What to know about Michigan's Christmas weekend blizzard
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Michigan may not be in the middle of an arctic air mass that's about to engulf most of the country but we're going to see some incredibly cold and windy days as several inches of snow will fall on Christmas weekend.
Starting on Thursday we'll feel dangerous cold, windy, and snowy conditions that will make it nearly impossible to drive, let alone see more than what's in front of your face.
The bitter cold will stretch from the northern Rockies, through the northern Plains and Upper Midwest and down all the way into Texas and Florida - both of which will likely see single digit temperatures and wind chills well below zero.
As for Michigan, it's going to make for a very tough few days before Christmas.
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Should I change Christmas travel plans?
If you were planning to drive out anytime between Thursday at 4 p.m. and Saturday afternoon, you should move your plans. If possible, leave on Wednesday or early in the day on Thursday.
The reason for this is simple: once the snow and wind gusts start, it's going to make travel extremely dangerous.
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On Friday, winds will guest to 40 MPH, sending that snow whipping and creating blizzard conditions. Expect this to happen throughout the day 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.
How much snow will Michigan get?
This is really hard to pin down. Blizzard conditions like this make it incredibly hard to determine how much snow we'll get.
Wayne, Macomb, Monroe and parts of Washtenaw Counties are looking at the 3 to 5 inches while Oakland (especially the north and west areas) and Livingston Counties will fall in the 5 to 8 inch range.
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Around Lansing could be over 9 inches and West Michigan may get a foot.
What does Christmas look like in Michigan?
We'll have a white Christmas this year. Once the blizzard is done, we'll wake up Christmas morning to several inches of snow on the ground and more lake effect snow flying throughout the day.
But it will be cold. We'll climb from 8 degrees in the morning all the way to 18.
So light a fire, pour some hot chocolate, and stay inside with your family this holiday.
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And then don't expect a warm up anytime soon. We'll be in the 20s all week after Christmas.
FOX Weather is tracking this massive storm as it slides into the upper Midwest all week long. Watch their live coverage here: