WEST MICHIGAN -- After forecasting snow for days on Friday and Saturday, the time is almost here. Our first accumulating snow will develop Friday morning and continue for some of us into midday Saturday. There are three components with this system. Here they are:
1. A developing low pressure area coming out of the Plains will generate about 1" to 2" of snow area-wide on Friday. Not much right? And in fact, there will likely be some breaks in the activity during the day and evening.
2. A strong upper level disturbance and cold air moving across Lake Michigan will start the lake effect snow making machine Friday night into Saturday morning/midday. An additional 2" to 4" is likely to fall along/west of U.S. 131 through that time frame.
3. Finally, a strong west/northwest wind will develop Friday late afternoon/evening and continue into Saturday morning. Winds are expected to be sustained over a two-minute period at about 15 to 25 mph, with gusts of 40 or better likely.
While we may not see snow sticking to the roads on Friday, that will likely NOT be the case on Friday night/Saturday morning. I believe colder temperatures and heavier snowfall will create issues on the roads during that time frame, so drive safely. Take a look at our snowfall graphics above. Not all locations in blue will see six inches of snow, but there will likely be some that do. The lightest amounts of snow from this entire event will be further east in the areas of gray that pick up only an inch or two.
The image below is valid for Friday at 6 A.M.
The next image below is valid for Friday at 6 P.M.
The next image below is valid for 6 A.M. on Saturday. Notice the trough of low pressure swinging through with lake effect snows at that time.
Take a look at the images below for wind speeds, gusts, and direction. The image below is valid for Friday at 6 P.M. The bigger, whiter number is the sustained wind in miles per hour. The "G" number is the gust, and the wind direction arrow shows the flow.
The last image below is our winds at 6 A.M. on Saturday. Still strong!
Keep in mind almost the entire area is under a WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY through 7 A.M. Saturday. Stay in touch! Download our FOX 17 Weather APP and get the complete forecast www.fox17online.com/weather.
