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Highly Variable Lake-Effect Snow to Continue

Posted at 8:52 AM, Feb 16, 2013
and last updated 2013-02-16 10:07:24-05

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The fickle nature of lake-effect snow has been in full display Friday night and Saturday morning.

Many parts of West Michigan have received little to no snowfall as of 8:00 A.M. (Grand Rapids officially reported 0.4″ of snow).  However, general lakeshore accumulations ranged between two and five inches over the last 24 hours.

One particularly heavy and stable band of snow remained across parts of Mason and Oceana counties overnight.  That resulted in extremely heavy localized snow totals of eight inches in Hart and 10.6 inches in Scottville, near Ludington.  Oceana County officials report at least a foot of new snow in Pentwater.

The above image from Martha Beebe-Carlson shows about a foot of snow on her deck near Hart.

Snow showers the rest of the day Saturday will remain highly variable.  Overall accumulations of one to four inches are likely through the afternoon west of U.S. 131.  However, it will come in squalls that will range from no snow falling at times to very heavy snow that reduces visibility to near zero.  Locally higher snow totals are possible during the day.

Drivers may come upon near-whiteout conditions with little warning in these squalls throughout the day.  Please use caution if traveling.

Check out interactive radar and the rest of the 7 Day Forecast on the Weather page.  Please post your weather reports and photos on the comment thread below or on the FOX 17 Facebook page.