At 3:33 a.m. EST Wednesday, the National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning in effect for Osceola, Mecosta and Calhoun counties from 5:00 p.m. EST until 1 a.m. EST Friday.

“Heavy snowfall and blowing snow is to be expected. The total amount of snow will be between 7 and 20 centimeters, although higher amounts are possible in some places. Wind gusts of up to 72 km/h,” explains the weather service. “Snow squalls will impact Wednesday evening commutes as visibility quickly drops below 1/4 mile and road conditions change rapidly, including the I96, I94, US131, US127 and I69 corridors. Behind the squalls, heavy lake effect snow and gusty winds are developing, with possible isolated power outages as well as poor visibility and dangerous travel conditions Wednesday night into Thursday.”

“Due to falling and drifting snow, visibility may drop below 1/4 mile. The strong winds and the weight of snow on tree branches could bring down power lines and cause sporadic power outages. Traveling could be very difficult. The dangerous conditions could impact Wednesday.” “Evening and Thursday morning commute,” the weather service added. “If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency.”

Travel safely on winter roads: winter driving tips from the weather service

Winter weather can make driving treacherous, leading to over 6,000 weather-related traffic accidents and over 480,000 injuries each year. If you are driving in snow or freezing rain, prioritize safety and drive slower. When temperatures are near freezing, it’s safest to assume the roads are icy and adjust your driving accordingly. Be careful of ice accumulating on power lines or tree branches, which can lead to breakage and fall hazards. If possible, avoid driving in such conditions. If you must venture out, opt for routes with fewer trees and power lines. Never touch a downed power line and call 911 immediately if you encounter one. You can find more winter driving tips from the weather service here:

Share your travel plans:

If you are traveling out of town in dangerous winter weather, let your family or friends know your destination, planned route and expected arrival time.

Prepare your vehicle:

Make sure your gas tank is full and stock your vehicle with winter essentials such as a window scraper, jumper cables, a small shovel, a flashlight, a cell phone, a blanket, extra warm clothing, drinking water and high-calorie, non-perishable foods.

Stay calm when stranded:

If you get stuck, stay calm. Notify someone of your situation and location. Do not attempt to reach safety on foot. Attach a cloth to your car’s antenna or mirror to signal that you need help. Make your vehicle more visible by using the dome light and turn signals.

Beware of snow plows:

Keep an eye out for snow plows and make sure they have enough room to overtake. Only overtake a plow when you have a clear view of the road.

Check road conditions:

Before you travel, find out about current road conditions so you can make informed travel decisions.

Stay safe on winter roads with the Weather Service’s valuable winter driving tips and reduce the risk of accidents in difficult weather conditions.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service from United Robots that uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.