Snow lies across Michigan amid bitter cold and wind

Wintry conditions are prevailing across Michigan after snow swept across the state overnight, bringing freezing temperatures and winds.

A main band of lake-effect snow was moving toward Metro Detroit between the Interstate 96 and I-94 corridors before sunrise, the local National Weather Service office said on X Thursday morning.

The weather service issued a winter weather warning until 10 a.m. Residents of the Detroit metro area will deal with the aftermath of bands of snow and colder temperatures Thursday and Friday, said Kyle Klein, a meteorologist with the weather service.

“Today … will be basically just thunderstorms or maybe a light snow shower breaking off Lake Michigan,” he said.

What streets are like

Meteorologists expect snow to accumulate quickly even on treated surfaces, with up to 1 inch (2.5 cm) falling per hour and visibility reduced by snow squalls as wind gusts reach speeds of 30 to 40 miles per hour.

Roads, particularly bridges and overpasses, could become slick and dangerous for motorists, the warning said, saying dangerous conditions could impact Thursday morning and evening commutes.

Google Maps showed significant slowdowns around Metro Detroit during rush hour, but traffic will likely ease as roads clear, Klein said.

“With this in mind, road conditions will become clearer as the day progresses,” he said. “They’re salting the roads, so it shouldn’t be as bad the rest of the day as it was overnight and this morning.”

According to NWS Detroit, anyone who needs to travel should have an extra flashlight, food and water in the car in case of emergencies.

Snowfall, changing temperatures

Highs in the Detroit area will peak in the upper teens and lower 20s on Thursday, Klein said. Temperatures would rise back to the milder 30s and 40s by Sunday, he said.

How much snow falls and stays depends on the area. According to NWS Detroit, Detroit will likely see less than an inch of snow, while communities near Pontiac and Howell could get up to 5 centimeters of snow.

The NWS Grand Rapids post forecasts 1 to 2 inches of snowfall around Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and Muskegon. Further north, in Grayling, forecasters expect up to 4 to 6 inches, NWS said on X.

Large portions of the Upper Peninsula, including areas around Ontonagon, Houghton, Grand Marais and Gaylord, are at risk of at least 4 inches of snow total, according to NWS Marquette.

Some areas near Gaylord and Grand Marais could also report more than 8 inches of snow, according to the weather service.

On the western side of the state, winter weather advisories for Mason, Lake, Oceana, Muskegon, Ottawa and Allegan counties remain in effect until 7 p.m.

Meanwhile, mercury levels across the state have dropped to the teens. According to NWS Marquette, the coldest temperatures could dip to minus 13 degrees around the Upper Peninsula Thursday evening, with values near Lake Superior in the single digits.

The cool wind also played a role. In Detroit, temperatures fell below zero as early as 8 a.m., the local NWS post reported.

According to NWS Grand Rapids, wind chills could also drop to as low as 10 degrees below zero on the western side of the state.

Conditions in Metro Detroit

Almost all DTE Energy customers still had power as of 9 a.m. Thursday, according to the utility’s outage map. A small group of more than 500 customers experienced outages around Detroit near Grosse Pointe and Hamtramck.

Most Consumers Energy customers across the state also had power, according to the utility’s outage map.

According to FlightViewcom, winter travelers to and from Metro Detroit may experience delays on flights from Detroit Metro Airport, where about 70% of departures were delayed and 10% were severely delayed.

Some Metro Detroit students may not be in class today as some area schools are closed due to winter conditions.

Ann Arbor Public Schools, Ypsilanti Community Schools and Washtenaw Intermediate School District were on the list of closures.

Three warming centers in Detroit are open to community members seeking shelter from the cold, city officials announced in a news release.

The centers include Cass Community Social Services and Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, which serve families and women. DRMM, located at 13130 Woodward, also serves single men and is open overnight through Friday at 3 p.m

Anyone seeking shelter or a place in a warming center can call the city’s housing services hotline at (866) 313-2520 weekdays between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. to access Detroit’s coordinated assessment model, the release said.

Residents can also visit an in-person CAM location at Cass Community Social Services at 11850 Wilson St. or Central 23 E. Adams on the second floor between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday during the same hours on weekdays.

Breaking News

Dellupodisabato

Snow lies across Michigan amid bitter cold and wind

Leave a Reply Cancel reply