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Snow impacting travel overnight into Friday morning

Posted at 7:42 PM, Nov 15, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-15 22:51:16-05

WEST MICHIGAN — Some additional snow is falling tonight, and already snow-covered/untreated roads have become increasingly slippery tonight with temperatures forecasted to fall below the freezing mark.

The National Weather Service in Grand Rapids issued a Winter Weather Advisory in effect until 10 a.m. Friday for most of the FOX 17 viewing area:

The only counties not under this advisory are along the Indiana state line, simply because they’re under the umbrella of the NWS office in Goshen, IN which decided not to issue an advisory for this event.

Most of the snow is expected to fall from Allegan and Barry counties northward this evening, and come to an end by midnight:

However, a weak area of low pressure upstream will drift through West Michigan right around morning commute time tomorrow. Here is a look at where that low sits as of this writing:

That low — currently in Minnesota — will bring another round of light snow, which could mix with light rain or freezing drizzle at times. Although the precipitation isn’t expected to be heavy, the timing is bad in that it’s expected to fall right around the morning drive to work for most people.

This means drivers will want to allow extra time to get to their destinations tomorrow morning — and this evening, for that matter.

Here’s a look at estimated additional snowfall this evening and tomorrow morning according to our RPM forecast model:

Once again, Allegan and Barry counties northward is where the most significant snow is expected to fall. As you can see, another inch or so of additional accumulation is possible.

Friday afternoon, temperatures will approach 40° across most of the area. This will lead to a much smoother afternoon commute with just mostly cloudy and breezy conditions expected.

More snow is expected this weekend, however, especially on Saturday morning. After a cold Sunday with some lake effect flurries and snow showers, we expect a general warming trend to take hold next week, leading to near average temperatures by Thanksgiving. Be sure to tune in to FOX 17 for further updates!

Numerous slideoffs, spinouts and fender-benders were reported throughout the region, with several vehicles ending up in ditches along area highways.  That includesa fatal crash in Allegan County’s Wayland Township, where authorities say a woman died after losing control of her vehicle along Patterson Road.

Around 10:29 p.m. Thursday, police responded to a report a car hitting a power pole at 397 E. Division St. NE, west of Wolverine Boulevard, in Rockford. A vehicle was underneath some power lines that came down.

At 9:16 p.m. Thursday, police responded to a three-vehicle crash in the one-thousand block of East Paris Avenue SE, south of I-96 in Grand Rapids Township. One person was briefly pinned inside a vehicle, and a power pole was struck. Dispatchers reported no serious injuries.

About that same time, police responded to a report of a van rolled over in the median along southbound US-131, north of 14 Mile Road. No injuries were reported.

In Newaygo County, the Sheriff’s Office posted on social media that there had been multiple accidents early Thursday evening, one involving a patrol car that was struck “while the deputy was investigating a separate crash. The deputy was transported to the hospital for precaution check.”

Photo Courtesy: Newaygo Co. Sheriff’s Office Facebook page

Ionia County Central Dispatch confirmed to FOX 17 a rollover crash on S. Kimmel Road at E. Musgrove Highway in Sebewa Township around 7:40 p.m. Thursday. And in Montcalm County, dispatchers said one person was ejected during a single-vehicle rollover crash along M-57 at Lake Road in Eureka Township. That person was taken to a Greenville hospital with unspecified injuries.

In Allegan County, a vehicle struck a power pole at 24th Street and 142nd Avenue in Dorr, bringing down some power lines – but resulting in no injuries.

The Whitehall Police Department summed it up with a four-word message on social media: “Slow the heck down!!”