DDN – Treacherous travel conditions, including blowing, windy snow resulting in reduced visibility and white-out conditions, will likely endure until Tuesday as Michigan remains under the grip of this ice blast.
The freezing cold has caused sloppy roadways throughout the state, and the falling lake-effect snow is smaller due to the extreme cold. According to the National Weather Service, this makes it simpler to blow around, resulting in hazardous driving conditions.
Temperatures near zero and wind chills below zero remain dangerous. Wind chills of 25 below zero are forecast through Wednesday. Frostbite on exposed skin usually occurs within 30 minutes. Stay inside if possible, and bring your dogs indoors. Animal rescue groups in Michigan have already reported responding to calls about deceased pets or distressed animals.
“Very cold temperatures and lake effect snow will continue to result in slow and treacherous travel through Tuesday night,” NWS meteorologists in Grand Rapids said. “While not particularly heavy, the snow will greatly reduce visibilities and slowly add up, with the highest additional amounts generally near and west of Highway 131.”
Visit the state’s MiDrive website to verify highway conditions before leaving home. It displays real-time traffic slowdowns, as well as any reported accidents and the locations of state-contracted snow plows.
On Monday, the image showed a lot of slow-moving red, indicating slide-offs and pileups from West Michigan to Lansing to Flint. Tonight, a snow squall line was observed in Lansing that extended all the way to Livingston County.
One NWS employee in Grand Rapids offered this first-hand report from earlier today: “Take it from someone who drove to work. Five automobiles in the ditch on a three-mile stretch of M-6 near Grand Rapids is just one of multiple issues. Even if you see pavement, you may have little braking action. 45 mph may not be a safe speed. “Remember your hat and gloves.”
New snowfall forecast between tonight and Wednesday might total up to 8 inches along the Ottawa/Kent County border. Ludington, Muskegon, and Kalamazoo are expected to receive three to four inches. The Grand Rapids area might get 4 to 6 inches.
Southeast Michigan is predicted to receive less than an inch of new snow by Tuesday night.
Reference: Slow, treacherous travel conditions to continue through Tuesday across Michigan
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