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More Accumulating Snow Arrives This Week

Posted at 6:30 PM, Feb 02, 2014
and last updated 2014-02-03 05:01:59-05

WEST MICHIGAN — With Punxsutawney Phil seeing his shadow predicting six more weeks of winter, at least we know he’ll be right this time! Grand Rapids has tallied more than 82″ of snow this season (normal is about 75″), and Muskegon is fast approaching 100″ with more than 98″ recorded thus far!

Sunday was the first time in weeks that I could actually drive the speed limit (65 mph+) on any expressway. Road crews did an excellent job clearing the 3″ to 6″ we saw Saturday, plus Mother Nature helped with temperatures in the 20s, so the salt could actually work.

As fate would have it, be prepared to see more accumulating snow developing Tuesday evening and continuing through Wednesday morning. Some reinforcing colder air (again) will follow the system on Thursday and Friday as high temps fall back in to the teens.

So how much snow are we expecting this time? Our forecast models have been fairly consistent on the track of this storm system through places like Tennessee and Kentucky. Providing the track doesn’t change further to the northwest, most of West Michigan is expected to be brushed on the northern fringe of this system with about 1″ to 3″ from Grand Rapids off to the north, and a little more on the order of 2″to 4″ south of GR. Locations closer to the Michigan/Indiana border may see higher amounts on the order of 3″ to 6″. Our computer forecast model from Tuesday night to Wednesday morning (below) shows the actual low pressure system over the Tennessee/Kentucky border. All the color on the map denotes accumulated precipitation, with the heaviest in green and dark blue, and the lightest in purple. Note that southern/lower Michigan is on the northern fringe of this system in the purple shading and the lighter snow amounts.

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Once we get past this system, there may be lake-effect snow later Wednesday and Thursday, but it doesn’t appear to be a huge event. A couple of our longer range forecast models are also hinting at the possibility of a more significant winter event on Sunday. If this model proves correct, more than six inches of snow with plenty of wind is possible. We’ll need more model consensus and may get it as we get a bit closer to next weekend.

Make sure to stay up on later forecasts! Get the complete 7-day forecast, temperatures, radar, and satellite at www.fox17online.com/weather.