WEST MICHIGAN – While our temperatures are warming up from the Arctic air we had through much of last week, with the warm up comes the possibility of some mixed precipitation across the area this evening and overnight. Radar is already showing echoes aloft (not reaching the ground) Sunday mid-afternoon, but that will change as we head into the evening. A low pressure system with a warm front (boundary of warmer air) will be lifting into the Great Lakes by Monday morning. The problem is temperatures at the surface are below freezing, while temps are warming aloft. That combination is setting the stage for some light snow to develop, then mix with/change over to some freezing rain and/or sleet.
I want to be clear…we are NOT expecting an ice storm, but any glazing at all can make porches, sidewalks, roads, and bridges/overpasses very slippery. A stiff wind from the southeast/south at 10 to 20 mph will make it feel a little colder as well. The National Weather Service has posted WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIESfor most of our FOX 17 viewing area from 3:00 PM Sunday through 5:00 AM Monday. The exception is the counties that border Indiana…they have a FREEZING RAIN ADVISORYacross Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph, and Branch Counties from 3:00 PM through midnight. While this system is typical winter weather for West Michigan, click hereto see the watches/warnings/advisories from it across the Midwest and Great Lakes. It’s rather large in the scope of things affecting at least one dozen states.
Temps are expected to warm gradually as we head through the overnight period and most of the precipitation is expected to change over to just rain. Counties north of Grand Rapids could stay freezing drizzle into Monday morning before changing over to all light rain/drizzle by late morning or afternoon. Air temperatures should reach about 40 degrees on Monday, and into the 50s on Tuesday before crashing throughout the day Wednesday. The warmest temps on Wednesday will occur just after midnight before another Arctic cold front blasts through the state, dropping temperatures swiftly throughout the day. Lake-effect snow showers will likely commence Wednesday afternoon/evening and continue through Thursday and Friday.
We’ll update online as more information becomes available and this winter weather unfolds. Meanwhile, feel free to send your weather reports and photos to weather@fox17online.com, or post them on the FOX 17 Facebook page! Click hereto see FOX 17 radar. The attached photo was taken from the facebook page of Josh Nowicki…taken just a few days ago at the St. Joseph pier.
