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Tuesday Forecast Update, 10:30 a.m.

Posted at 10:26 AM, Feb 26, 2013
and last updated 2013-02-26 11:17:21-05

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A mix of winter weather will slide into West Michigan from south to north through midday and this afternoon.

Everything from rain to sleet to freezing rain and snow has been reported so far Tuesday morning in Northern Indiana.  That moisture will continue to move northward the rest of the day, with the heaviest precipitation continuing to develop into Tuesday evening.

As of 10:00 A.M., most surface temperatures around West Michigan were near or just above freezing.  Those readings will likely hover in the mid 30s as the wintry mix moves in during the day.

This means there will be a fine line between precipitation types, and the forecast will continue to evolve as the day progresses.

What is fairly certain, however, is that all of West Michigan will transition back to snow by late Tuesday afternoon and early evening.  This may create some slick conditions for the afternoon commute, with worsening roads into the nighttime hours.

The most difficult part of the forecast lies in the overall snowfall, because any rain that falls will cut down on snow amounts.  Snow may still be heavy at times through Tuesday evening, then should gradually become lighter and more scattered into the day Wednesday.

Computer snow forecasts vary greatly, but suggest that the most common totals through early Wednesday will be between two and four inches.  However, it will be easy for any band that stays over one place for a few hours to result in accumulations of closer to six inches.

Again, the forecast will continue to be a work in progress as we see a changing mix of precipitation around West Michigan during the daytime Tuesday.  Keep checking back on the Weather page for updates and interactive radar, and watch FOX 17 News at Five and Six for the latest on the forecast.

Your reports and photos will be greatly appreciated today — please email them to weather@fox17online.com or post them on the FOX 17 Facebook page.