WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
LATE SUNDAY NIGHT...

.A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL PASS THROUGH THE REGION FRIDAY BRINGING
WITH IT THE COLDEST AIR OF THE SEASON SO FAR. IN ADDITION A STRONG
UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM WILL LINGER TO OUR SOUTHWEST AND MANAGE
TO PULL PLENTY OF MOISTURE UP OVER THE COLD AIR MASS. SNOW LEVELS
WILL DROP ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN LATE SATURDAY AND INTO SUNDAY
ALLOWING FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS AND EVEN THE
POSSIBILITY OF SOME FREEZING RAIN AT THE ONSET OF THE PRECIPITATION.

UPPER GILA RIVER VALLEY-SOUTHERN GILA HIGHLANDS/BLACK RANGE-
WEST SLOPES SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS BELOW 7500 FEET-
SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 7500 FEET-
EAST SLOPES SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS BELOW 7500 FEET-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...GILA HOT SPRINGS...BUCKHORN...
MULE CREEK...CLIFF...SILVER CITY...LAKE ROBERTS...KINGSTON...
FORT BAYARD...MESCALERO...MOUNTAIN PARK...TIMBERON...CLOUDCROFT...
SUNSPOT...APACHE SUMMIT...MAYHILL...SACRAMENTO...PINON
438 AM MST THU NOV 21 2013

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
LATE SUNDAY NIGHT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN EL PASO TX/SANTA TERESA HAS
ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY
AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT.

* EVENT: SNOW WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE GILA
  AND THE SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS. STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL WILL BE
  BETWEEN 6 AND 10 INCHES ABOVE 7500 FEET FOR THE GILA AND BETWEEN
  8 AND 12 INCHES FOR THE SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS.

* TIMING: RAIN SHOWERS ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE GILA WILL
  TURN OVER TO SNOW BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS SNOW
  LEVELS BEGIN TO DROP. ACROSS THE SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS SNOW WILL
  MIX WITH SOME FREEZING RAIN INITIALLY BEFORE TURNING TO ALL SNOW
  SATURDAY EVENING. SNOWFALL WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT
  BEFORE TAPERING OFF TO SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS.

* IMPACT: ROADS MAY BECOME SNOW PACKED AND SLIPPERY WITH
  ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL. VISIBILITY WILL BE REDUCED IN MODERATE TO
  HEAVY SNOW SHOWERS.

* WINDS: EAST WINDS WILL BLOW AT SPEEDS OF 10 TO 15 MPH WITH HIGHER
  GUSTS POSSIBLE THROUGH MOUNTAIN PASSES AND ALONG WEST FACING
  SLOPES.

* SNOW LEVELS: SNOW LEVELS WILL DROP FROM AROUND 8000 FEET IN THE
  GILA TO NEAR 6500 FEET SATURDAY NIGHT. MEANWHILE SNOW LEVELS
  WILL DROP FROM AROUND 6500 FEET TO NEAR 5500 FEET OVER THE
  SACRAMENTOS SATURDAY EVENING INTO EARLY SUNDAY MORNING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
SNOW...SLEET...OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL.
CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.