CST SAT DEC 31 2011

...DANGEROUS BLAST OF WINTER WEATHER TO IMPACT THE AREA TONIGHT

AFTER A MILD DAY TODAY A STRONG COLD FRONT AND LOW WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING. INCREASING WEST AND NORTHWEST WINDS AND QUICKLY FALLING TEMPERATURES WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA
BEHIND THE LOW AND COLD FRONT. PRECIPITATION, BEHIND THE FRONT WILL START OUT AS LIGHT RAIN AND QUICKLY CHANGE TO SNOW.

SNOW AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE NOW EXPECTED WITH THE HEAVIER AMOUNTS MAINLY NORTH OF A ROCHESTER TO NEILLSVILLE LINE.

THE COMBINATION OF FALLING SNOW AND INCREASING NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CREATE BLOWING SNOW AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR LOCAL WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS AT TIMES AFTER MIDNIGHT
TONIGHT. THE STRONGEST OF THE WINDS AND GREATER THREAT OF WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS WILL BE IN OPEN AREAS AND ON THE RIDGE TOPS. TRAVEL CONDITIONS LATER THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME
VERY DANGEROUS WITH THE LOW VISIBILITIES STRONG WINDS AND SLICK ROADS ESPECIALLY IN THE OPEN COUNTRY AREAS.