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Near White Out Conditions to Continue Tuesday

Posted at 9:31 AM, Feb 19, 2013
and last updated 2013-02-19 14:46:52-05

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Snow will continue to be heavy at times, with gusty winds creating near-blizzard conditions around parts of West Michigan the rest of the daytime Tuesday.

After a very icy morning commute, snow began to develop by mid-morning and will continue to be enhanced by Lake Michigan as cold air flows into the Great Lakes.

The combination of snow and blowing snow was reducing visibility under a mile in most locations by 9:00 A.M.  The heaviest bands will reduce visibility to near zero at times through the afternoon.

Temperatures will continue to fall into the lower 20s Tuesday afternoon, with wind chills dropping into the single digits as winds continue to gust as high as 40 miles per hour.

The term “blizzard” refers to a set of conditions that includes frequent wind gusts of 35 mph or more, plus visibility in snow or blowing snow of 1/4 mile or less for a period of at least three hours.  West Michigan will come close to that definition, but not quite reach it during the day Tuesday.

Wind and snow will start to diminish gradually Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.  Most of the accumulation on the above snow map will occur through Tuesday evening.

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