WEST MICHIGAN- As many areas avoided the heavy snowfall over the last 36 hours, places along the lakeshore looked more like we’d expect February to look as multiple places received over a foot of snow.
More Winter Weather Advisories and Winter Storm Warnings have been posted for a majority of West Michigan. Winter Storm Warnings are posted for the same areas that just received over a foot of snow!
Lighter snow showers this morning may provide slick areas, but more accumulating snows will fall later on this afternoon and evening.
A weak cold front sliding in from the north is enough to produce a some light snows in our region. the 10 degree difference in “feels like” numbers illustrates where the front is moving from.
As this cold front moves further south, we’ll see a switch in our winds, and precipitation will move in as well.
Light bands of snow that are moving through the area right now will sag into southern portions of West Michigan around lunchtime.
Another band of light to moderate snow will begin to develop by this afternoon and into the evening hours. This will affect your commute home and your Friday evening plans. This will be when the Winter Weather Advisory ends, as the cold front moves through. Notice the wind chills as well, below freezing tonight! You’ll need to bundle up quite a bit on your way outside.
On the last photo, you may have seen that wind direction switch to the northwest as the front moved through. This is important and if you’ll recall, was the same wind direction we had the last couple days which led to the heavy snowfall totals along and isolated area near the lakeshore. This image (via WeatherBell) shows the NAM forecast model overnight at midnight. Heavy lake effect snows are possible overnight all the way through Saturday in these areas. The Winter Storm Warning lasts until 4 PM Saturday for this reason.
Heavy snows will fall in virtually the same areas that received them over the last 48 hours. The difference this time is that we’re expecting snowfall throughout West Michigan. Most areas will see 1-3″ and that will occur during Friday’s snow. The majority of the heavy snowfall near the lakeshore picks up this evening and leads into Saturday.
