GRAND RAPIDS, MI – What had been a Winter Storm Watch area has turned into an area of Winter Storm Warnings in West Michigan ahead of Monday night’s expected snow. A Northern Michigan county has also been added into the Winter Storm Warning zone.
Up to 12 inches of snow is possible in some areas with tonight’s storm system.
In West Michigan, the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Muskegon, Oceana and Mason counties.
In Northern Michigan, Emmet County is under a Winter Storm Warning.
The storm warning areas are shaded pink on the NWS maps below:
Winter Storm Warnings have been issued for 3 West Michigan counties: Muskegon, Oceana and Mason. Emmet County in Northern Michigan is also under a Winter Storm Warning.Graphic provided by the National Weather Service
The rest of the counties along Lake Michigan – from Ottawa County all the way north to the Mackinac Bridge, are under Winter Weather Advisories. So is the southeastern Upper Peninsula. Those counties are shaded in blue on the maps.
The heaviest snow today is expected to be from Grand Haven and northward, the NWS said.
In West Michigan, the storm warning runs from noon today to 7 a.m. Tuesday. Anywhere between 6 to 12 inches of snow is forecast, depending on how these lake effect snowbands set up.
“Travel could be very difficult to impossible. The hazardous conditions could impact the Monday evening and Tuesday morning commutes,” the NWS said in the advisory today. “If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency.”
A Winter Storm Warning for Emmet County lasts into Tuesday.Graphic provided by the National Weather Service
In Northern Michigan, the Emmet County Winter Storm Warning includes the Petoskey area. It runs from 4 p.m. today and into Tuesday morning. Up to 8 inches of heavy, lake-effect snow is expected.
“Travel could be very difficult with rapid changes in visibility and heavy snow-covered roads,” the NWS advisory states. “During lake effect snow, the weather can vary from bands of locally heavy snow to dry weather just a few miles away. Visibilities can also vary greatly. Be prepared for rapid changes in weather, visibility, and road conditions.”
Stay updated on forecast changes today by checking our MLive weather page.
