blizzard

seems fitting to have a blizzard on the first day of winter--the shortest day of the year. we decided to go see the wee one today and didn't think we'd make it there. as we drove, staring into the blinding darkness of snow, i kept saying, this storm should be upgraded to a blizzard. by the time we returned home, it was. all i can say is man, it's cold and blowing out there.

Issued by The National Weather Service
North Webster, IN
3:39 pm EST, Sun., Dec. 21, 2008

Blizzard Warning for Cass County, MI

... BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EST MONDAY... ... WINTER STORM WARNING IS CANCELLED...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORTHERN INDIANA HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD WARNING... WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EST MONDAY. THE WINTER STORM WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

A COMBINATION OF STRONG WEST WINDS AND LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS WILL CREATE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AND WHITEOUT CONDITIONS INTO MONDAY MORNING. VISIBILITIES NEAR ZERO CAN BE EXPECTED. TRAVEL IS BEING DISCOURAGED AND MANY ROADS ARE BEING CLOSED.

STRONG WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO NEAR 50 MPH ALONG THE LAKE SHORE WILL CONTINUE INTO MONDAY MORNING. THIS WILL CREATE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW AND REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO NEAR ZERO. TRAVEL WILL BE TREACHEROUS AND MANY ROADS WILL BE CLOSED DUE TO ACCIDENTS OR DRIFTING.

LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS WILL BECOME MORE ORGANIZED THIS EVENING AND ESPECIALLY OVERNIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING. TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED IN BERRIEN... CASS AND ST. JOSEPH COUNTIES IN MICHIGAN. THE LOCALLY HEAVIER AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS FAR NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THESE COUNTIES.

DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED WITH READINGS RANGING FROM 10 BELOW ZERO CLOSER TO THE LAKE TO AS LOW AS 25 BELOW ZERO WELL INLAND. THE COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS... COLD WIND CHILLS AND SNOW WILL CREATE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS... POTENTIALLY DEADLY FOR ANYONE STRANDED OUTSIDE.