Winter Storm Warning In Effect From Noon Today To 6 AM CST Wednesday [LOCAL VIDEO FORECAST]

Just when you thought things were going to warm up... Mother Nature does a 180. Prepare for a nasty winter storm tonight. Sleet, ice and snow are all forecasted. The OPD released this statement today: With the impending winter weather that's expected, please stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary this afternoon/evening. This will cut down on the amount of accidents and motorist assists we respond to and allow for quicker responses to emergency calls!

WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 AM CST
WEDNESDAY

The National Weather Service in Paducah has issued a winter storm warning which is in effect from noon today to 6 am CST Wednesday.

* Timing: mixed wintry precipitation will spread across portions of Southern Illinois, Western Kentucky, and Southwest Indiana this afternoon and continue into tonight.

* Accumulations: moderate to heavy snow is expected generally north of a line from Vienna Illinois to Evansville Indiana. Amounts of 3 to 5 inches are expected...with locally higher totals possible. Further south...the snow will be mixed with sleet, generally along and near the Ohio River where 1 to 3 inches of snow and sleet is forecast. South of a line from Paducah to Owensboro a mix of sleet and freezing rain is
expected. In this area, up to one quarter inch of ice will be accompanied by some sleet accumulation as well.

* Impacts: significant travel impacts are probable. Where icing occurs - it could have an impact on trees and power lines.

*Precautionary/preparedness actions: A winter storm warning means significant amounts of snow, sleet and ice are expected or occurring which will make travel very hazardous.

JEFFERSON-WAYNE IL-EDWARDS-WABASH-PERRY IL-FRANKLIN-HAMILTON-
WHITE-JACKSON-WILLIAMSON-SALINE-GALLATIN-UNION IL-JOHNSON-POPE-
HARDIN-ALEXANDER-PULASKI-MASSAC-GIBSON-PIKE-POSEY-VANDERBURGH-
WARRICK-SPENCER-FULTON-HICKMAN-CARLISLE-BALLARD-MCCRACKEN-
LIVINGSTON-CRITTENDEN-UNION KY-WEBSTER-HENDERSON-DAVIESS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MOUNT VERNON...FAIRFIELD...ALBION...
MOUNT CARMEL...PINCKNEYVILLE...WEST FRANKFORT...MCLEANSBORO...
CARMI...CARBONDALE...HERRIN...HARRISBURG...SHAWNEETOWN...
JONESBORO...VIENNA...GOLCONDA...ELIZABETHTOWN...CAIRO...
MOUND CITY...METROPOLIS...FORT BRANCH...PETERSBURG...POSEYVILLE...
EVANSVILLE...BOONVILLE...ROCKPORT...HICKMAN...CLINTON...
BARDWELL...WICKLIFFE...PADUCAH...SMITHLAND...MARION...
MORGANFIELD...DIXON...HENDERSON...OWENSBORO
449 AM CST TUE FEB 4 2014