Once in a Quarter Century Storm Moving In

Think I better get the horses of Borderlands prepared for this doozy of a storm!

From the National Weather Service (excuse the all caps, that's how the site provides the info):

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGENATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD227 PM CST TUE DEC 22 2009

...HOLIDAY TRAVEL TO BE SEVERELY IMPACTED BY SIGNIFICANT WINTERSTORM BEGINNING WEDNESDAY

....A ONCE IN A QUARTER CENTURY STORM WILL MOVE ONTO THE PLAINSWEDNESDAY AND WRAP UP AND INTENSIFY INTO THURSDAY. A LARGE AREA OFMAINLY SNOW...HEAVY AT TIMES...WILL LIFT NORTH INTO THE TRI STATEAREA WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING. BY THURSDAYMORNING THE WIND WILL BECOME MORE NORTHERLY AND INCREASE WITHGUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH LIKELY. WITH A WIDESPREAD 10 TO 20 INCHES OFSNOW...SIGNIFICANT BLOWING AND DRIFTING WILL OCCUR ON THURSDAYINTO FRIDAY.PARTS OF NORTHWEST IOWA...MAINLY SOUTH OF A ELK POINT TO SPENCERIOWA LINE...WILL SEE FREEZING RAIN DEVELOP DURING THIS TIME...THENCONTINUE INTO THURSDAY MORNING. AROUND A THIRD OF AN INCH OF ICEWILL BE POSSIBLE DURING THIS TIME WHICH WILL CREATE VERY SLICKCONDITIONS. THE SNOW WILL THEN BECOME HEAVY ON THURSDAY AFTERNOONAND NIGHT WITH AROUND A FOOT OF SNOW POSSIBLE ON TOP OF THE ICE.

THIS IS A LIFE THREATENING SYSTEM AND ANY TRAVEL FROM WEDNESDAYNIGHT INTO FRIDAY WILL BE TREACHEROUS

.SDZ050-057>070-230430-/O.EXT.KFSD.WS.W.0008.091223T2100Z-091226T0000Z/GREGORY-BRULE-AURORA-DAVISON-HANSON-MCCOOK-MINNEHAHA-CHARLES MIX-DOUGLAS-HUTCHINSON-TURNER-LINCOLN-BON HOMME-YANKTON-CLAY-INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...GREGORY...BURKE...CHAMBERLAIN...KIMBALL...PLANKINTON...WHITE LAKE...STICKNEY...MITCHELL...ALEXANDRIA...EMERY...SALEM...CANISTOTA...BRIDGEWATER...MONTROSE...SIOUX FALLS...WAGNER...PLATTE...LAKE ANDES...MARTY...ARMOUR...CORSICA...DELMONT...PARKSTON...FREEMAN...MENNO...TRIPP...PARKER...CENTERVILLE...MARION...VIBORG...HURLEY...CHANCELLOR...CANTON...LENNOX...TEA...HARRISBURG...TYNDALL...SCOTLAND...SPRINGFIELD...AVON...TABOR...YANKTON...VERMILLION227 PM CST TUE DEC 22 2009...

WINTER STORM WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM WEDNESDAY TO 6 PMCST FRIDAY

...THE WINTER STORM WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM WEDNESDAY TO6 PM CST FRIDAY.

* TIMING...SNOW WILL SPREAD NORTH INTO THE AREA BY LATE WEDNESDAY MORNING AND BECOME HEAVY BY LATE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. THERE COULD BE A BRIEF PERIOD FOR SLEET OR FREEZING RAIN TOWARD THE IOWA BORDER LATER WEDNESDAY NIGHT OR THURSDAY. SNOW WILL BECOME WIDESPREAD AGAIN THURSDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY FRIDAY.

* ACCUMULATIONS...SNOWFALL TOTALS OF 12 TO 18 INCHES ARE ANTICIPATED WITH THIS STORM...WITH THE HEAVIEST AMOUNTS LIKELY ACROSS SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA.

* WIND AND VISIBILITY...NORTHEAST WINDS OF 10 TO 20 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED WEDNESDAY...INCREASING GRADUALLY WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY...REACHING 25 TO 35 MPH OUT OF THE NORTH THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY. THE WIND COMBINED WITH THE SNOWFALL WILL LIKELY REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES.PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHERCONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING.

SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OFSNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL INAN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...FOOD... AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

If you are going to be out and about for the next two days, please take precautions. If you are planning on staying home, please make sure to get your animals prepared for this storm. It's just as hard on them as it is on you.