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RWUS32 KLSE 240445

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IAZ030-WIZ054-055-061-241200-



FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI

1045 PM CST FRI FEB 23 2001



...A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT

FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...



IN WISCONSIN...CRAWFORD...RICHLAND AND GRANT.



IN IOWA...CLAYTON.



SOME CITIES INCLUDED IN THE WATCH INCLUDE...ELKADER...PLATTEVILLE...

LANCASTER...RICHLAND CENTER AND PRAIRIE DU CHIEN.



A STRONG STORM SYSTEM CONTINUES TO GATHER STRENGTH ALONG THE FRONT

RANGE OF THE COLORADO ROCKIES.  AS THE STORM MOVES TOWARD THE AREA...

SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL BRING WARM AND MOIST AIR NORTHWARD INTO THE

REGION.  SOME SNOW WILL DEVELOP OVERNIGHT...WHICH WILL QUICKLY CHANGE

OVER TO SLEET AND THEN FREEZING RAIN BY MORNING.  BY MIDDAY

SATURDAY...THE PRECIPITATION WILL CHANGE TO ALL RAIN AS TEMPERATURES

WARM ABOVE THE FREEZING MARK...WITH THE RAIN PERSISTING THROUGH THE

REMAINDER OF SATURDAY INTO AND SATURDAY NIGHT.



THE RAIN...WHICH MAY BE HEAVY AT TIMES...WILL BE FALLING ONTO SNOW

COVERED AND FROZEN GROUND. THE RAIN...AND TEMPERATURES WARMING

INTO THE MIDDLE AND UPPER 30S...SHOULD CAUSE MELTING OF THE SNOWPACK.

WITH A FROZEN GROUND...MOST OF THE MELTWATER WILL RUN OFF INTO AREA

CREEKS AND RIVERS...WHICH ALSO REMAIN FROZEN.  ICE JAMS AND ICE

DAMMING WILL BE POSSIBLE...WHICH COULD LEAD TO FLOODING PROBLEMS.



PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD MONITOR WATER LEVELS OF FLOOD

PRONE AREAS...AND BE READY TO SEEK HIGHER GROUND SHOULD FLOODING BE

OBSERVED OR SHOULD A WARNING BE ISSUED.



STAY TUNED TO YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA SOURCE FOR WEATHER INFORMATION FOR

THE LATEST ON THIS FLOODING SITUATION.



$$



WELVAERT

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