Heavy lake effect snow could make travel tricky Sunday night

Our first snowfall of the season arrived Saturday night in the form of wet snow, but more accumulation is on the way.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Berrien County in Michigan, as well as LaPorte, St. Joseph, Starke, and Marshall Counties in Indiana from 11 a.m. Sunday until 7 p.m. Monday.

A Winter Weather Advisory will be in effect from 4 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Monday for Cass County in Michigan, as well as Elkhart, Kosciusko, Pulaski, and Fulton Counties in Indiana.

A lake effect snow band sets up Sunday afternoon (WSBT)

A band of lake effect snow is expected to take shape Sunday morning, with moisture feeding in from Lake Superior. With so much moisture, this lake effect band has the chance of producing heavy snowfall rates.

The band of lake effect snow will wobble across Michiana Sunday afternoon and evening (WSBT)

The lake effect snow will start up Sunday afternoon and get heavier as we go throughout our evening and overnight.

Snowfall rates will pick up overnight as the lake effect snow band swings southwest (WSBT)

Travel is expected to become difficult late this evening and overnight as the snowfall rates pick up. Visibility will be low as the snow falls and blows around. There could also be some quickly accumulating slush on the roads.

Travel will become difficult later Sunday evening and overnight as lake effect snow becomes heavy (WSBT)

The band is expected to swing southwest of our area, into northwest Indiana and the Chicagoland area, as we enter the early morning hours Monday. This will give us a period of dry time on Monday.

The lake effect snow band will be over the Chicagoland area and northwest Indiana Monday morning (WSBT)

By Monday afternoon, the lake effect snow band will swing back over our area. This second round of snow likely will not have as heavy of snowfall rates as the first round.

The lake effect snow will swing back over Michiana by Monday afternoon (WSBT)

The lake effect will likely linger over our area before wrapping up Tuesday.

With the heavy snowfall rates expected, snow will accumulate faster than it can melt.

Places closer to Lake Michigan have the chance to see anywhere from 4-8″ or more of snow from Sunday afternoon through Tuesday morning.

Areas closer to Lake Michigan could see moderate to heavy accumulations by Tuesday morning. The area most likely to see the highest snow totals is circled by the purple line. (WSBT)

Forecast models do not agree on how far north the highest snowfall totals could extend, however they are in good agreement that LaPorte County and northwest Indiana have the best chance at seeing 8″ or more.

Areas farther west from Lake Michigan likely will not see as much snowfall, but could see moderate accumulations.

Not only will we be dealing with snow the next few days, it will also be very cold!

Sunday will be cold with highs in the upper 30s, but feeling much colder (WSBT)

Highs Sunday will only reach the upper 30s, but winds will pick up and make it feel much colder.

Breezy conditions will continue into Monday, especially in the morning. This will make us feel like the teens as we are waking up for work and school!

Monday morning will be frigid! (WSBT)

Any snow that does fall the next few days likely will not stick around for long — we will warm to the upper 40s and even low 50s by the end of the workweek!