IT'S NASTY OUT THERE: Winter Storm Expected to Blanket Puget Sound Tonight

UPDATE: 9:55 a.m., 1/17/12

Forecasters are now saying the South Sound is expected to get around five inches of snow tonight.

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Heavy.

Heavy, as in 6-to-14-inches-of-snow heavy.

That's how the National Weather Service is describing the winter storm that's expected to blanket the Puget Sound later Tuesday through Wednesday:

WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT PST TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON...WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING... 

* SOME AFFECTED LOCATIONS...SEATTLE...TACOMA...BREMERTON...  
 SHELTON. 

* TIMING...SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY AS COOLER UNSTABLE AIR CONTINUES OVER THE AREA. LOCAL ACCUMULATIONS UP TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE. A MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANT WINTER STORM IS LIKELY LATE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY OR WEDNESDAY NIGHT. SNOW WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL BE WIDESPREAD AND HEAVY. 

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...AT THIS TIME UP TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ON TUESDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN STEADY OR GRADUALLY FALL DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS...SO ROADWAYS MAY FREEZE. A MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANT WINTER STORM IS LIKELY LATE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING. WEDNESDAYS STORM MAY BRING 6 TO 14 INCHES OF SNOW.

So I don't know about ya'll, but what that means to me is be prepared for a thick coating of the white stuff. The NWS recommends having an extra flashlight, food, water and blankets in case of emergency.