The National Weather Service refined its first winter storm watch area yesterday. Most of the winter storm watch area is now either a winter storm warning or a winter weather warning.

Here you will find the current direction of winter storm warnings, winter weather warnings and even a small section of a winter storm watch.

A winter storm warning is in effect for the pink area from Charlevoix southward throughout the Grand Traverse region, the Lake Michigan shoreline to Holland, Saugatuck and Allegan. The warning period generally runs until 7pm on Thursday, December 12th and applies to a total of between 20 and 35 cm of snowfall until Thursday night.

A winter storm warning is also in effect for most of the western Upper Peninsula, with up to a foot of snow.

A winter storm warning is often more extensive than the eventual winter storm warning. If all goes as planned, a winter storm watch should become a winter storm warning. In reality, part of the observation area often becomes a less severe winter weather area. During this weather situation, the Winter Storm Watch becomes a Winter Weather Warning for the Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing and Jackson areas. Snowfall in the range of 10 to 20 inches is expected in the winter weather area.

A winter storm watch remains in effect for northeast Lower Michigan. Future weather conditions for Northeast Michigan are still somewhat unclear. There will be up to 20 centimeters of heavy snowfall in some areas by Friday morning. At some point, likely sometime Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service will issue either a winter storm warning or a winter weather advisory for the current winter storm watch area. The heavy snowfall will be more isolated in northeast Michigan.

The Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Warnings layout should now easily show you where heavy snow and the most dangerous travel conditions will occur on Wednesday and Thursday.

Note that there are no winter warnings or advisories in effect for eastern and southeastern Lower Michigan.

Stay updated on this developing heavy lake effect snow event here.