G'day everyone ... looks like I'm gonna be pretty busy next 24-36 hours so if I'm not in here much you'll know why...everyone stay safe and have a smilin' goooooooooooooood day full of Peace Love and Happiness ......

A WINTER STORM WARNING GOES INTO AFFECT LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING FOR PARTS OF CENTRAL, EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS!

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 12 PM
CST FRIDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LINCOLN HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 12 PM CST
FRIDAY.

EXPECT SNOW TO OVERSPREAD THE AREA BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON WITH
PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW TONIGHT. THE SNOW WILL BEGIN TO TAPER OFF FRIDAY
MORNING. BETWEEN 6 AND 10 INCHES OF SNOWFALL WILL BE LIKELY IN THE
WARNING AREA BY FRIDAY MORNING. GUSTY NORTHEAST WINDS TONIGHT
WILL BECOME NORTHWEST BY FRIDAY MORNING. THIS WILL CAUSE SIGNIFICANT
BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...WHICH WILL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT TRAVEL.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW...
SLEET...AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO
POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE

A major winter storm will affect all of central and southeast Illinois beginning Thursday afternoon and lasting into Friday morning. Low pressure is expected to develop in northern Texas early Thursday morning and track to the northeast, reaching central Indiana by Friday morning. All ingredients appear to be coming together for a band of heavy snow to develop to the north of the low pressure track. Gulf of Mexico moisture will be entrained into the system and interact with an adequate supply of cold air in place to produce the snowfall. In addition, favorable jet stream dynamics and a strong mid-level disturbance will track across the state Thursday night and enhance snowfall rates.

Snow should spread in from eastern Missouri and southern Illinois Thursday afternoon and quickly envelop the entire area by early evening. Snowfall rates of up to 1" per hour are possible in small-scale banding during the overnight hours. At this time, it appears areas east of the Illinois River have the best chance of receiving 6"+ accumulations. The most favored area for maximum accumulations appears to be along and east of the I-57 corridor with localized 10"+ totals. Enough warm air could advect into the low/mid levels of the atmosphere to produce a period of sleet south of I-70, which could limit total accumulations there. Any shift in the exact storm track will alter the location of the heaviest snow band. In addition to the heavy snow, northeast winds of 15 to 25 mph will back around to the northwest and continue to be gusty into Friday morning creating significant blowing and drifting. The snow should end from southwest to northeast Friday morning as the upper level support departs the region.

The Lincoln NWS is requesting SWOP reports during and after this significant weather event. Some reports that will be helpful to the forecast staff include: precipitation onset, any mixed precipitation, snowfall amounts during and/or after the storm, and blowing and drifting. Any assistance you can provide will be greatly appreciated!