Winter Storm Watch

...ANOTHER WINTER STORM TO AFFECT CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS... .A LOW PRESSURE AREA MOVING NORTHEAST OUT OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY...WILL COMBINE WITH AN UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM DROPPING INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS...MONDAY AND TUESDAY. THIS COMBINATION WILL BRING AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF SNOWFALL BEGINNING MONDAY MORNING...AND CONTINUING INTO TUESDAY EVENING. AS THE SYSTEM LIFTS NORTHEAST AWAY FROM THE AREA...NORTHWEST WINDS WILL BECOME GUSTY...CAUSING SIGNIFICANT BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF THE SNOW STARTING TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUING THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. SNOWFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 8 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS SYSTEM DURING THE 36 TO 42 HOUR PERIOD FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON TO TUESDAY NIGHT. THERE STILL REMAINS SOME UNCERTAINTY WITH THE LOCATION...TIMING AND AMOUNTS OF THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL...SO THESE SNOWFALL TOTALS MAY CHANGE BETWEEN NOW AND THE TIME THE SNOW STARTS. RESIDENTS SHOULD MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION...FORECASTS...AND WARNINGS ON THIS POTENTIAL WINTER STORM. BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION IF A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY OR WINTER STORM WARNING IS ISSUED IN THE FUTURE. ...WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT... A WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT. * TIMING...SNOW SHOULD BEGIN TO MOVE INTO AREAS WEST OF I-55 MONDAY MORNING...SPREADING EAST THROUGH THE DAY. MOST OF THE ACCUMULATION SHOULD OCCUR MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY MORNING. THE BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF THE SNOW WILL BEGIN TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. * ACCUMULATIONS...IN AREAS NORTH OF I-72...6 TO 8 INCHES OF SNOW ARE POSSIBLE DURING THIS EVENT. TOTALS OF 5 TO 7 INCHES ARE EXPECTED SOUTH OF I-72. * WIND...NORTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE TUESDAY AFTERNOON...AND WILL GUST TO AROUND 30 MPH THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. * IMPACTS...ROADS WILL BECOME SNOW PACKED AND SLIPPERY MAKING TRAVEL HAZARDOUS THROUGH THE PERIOD. THE STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL ALSO CREATE BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF THE SNOW ADDING TO THE HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS.