A rain-snow mix is developing Thursday, Dec. 18, across Michigan under mild temperatures and strong winds, prompting several winter hazards ahead of a rapid drop in temperatures expected tonight known as a flash freeze.
“Rapidly falling temperatures later tonight (Dec. 18) will lead to icy road conditions. Gusty winds combined with falling snow will result in very poor visibilities at times tonight into Friday (Dec. 19),” the National Weather Service said in its advisory. “Gusty winds could bring down tree branches and cause isolated power outages. The hazardous conditions will impact the Friday morning commute.”
A winter weather advisory has been issued for Cheboygan, Emmet, Antrim, Charlevoix, Otsego, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Benzie, Manistee, Lake, Mason, Gogebic, Ontonagon, Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga, Marquette, Alger, northern Schoolcraft, Luce and Chippewa counties.
The advisory is in place through Friday, Dec. 19, because of wind gusts up to 45 mph, heavy 24-hour snow accumulation and a flash freeze as temperatures dip to single-digit lows Dec. 18.
By Friday morning, Dec. 19, snow is forecast to accumulate throughout Michigan’s snowbelt, according to the NWS’s Probabilistic Precipitation Portal. The highest snowfall is forecast in the Keweenaw Peninsula, ranging from 2-7 inches.
A wind advisory is in effect for Keweenaw, Alger, northern Houghton and Marquette counties with gusts reaching 55 mph.
“Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result,” the NWS said.
A gale warning and small craft advisory are in place as well for lakes Michigan, Huron and Superior with winds at 23-57 mph creating dangerous waves. Lake Superior is forecast to see 18-foot waves around Marquette, Grand Marais and Manitou Island.
Lake Superior is also under a heavy freeze spray warning for rapid ice creation, “at a rate of 2 cm per hour or greater expected, and may rapidly accumulate on vessels,” the NWS said.
As the wintry mix begins, here’s an interactive map to keep track of the warnings and advisories in Michigan:
Winter weather advisory: See where hazards are in place in Michigan today
Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@lsj.com
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Snow-rain mix, flash freeze ahead. See Michigan’s active hazard map
Reporting by Sarah Moore, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
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