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Rain and snow for Easter Weekend

Posted at 10:39 AM, Mar 29, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-29 11:22:49-04

WEST MICHIGAN-  I'll get it out of the way right away: the snow we receive this weekend isn't going to be that much of an issue.  For those of you who continue reading, I'll break down what to expect.

As we often mention during the winter months, this system that's developing off to our northwest is a "clipper" system.  This is short for "Alberta Clipper," which is where this system develops and moves from.  Often times during the winter, these systems move through very quickly and "clip" us with 2-3 inches of snow.  We will NOT see anything like that here in West Michigan.  There are several factors going against that: temperatures above freezing, warm ground, and higher sun angle.

That's not to say that it won't snow, though.  Saturday morning we're going to be on the warm side of this frontal boundary.  You'll notice the mix and snow colors to our northeast.  I believe we're going to see colder air than what's indicated on this particular model, however, it will still be above freezing.  ANY snow that falls will only stick in the grass, with it melting later on in the day.

There's no accumulation map for this snow.  It likely won't have much more than a nuisance effect on your weekend plans.  The wind + the big, wet snowflakes may limit visibility for a brief period.  You also may run into some longer than normal de-icing at the airport if you're flying out early Saturday for spring break plans.  I would expect at least one or two more of these type of storm systems, with the most recent being another shot at it Monday into Tuesday.