Winter weather forecast in the north *UP of Michigan* Statement as of 3:40 PM EDT on April 18, 2013 ... Winter Weather Advisory in effect from 5 PM Friday to 8 am EDT Saturday... The National Weather Service in Marquette has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for snow... blowing snow and strong winds... which is in effect from 5 PM Friday to 8 am EDT Saturday. Hazardous weather... * rain will change over to snow on Friday as colder air moves into the area from the west. Moderate snow will fall Friday afternoon into early Friday night. * Total snow accumulations Friday afternoon and Friday night of 3 to 6 inches are expected over east central Upper Michigan... heaviest near Lake Superior. Strong winds of 40 to 55 mph Friday afternoon into early Friday night will result in considerable blowing and drifting snow. The strongest winds and most extensive blowing snow will occur in open areas near Lake Superior. Impacts... * difficult travel conditions are expected Friday and Friday night due to the snow and blowing snow... especially along M-28 near Lake Superior. * Power outages are possible due to heavy wet snow and strong winds. Precautionary/preparedness actions... * a Winter Weather Advisory for snow and blowing snow means that visibilities will be limited due to a combination of falling and blowing snow. * Prepare... plan... and stay informed. Visit www.Weather.Gov/MQT br. Minneapolis, MN Statement as of 2:58 PM CDT on April 18, 2013 ... Winter Storm Warning remains in effect until 10 am CDT Friday... A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect until 10 am CDT Friday. * Timing: snow will continue through tonight... and will be heavy at times with rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour possible. * Snow accumulation: 6 to 9 inches with local amounts of 10 to 12 inches possible within 50 miles of a line from Redwood Falls to Mora. * Other impacts: strong north winds are expected today and tonight. Sustained winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 35 mph are expected. This will lead to some blowing snow in open areas by t0night. 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. h2. More UP Ontonagon County Statement as of 2:40 PM CDT on April 18, 2013 ... Winter Storm Warning remains in effect from 8 PM EDT /7 PM CDT/ this evening to 8 PM EDT /7 PM CDT/ Friday... Hazardous weather... * wet and heavy snow will move into the area this evening. * Heavy wet snow is expected tonight and Friday. Total snow amounts by late Friday are expected to exceed a foot near Lake Superior... with 6 to 7 inches expected further inland from Bruce Crossing to Watersmeet. Locally higher amounts up to 17 inches are possible near Lake Superior. * Strong north winds of 30 to 50 mph are expected... highest near Lake Superior. The winds will produce areas of blowing and drifting snow. Impacts... * very difficult travel conditions are expected late tonight and Friday due to the heavy wet snow and blowing snow. * Strong winds with the heavy wet snow may result in scattered power outages. Precautionary/preparedness actions... * a Winter Storm Warning for heavy snow and blowing snow means severe winter weather conditions are expected or occurring. Significant amounts of snow... along with widespread blowing snow... are forecast that will make travel dangerous. * Prepare... plan... and stay informed. Visit www.Weather.Gov/MQT hr. mesoscale disc http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/md/md0527.html !http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/md/mcd0527.gif! MESOSCALE DISCUSSION 0527 NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK 0713 PM CDT THU APR 18 2013 AREAS AFFECTED...PORTIONS OF ERN MN...NWRN WI CONCERNING...HEAVY SNOW VALID 190013Z - 190515Z SUMMARY...A SHIELD OF MODERATE SNOW...WITH EMBEDDED HEAVY SNOW...WILL GRADUALLY SHIFT NEWD DURING THE EVENING HOURS. SNOW RATES OF 1 IN/HR WILL BE POSSIBLE. DISCUSSION...RECENT WATER VAPOR IMAGERY INDICATES A MID-LEVEL CYCLONE OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST -- SHEARED NE TO SW -- CENTERED OVER SRN MN. E/NE OF THE CYCLONE CENTER...STRONG ASCENT IN THE EXIT REGION OF A MID-LEVEL JET MAX ALIGNING WITH THE APEX OF A DRY SLOT IS BEING SUPPORTED BY AMPLE DCVA ACROSS NWRN WI INTO THE MN ARROWHEAD. STRONG ASCENT CURLS AROUND THE CYCLONE ACROSS ERN MN WITHIN THE COLD CONVEYOR BELT OF THE SYSTEM...WHERE LOW-TO-MID-LEVEL FRONTOGENETIC CIRCULATIONS ARE PRESENT WITHIN THE DEFORMATION ZONE OF THE CYCLONE. THE 00Z MPX RAOB SUGGESTS SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES THROUGHOUT THE TROPOSPHERE THAT WILL SUPPORT SNOW. REDUCED STATIC STABILITY BELOW THE 850-MB LEVEL AND IN THE MID-LEVELS MAY SUPPORT WEAK CONVECTIVE ENHANCEMENTS TO SNOWFALL RATES...WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW ANTICIPATED ACROSS THE AREA. SNOW RATES OF 1 IN/HR WILL BE POSSIBLE. THE AREA OF STRONGEST ASCENT LIES ACROSS NERN MN AND NWRN WI...WHERE OVERLAP OF AT LEAST MODEST MAGNITUDES OF LOW/MID-LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS AND DCVA EXISTS. SNOWFALL RATES OF 1 IN/HR WILL BE MOST LIKELY IN THIS AREA. THE SHIELD OF SNOW WILL ADVANCE NEWD DURING THE EVENING HOURS...TAPERING OFF FROM SW TO NE OVERNIGHT...IN CONCERT WITH MOTION OF THE MID-LEVEL CYCLONE. ..COHEN.. 04/19/2013 ATTN...WFO...DLH...MPX...