GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A strong, sweeping system is set to deliver impactful snow to much of the Great Lakes this weekend, including in West Michigan.
A winter storm watch has been issued for all of West Michigan, set to run from Saturday into Sunday. The potential is the same for just about everywhere with widespread heavy snow totals likely.
The cross-country system will be intensifying over the Plains throughout today. After a fairly quiet Friday in West Michigan, snow will begin to move back in on Saturday morning. It’ll be light at first and then gain intensity going through the afternoon hours.
From Saturday evening through Sunday morning, moderate to occasionally heavy snow is anticipated. It will be fluffy in nature at the onset, before turning into a heavier brand of snow into Sunday morning. Travel during this storm will be challenging.
Snow will gradually taper off through late Sunday morning, and travel conditions will improve thereafter. Blowing and drifting snow may be of some concern as northwest winds gust near 25 mph on Sunday. If you’re planning post-Thanksgiving travel, Monday appears to be calmer and conditions should generally be good for driving by that point.
This system is different from the one that rolled through earlier this week: unlike the localized nature of lake-effect, this storm will bring a large sweep of snow to all communities. There are a few places where the snow could be heaviest and that is currently favored for the majority of the area.
The entirety of West Michigan is likely to receive at least 4 inches of snow with amounts tapering off a touch north of I-96. Heavier accumulations of 6-10 inches are expected moving southwest of Grand Rapids. The greatest amounts will stack up near the I-94 corridor…