Metro Detroit school closings possible on Friday as 4 to 8 inches of snow expected

Heaviest snow expected Thursday night amid Winter Storm Warning

Rich Luterman breaks down what we can expect.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - With several inches of rain and up to 8 inches of snow about to fall in Southeast Michigan, parents everywhere should be ready to have their kids at home with them on Friday will likely be closed for many districts.

The National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Warning starting Thursday afternoon as the confidence is growing in snow totals and location. All told, we're looking at between 4 and 8 inches of snow for southeast Michigan with parts closer to Ohio getting up to 10 inches

Some districts are closing while others, including Detroit, have to have virtual learning days as they are out of school closing days. It's important to check the full closing list below and see each school's plan for the snow day.

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Full list: School closings across southeast Michigan

FOX 2 Meteorologists have been tracking this incoming weather event all week with conflicting models giving different data. As we get closer to it arriving, it looks like southeast Michigan is going to get significant snowfall.

On Wednesday, Metro Detroit hit close to 50 degrees but with a strong southern wind. That wind will stay but shift as a cold front comes in and it brings a lot of moisture.

Due to the warm air, it will start as rain but the temperature will plummet. It then turns over to snow and it looks like we'll be shoveling a decent amount, with estimates ranging from 4-8 inches.

The latest forecast for snowfall shows flakes will begin falling around 10-11 a.m. on Thursday, depending on where residents live. It's expected to fall throughout the day and end around midnight.

So with all of those factors, expect to be keeping your kids home from school for either no school or virtual classes.