Winter Storm Warning

The NWS has upgraded us to a Winter Storm Warning:

WINNEBAGO-BOONE-OGLE-DE KALB-

INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ROCKFORD...BELVIDERE...OREGON...DEKALB
926 PM CST THU JAN 19 2012

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TO 9 PM CST FRIDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHICAGO HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM
WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TO 9 PM CST
FRIDAY. THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.
* TIMING...SNOW WILL DEVELOP DURING THE EARLY TO MID MORNING
HOURS FRIDAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY ENDING DURING THE
EVENING. THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL WILL OCCUR DURING THE LATE
MORNING INTO THE MID AFTERNOON HOURS.

* ACCUMULATIONS...SNOWFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 8 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED.

* HAZARDS...SNOW COULD FALL RATHER HEAVILY AT TIMES RESULTING IN
REDUCED VISIBILITIES AND SNOWFALL RATES OF AROUND ONE INCH PER
HOUR AT TIMES.

* IMPACTS...ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL CAUSE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED
TRAVEL TIMES...RESULTING IN A PARTICULARLY TREACHEROUS AFTERNOON
COMMUTE FRIDAY. IN ADDITION...VERY COLD TEMPERATURES IN THE
TEENS WILL MAKE SALT LESS EFFECTIVE AND COMBINE WITH HEAVY
SNOWFALL RATES TO MAKE IT HARDER FOR ROAD CREWS TO KEEP ROADS
CLEAR OF SNOW AND ICE. THE SNOW WILL ALSO RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT
DISRUPTIONS TO AIR TRAVEL AS WELL.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW
ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN
EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...
FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.