Winter Storm Watch

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
901 PM CST THU MAR 1 2012

...POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY SNOWFALL ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS...

A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTHERN
ILLINOIS AND NORTHWESTERN INDIANA LATE FRIDAY. RAIN WILL
OVERSPREAD THE REGION EARLY IN THE DAY...AND TRANSITION TO A HEAVY
AND WET SNOW INTO THE AFTERNOON. SNOWFALL RATES MAY EXCEED AN INCH
PER HOUR FOR SOME LOCATIONS WITHIN THE WATCH AREA FOR A FEW
HOURS...BEFORE TAPERING OFF TO FLURRIES OVERNIGHT.

WINNEBAGO-BOONE-MCHENRY-OGLE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ROCKFORD...BELVIDERE...OREGON
901 PM CST THU MAR 1 2012

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
FRIDAY EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHICAGO HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM
WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY
EVENING.

* TIMING...RAIN WILL TRANSITION OVER TO SNOW DURING THE AFTERNOON
HOURS ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO
THE EVENING HOURS...TAPERING OFF TO FLURRIES OVERNIGHT.

* ACCUMULATIONS...STORM TOTAL SNOW AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF 6 INCHES
ARE POSSIBLE.

* HAZARDS...THE HEAVIEST SNOW IS LIKELY TO FALL FROM FRIDAY
AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS...WHEN SNOWFALL RATES OF
UP TO ONE INCH PER HOUR ARE POSSIBLE. ROADS WILL BECOME SNOW COVERED
AND DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN IF THESE SNOWFALL RATES MATERIALIZE.
TRAVEL ACROSS FAR NORTHERN ILLINOIS WILL BECOME DIFFICULT AND
PERHAPS DANGEROUS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
SNOW...SLEET...OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL.
CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.