Winter Storm Possible Early Next Week!

Freezing rain has exited the area, but our break doesn't last long. Quiet and precipitation-free weather is expected tomorrow before a strong storm system begins to move through the region on Sunday.

This will bring widespread rain and thunderstorms, and perhaps an additional period of freezing rain, from Saturday night through the day on Sunday.

Our main focus is on Monday and Monday night as a very rare and very impressive Colorado low-pressure system begins to impact the area. This low-pressure system has been very consistent, and while there are a few details to work out, there is still increasing potential for heavy snow and lake-effect snow, blowing snow, whiteout conditions, and strong to damaging winds on Monday and Monday night. Confidence in at least 4 inches of snow, 40-60 MPH damaging winds, and whiteout conditions in blowing snow is unusually high.

Snow and lake-effect snow will continue into the middle part of the week on Tuesday and Wednesday as temperatures continue to get colder. Looking beyond Wednesday, it looks to get even colder with single digit wind chills and highs in the teens likely for Thursday and Friday.

With regards to our system from Sunday night through Tuesday morning, we have some additional things we want to mention to all of you.

Not to cause alarm, as it is still too early to sound alarm bells, but the NWS in Grand Rapids has said that this is a storm system that is "fairly rare for any time of year" and that "all headlines will be on the table given the strength of the wind, which, when combined with accumulating lake-effect snow, will make for major travel concerns."

When the NWS talks about "headlines," they are talking about weather alerts. This means that all of our Winter Storm Alerts are on the table, including Winter Weather Advisories, and even more concerningly, Winter Storm Watches, Winter Storm Warnings, and perhaps even Blizzard Warnings.

Again, we need to stress that it is WAY too early to sound alarm bells, but we want to convey just how impressive this system is and that the early part of next week needs to be watched closely and that now is the time to prepare for a POTENTIAL high-impact winter storm.