WEST MICHIGAN — Lake Effect snow is always puffier than a standard snow storm. But this week's arctic air is doing a little more to impact our roadways than just the chill.
It's allowing for the snowfall to turn the roads icy. Something you may see on the roads but overlook.
Michigan State Police say people aren’t making enough effort to adjust for the arctic conditions.
“What we're seeing is a lot of dangerous driving habits, as far as going way too fast for the conditions, the roadways are icy." Says Lt. Michelle Robinson. "And with these extremely low temperatures, it's very difficult for the salt to be effective, so that's why they're mixing it with a salt sand mixture.”
Grand Rapids has been below 10 degrees for almost 48 hours, our longest stretch since January 2019.
This level of cold not only limits the effectiveness of salt, but changes the type of snowflakes we experience.
We meteorologists refer to this change as ‘Snow Ratio', or the total moisture per inch of snowfall. Standard is 10 inches of snow for 1” of rainfall, 10:1, Wetter & heavier snow. This cold air allows the lake effect snow to be 20:1 and sometimes as high as 30:1, very fine, almost dusty, flakes.
The drier snowflakes are also less sticky. This snowpack provides less grip and more slip for tires. To no surprise, West Michigan drivers don't agree on the severity of the conditions.
Joe Malouef, a semi truck driver for Prairie Farms, thinks “They've been pretty decent for the most part. It's been a little slow out there and stuff, but a little slick, but not much you can do when it's really cold out like this.”
Meanwhile, Josh Hawkins, a daily commuter from Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids, said his drive time to work doubled Tuesday morning and is a little more unsettled on roads like these.
“I would not recommend going out unless you're going to work, especially on the highway. Highway with all the semis is pretty backed up as well. It's pretty much slick ice.”
Even salt trucks with Plainfield township were behind schedule to help improve road conditions.
Tires can collect this snowpack between the treads, and if your car isn’t in a garage, then the tires are just as cold as the roads, a bad mix when you get up to speed. This is why it is so important to adjust to conditions accordingly.
“I just gotta take it slow, and I guess I'll get the good times roll, you know," Says Joe, calmly.
