GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A winter storm warning starting late Wednesday night at midnight has been issued for Ottawa, Allegan, Van Buren and Kalamazoo counties, as well as Oceana, Lake and Mason counties and north through the Cadillac and Traverse City areas.
A winter weather advisory has also been issued for Kent, Newaygo, Calhoun, Barry, Muskegon and Calhoun counties. A winter storm watch was added for Berrien, Cass and St. Joseph counties.
The warning, watch and advisory continue through 4 p.m. Friday.
Storm Team 8 forecasts mainly lake effect snow with varying snow amounts which is typical with lake effect. This event will begin Wednesday night with more of a westerly wind eventually veering more northwest with time. In general, most locations in the winter storm warning will receive 3-6 inches of snow by Thursday evening; while other inland locations in and out of the winter weather advisory will receive 1-3 inches of snow by Thursday evening. Additional accumulating snow will fall Thursday night through Friday afternoon.
The heaviest bands are expected to produce snowfall rates of more than 1 inch per hour and total accumulation of more than a foot in some areas by late Friday. However, since the snow bands have yet to set up and will be narrow with rather sharp edges, it’s difficult to say exactly which cities and towns will get the most snow..
There’s a few factors that make this event more difficult to travel in as opposed to last Sunday’s snowfall. The primary factor is that temperatures will be colder, therefore roads will become snow covered at times. The wind will also be stronger leading to reduced visibility at times. This event will also last longer.
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Roads will be snow covered and slippery and low visibility will also hinder travel. As a result, there could be school closings on Friday.
Winter storm watches, warnings and advisories are issued by county, but not all parts of the county will get the same amount of snow. In Ottawa County, heavy snow is more likely in Holland than in Marne.
Below is the GFS model forecast for Sunday morning, showing low pressure coming right up over West Michigan. This system looks similar to the Sunday system that brought our area 3 to 6 inches of snow.
More snow showers and additional at least light accumulations are likely on Monday. Even colder air is possible next week, when we could see a day or two with high temperatures only in the teens.
Storm Team 8 says in their past experience models tend to under forecast snow amounts when most of the snow is forecast to be lake effect. This is especially the case when there is Arctic air involved and the snow ratios can be higher. Storm Team 8 says West Michigan will feel the full effects of winter this coming week and beyond.
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