A severe winter storm is performing much as expected by forecasters, if not over performing at times. National Weather Service – Milwaukee meteorologists said that as of 10 a.m. Friday there was increasing confidence that totals will reach one-foot levels, especially inland of Lake Michigan. In the case of Sheboygan County Highway 57 appears to be a good dividing line, giving Random Lake, Waldo, Plymouth and Elkhart Lake good chances of 12 inches…or more if Lake Michigan moisture mixes just right with incoming cold air from the north. Closer to the lake in Sheboygan, Oostburg and Cedar Grove 6-10 inches appears more likely, while Cleveland was advised of possible 7-15 inch totals late this morning.
That influx of cold air will come in with a vengeance on winds that could gusts as high as 46 miles an hour between 9 p.m and 3 a.m. overnight. Because those winds will be sustained near 30 miles an hour, and with plenty of snow falling and available to blow, forecasters are warning of near-blizzard conditions even if a blizzard warning isn’t issued. To our north, however, it’s more cut-and-dried as a Blizzard Warning was put into effect from 3 p.m. today until noon on Saturday in Winnebago, Calumet and Manitowoc Counties as well as those to their north. For the Sheboygan area and points south, it’s a Winter Storm Warning until noon Saturday for snow of 8-14 inches and winds gusting to 40 mph causing whiteouts and near-blizzard conditions. The result of either will be the same: possible power outages, nearly impossible travel conditions in non-stop winds falling and drifting snow, followed by temperatures falling to Arctic levels by Sunday morning. Bitter cold and dangerous wind chills will then rule until after midweek.
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