NORTHERN MICHIGAN -- Dramatic changes are coming to our weather after a strange day Tuesday with record warmth and lots of rain and even some flooding.
A powerful cold front has swept through Northern Michigan as of early Wednesday morning. That led to a quick "flash freeze" of water on some roadways leading to over 80 schools closing Wednesday due to icing issues.
We also have noted a rise on the Muskegon River at both Paris in Mecosta County and further upstream at Evart in Osceola County most likely due to a combination of rain/melting snow along with possible ice jams. We are monitoring that closely.
As temperatures gradually fall Wednesday, any water will continue to lock up in the form of ice. The bigger weather story besides the ice and cold will be the snow.
Snow will break out Wednesday morning and at times become heavy into the afternoon/evening hours of Wednesday across Northern Michigan. The latest guidance/data indicates a swath of 3-5" snows falling by 6 p.m. Wednesday evening along/north of a line from Manistee to Gaylord to Rogers City with lighter amounts south. The snow will continue to fall into Wednesday night before switching over to more of a lake effect banding type situation off of Lakes Superior/Michigan as temperatures tumble into the single digits/teens overnight.
By Thursday morning a few spots could be pushing 8" of snow total including Traverse City, Gaylord, Cheboygan, Rogers City and Drummond Island with the rest of Northern Michigan ranging from 2-6" (lightest amounts along/south of highway US-10).
As cold air surges in Thursday/Friday (highs in the teens) it will become a purely lake effect snow event with the snow belts seeing any additional accumulation. Total amounts will be in the 9-11" range in the snow belts with the very highest totals forecasted in Northern Kalkaska/Southern Antrim counties.
If you have any snow or weather reports from your neighborhood, we'd love to have them! Post them on our upnorthlive facebook page or email the 7&4 Storm Team directly at weather@upnorthlive.com
