?Near historic? snow event forecast Tuesday, Wednesday

The National Weather Service in the Quad Cities has issued a winter storm watch for a ?potentially near historic heavy snow event with near blizzard conditions late Tuesday into Wednesday.?

The weather service said very light snow and patchy freezing drizzle this afternoon and tonight will change into widespread light snow Tuesday afternoon. Snow will be heavy at times Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. The snow will diminish Wednesday.

Snowfall totals of 8 to 14 inches are possible from late Tuesday to midday Wednesday. The greatest snow amounts most likely will be along and southeast of a line from Fairfield and Burlington in Iowa through Galesburg in Illinois, with amounts from 12 to 18 inches.

Winds with gusts to 40 mph are expected Tuesday afternoon overnight into Wednesday. The winds and the falling, powdery snow will result in poor visibility and near blizzard conditions, especially Tuesday night into Wednesday.

According to the weather service, roads are expected to become snow packed and slick Tuesday afternoon, drifting will make it difficult to keep the roads clear overnight, and travel will likely become hazardous.

Thursday morning, bitterly cold air is expected to move into the region. Temperatures are expected to fall into the 5-below to 10-below zero range. The weather service said the temperatures along with brisk binds will create dangerously low wind chills around 20-blow zero.

Be prepared for possible trouble on the road

For the complete article, see the Monday, Jan. 31, 2011, printed edition of The Fairfield Ledger.