Winter Storm Watches have been issued for a big part of Michigan ahead of a messy storm system that is set to begin moving through the state Tuesday night and into Wednesday.
Coming with a big temperature variation, it’s slated to be a “split storm” with part of the state getting snow and ice, and the other part getting rain that could come packed with thunder and lightning.
Wind gusts to 50 mph could bring down trees and power lines, the National Weather Service said.
It’s forecast to begin Tuesday night as a significant storm that could bring several inches of snow to the Upper Peninsula and the Tip of the Mitt in the Lower Peninsula.
The Winter Storm Watches cover about 25 counties across both peninsulas. As the map above shows, it covers counties along the rim of Lake Superior, from the Keweenaw Peninsula and east in the U.P. And in the Lower Peninsula, counties across the Tip of the Mitt and in northeast Michigan are all under the watch.
Forecast notes from the National Weather Service in Gaylord: “A storm system will bring mixed precipitation to much of northern Michigan starting Tuesday evening and lasting through much of Wednesday. There is high potential for 4” or more of snow across eastern Upper Peninsula and high potential for 0.1” or more of ice accumulations across the northern Lower Peninsula. Parts of northwest and north-central lower Michigan have a low chance to see icing in excess of a quarter inch.”
Snow and ice are expected with Wednesday’s storm across the U.P. and the Tip of the Mitt in Northern Michigan.Graphic provided by the National Weather Service
In between these snow and rain sections, we’re likely to have a sloppy middle area that could get freezing rain, sleet or heavier ice accumulations.
Across the southern tier of Michigan, we will likely see thunderstorms moving through. By Wednesday, temperatures will be running about 20 degrees above normal, and could even hit 60 in some areas of that region.
Thunderstorms are not expected to be severe, but heavy rain could cause some localized flooding.
Rain, snow and freezing rain are all in the mix for next week’s storm system.Graphic provided by the National Weather Service
