Dangerous winter storm: Blizzard, power outages likely in Southeast Michigan
DETROIT (FOX 2) - A massive winter storm that's taking aim at most of the upper Midwest and, while Michigan isn't taking a direct hit with this storm and arctic chill, it's going to be bitterly cold with blizzard-like conditions in time for Christmas.
The bitter blast of arctic air will lead to dangerously cold conditions this week across the northern Rockies, central and northern Plains and the Upper Midwest, with temperatures dropping well below zero and wind chills reaching minus 50 to minus 60 degrees in some spots by the end of the week, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
Here in Michigan, the winter storm is going to be incredibly dangerous starting on Thursday and lasting into Saturday and even on Christmas Day.
If you have travel plans on Friday - change them. If you can drive or leave either on Wednesday or Thursday, it would be highly recommended to go before the storm.
Fortunately for schools, most are already closed for winter break starting this week before the storm. But for those schools that still have class, well, they probably won't on Friday.
Why drivers should keep their fuel tank at least half full in the winter
Want to get the latest news and weather updates from your phone instantly? Download the FOX 2 app today on Android and iPhone today. You can also sign up for our FOX 2 newsletters to have breaking news delivered to your email. Sign up here to have them sent to you.
The storm will start to move into southeast Michigan late in the day on Thursday with winds starting to pick up and a light snow around 4 p.m. This isn't the worst of the storm but that's coming.
Friday morning, things will deteriorate badly. Winds will guest to 40 MPH, sending that snow whipping and creating blizzard conditions. Expect this to happen all day on Friday and it will get worse Friday night as winds will be up to 50 MPH at times with visibility at zero due to the snow flying around.
The wind chills will fake it feel like -15 degrees outside. This is dangerous cold. On top of that, those winds will likely knock power out for many people on the 23rd and 24th. When temps fall this low it becomes incredibly dangerous if you don't have power so please have a plan in place and be as safe as you can.
Saturday morning, the wind will finally ease and the snow will pull out of southeast Michigan by the afternoon. We'll see some lake effect snow Christmas Eve and into Christmas morning.
The depth of the snow is still tough to pin down as blizzard snow is hard to pin down. Wayne, Macomb, Monroe and parts of Washtenaw Counties are looking at the 3 to 5 inches while Oakland (especially north and west) and Livingston Counties fall in the 5 to 8 inch range.
The best ways to shovel snow and stay safe doing it
Around Lansing could be over 9 inches and West Michigan may get a foot.
Have your snow blower and ice melt ready - because you're going to need it this weekend.
After the weekend, we'll be locked in with bitter temperatures all week long.
Winter storm warning: How to deal with frozen pipes
FOX Weather is tracking this massive storm as it slides into the upper Midwest all week long. Watch their live coverage here: