WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL BE MOVING INTO THE AREA EARLYTHIS MORNING AND CONTINUING THROUGH TONIGHT. PRECIPITATION WILL BEGIN EARLY THIS MORNING AND IS LIKELY TO START AS RAIN OR A RAIN, SNOW MIX SOUTH OF A LINE FROM CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA TO FREEPORT, ILLINOIS WITH A SWITCH TO SNOW FROM NORTH TO SOUTH THROUGH THE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS.

WIDESPREAD SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 6 TO 8 INCHES ARE EXPECTED ALONG AN AXIS FROM SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA THOUGH EASTERN IOWA INTO NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS. AREAS OF SNOWFALL AMOUNTS UP TO 12 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THIS AXIS, INCLUDING THE QUAD CITIES. STRONG NORTH WINDS WILL DEVELOP TODAY, LEADING TO CONSIERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW AND DANGEROUS ROADS. NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY OVER EASTERN IOWA INTO ILLINOIS. THE STRONG WINDS, COMBINED WITH HEAVY, WET SNOW MAY ALSO RESULT IN DOWNED TREE BRANCHES AND POWER LINES. * WHAT...HEAVY SNOW EXPECTED. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES EXPECTED. WINDS GUSTING AS HIGH AS 45 MPH.

* WHERE...PUTNAM, HANCOCK AND MCDONOUGH COUNTIES.

* WHEN...FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 AM CST MONDAY.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...TRAVEL WILL BE VERY HAZARDOUS. SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL CREATE NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AT TIMES, WITH NEAR ZERO VISIBILITY. HEAVY, WET SNOW AND STRONG WINDS MAY RESULT IN DOWNED TREE LIMBS AND POWER LINES.