Winter Storm Warning in Michigan with widespread snow inbound
(FOX 2) - Multiple counties in Southeast Michigan are bracing for heavy snowfall this weekend with intensity peaking by Saturday evening.
Some spots could get as much as 8 inches of snow, dimming visibility on the roads and making travel difficult.
Winter Storm Warning
Livingston, Washtenaw, Lenawee counties are among those under a Winter Storm Warning.
The National Weather Service issued the alert for seven counties on Friday, with the warning in effect from 3 p.m. Saturday until 10 a.m. on Sunday.
Oakland, Macomb, Wayne, Monroe, Genesee, and St. Clair counties can expect snow as well, but not as much.
Timeline:
Widespread accumulating snow is expected for most of Michigan this weekend after the west side of the state got hit with lake effect-driven precipitation.
Starting mid-Saturday, flurries are expected to start falling around the Southeast Michigan counties caught in the cross-hairs of Michigan's first winter storm of the year.
While the advisories go into effect at 3 p.m., those out and about will see flakes in the late morning.
The National Weather Service is expecting snowfall to pick up at 1 p.m. Rates will pick up to about an inch per hour or greater after 6 p.m.
Southeast Michigan's 1st major snowfall arrives this weekend: Here's what to expect
Winter finally shows its hand this weekend, and Southeast Michigan is about to get a full-on introduction to the season.
Big picture view:
A band of communities is expected to see the highest totals, starting in Adrian and stretching northeast through Ann Arbor and up to Pontiac.
While Wayne County could escape the brunt of the winter weather, Washtenaw, Lenawee, and Oakland counties could see between 6 and 9 inches of snowfall.
The storm is poorly-timed because of the holiday travel expected this weekend. And of course, those making the trek to Ann Arbor for one of college football's biggest games of the season will also have to contend with some potentially serious snowfall.
Dig deeper:
One factor that could push snow totals up or keep them down are temperatures. Currently, temperatures are expected to tumble to 29 degrees Saturday night. That's cold enough for good accumulation.
However, if the milder air sneaks in, then totals could drop quite a bit. Additionally, some of that snow could be wetter in the downtown area, creating a slushy soupy mess for those in Detroit.
The Source: The National Weather Service and FOX 2 Meteorology team were referenced for this story.