Flash: NWS upgrades Winchester area to Winter Storm Warning…

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
425 AM EST TUE JAN 6 2009

WASHINGTON-SHENANDOAH-FREDERICK VA-HAMPSHIRE-MORGAN-BERKELEY-
HARDY-INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...HAGERSTOWN...WINCHESTER...MARTINSBURG
425 AM EST TUE JAN 6 2009

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM EST WEDNESDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A
WINTER STORM WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM EST
WEDNESDAY. THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

LOW PRESSURE OVER THE TENNESSEE VALLEY WILL TRACK NORTH INTO THE
GREAT LAKES BY WEDNESDAY. A SURGE OF MOISTURE COMBINED WITH JUST
ENOUGH COLD AIR NEAR THE SURFACE WILL BRING A WINTRY MIX OF SLEET
AND FREEZING RAIN TODAY INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING.

AREAS OF LIGHT RAIN AND SLEET WILL BE MOST COMMON EARLY THIS
MORNING...BEFORE PRECIPITATION BECOMES MORE WIDESPREAD DURING THE
LATE MORNING. AT THE SAME TIME...TEMPERATURES NEAR THE SURFACE
WILL COOL TO OR SLIGHTLY BELOW FREEZING LATE THIS MORNING. THIS
WILL LEAD TO A MIX OF SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN THAT WILL LIKELY
LAST THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS.

THE GREATEST IMPACT FROM FREEZING RAIN IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR OVER
ELEVATIONS ABOVE 1000 FEET...WHERE A QUARTER INCH OF ICE
ACCUMULATION MAY OCCUR THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING.

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