The National Weather Service is providing early warning of a winter storm headed our way that is expected to dump snow, wind and very cold conditions starting Thursday night through at least Saturday morning.  Forecasters say it is too early for a snow depth prediction but this early warning indicates this will be a big weather event for our area.

If, as predicted, we will have rain on Thursday, then a 30-degree drop in the temperature, and rain changing to snow, that could very well create a condition with intense cold, snow, and ice underneath that snow.  This is a dangerous combination.

Hamilton County Emergency Management issued a statement early Tuesday morning.  The statement is below, in its entirety:

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A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect through Saturday.

It is still too early for snow total predictions; however, we know it will be extremely windy, with gusts as high as 50 mph. Temperatures will plummet overnight on Thursday, leading to a flash freeze.

We are very concerned about the wind and frigid temperatures. Travel will become difficult to nearly impossible starting overnight on Thursday through Saturday. The main concerns are blowing and drifting snow that may create whiteout conditions.

Please take the time to make an emergency kit, be prepared for power outages, and consider an alternate heating source to operate indoors without electricity.

If you or someone you know uses powered medical devices, has mobility issues, or any other conditions that may make it hard for them if the power goes out, please ask them to sign up for Smart911.com. It allows them to register their information and helps 911 during an emergency. The service is free and uses the same level of security as banks. www.smart911.com