Metro Detroit preps for snowstorm; 8-12 inches on the way

WATERFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (FOX 2) - On Tuesday evening, grocery stores were packed, road crews were resting up, and students were checking school closings ahead of this week's snowstorm.

Metro Detroit could get anywhere from 8-12 inches of snow between Wednesday and Thursday.

There is a Winter Storm Warning for Wednesday and Thursday.

People were stocking up on food, getting snow shovels, salt, and propane as they prepare.

"We've experienced more business today than we probably have all winter combined," said Danny Pasquerelli, an employee at McNab's Hardware in Waterford Township.

Snow Timeline: How much snow to expect and when

While the snow is expected to start early Wednesday, there isn't much road crews can do since it will be raining Tuesday night.

"Because we’re going to have rain tonight that would just wash the brine away, and it wouldn’t do any good so in this case unfortunately there isn’t much we can do except wait for the snow to get here," said Craig Bryson, with the Oakland County Road Commission.

Once the snow arrives, crews will work for 16 hours,  rest for 5 ½, then come back. The pattern continues until they get the snowy roads under control.

More: How to drive in a snowstorm

"We hit the busiest roads with the most traffic first, so that’s the freeways, the major surface streets, then we work down, and that means that subdivision streets are the last that we get into, which means it could be two, maybe three days, until we get into the subdivisions," Bryson said. "Please be patient. It’s going to take time to clean this up. There will be times where the roads look like we haven’t touched them, but that’s not the case. We will be out there all day."

By Tuesday evening, hundreds of schools had canceled classes or shifted to virtual learning for Wednesday.

VIEW: School closings

Dr. Robert Shaner, the superintendent of Rochester Community Schools, said he would prefer students be in school, but student and staff safety comes first.

"It’s also a gift to spend some time with their families," he said. "Hopefully they’ll read a good book, maybe go sledding or something like that if they can in their backyards, and be back in school on Thursday."

Shaner said the district didn't opt to go virtual Wednesday shifting to online classes last minute would be stressful on staff and families.

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