A storm system may bring significant impacts to western Lower Michigan from Friday night through early Sunday, with heavy rain and accumulating ice and snow. Areal and river flooding, power outages, and difficult travel conditions are possible.
It is almost certain we will see some sort of watches and warnings begin to appear within the next 24 hours for most of not all of Michigan. There is still some uncertainty as to the whats and wheres – rain, sleet, ice and snow will be heading into the area. There is gaining confidence that rainfall amounts of two to three inches will fall from Friday night through Saturday in areas south of Muskegon to Tawas. Below is the current take from the NWS:
For those wishing for snow, if you like the heavy cement like stuff which is hard to move by hand this is for you. Regardless, this will not be a pleasant system to be out and about in. I for one intend to stay inside with a good book and/or a movie. Stand by for updates as they come in…..
As many of you know we feed the wild life here at the Weather Center. I have seen up to seven squirrels, a chipmunk, finches, cardinals, woodpeckers, morning doves and a wide variety of other birds at the feeders through out the day. They are fun to watch…
It is 48 degrees here. That feels warm for a January night. My husband ran to Meijer today and he said it was so crowded. The wildlife (birds and squirrels ) are eating like crazy around here too. Sign of a change in the weather.
GFS MODLE gives GR 18 inches of snow now great Scotty….INDY
Now is the time to stock up on lots of sprites!!
READY! Get your plows sharpen yeaaa INDY
We are locked and loaded and ready to fight this storm!!! Salt truck is loaded and plows are all on!! As rocky would say”bring it”!!!!
I think the whole town is at Meijers. LOL!!
That is a lot of snow. Get the sleds out!!
49.5 degrees at 7:30 – not bad for January….
The latest mid range snow maps are trending in the right direction! Some incredible totals!
https://www.instantweathermaps.com/GFS-php/conussfc.php?run=2020010918&time=PER&var=ASNOWI&hour=384
That’s 48-60 inches by the 25th holly Batman…INDY
This is an amazing snow map! This simply means the trends are now for snow and cold and it is about time! We are about ready to get clobbered with winter weather!
I’ll mark it down that rocky is predicting 48+ inches of snow for GR by the 25th!
More lies! You are a joke! The RDB model will make all official snowfall predictions not the GFS! Keep your facts straight!
Incredibly mild evening for mid January! 50 degrees outside now. Wow!
Here’s rooting for the latest 18z gfs snow map! Incredible! Bring on the snow!!!
http://wxcaster.com/gis-gfs-snow-overlays2.php?STATIONID=GRR
I’ll mark it down that Rocky is predicting 15+ inches of snow for GR by Sunday!
Great news>>>>all of the teleconnectors are now trending towards more cold and snow! We can get rid of these above normal temps and rain and start seeing tons or cold and snow! Bring it!
Just updated the zone forecast for Northern Kent!
https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=43.1195&lon=-85.5581#.XheiDyROmEc
Thanks for the update and this will be changed and updated every few hours from now through Saturday! We have a chance for too much freezing rain and still have a chance for more snow than they are currently showing! Everyone should get prepared now!
If you have generators, get them ready! I’ll be doing that tonight!
I really don’t like the sounds of this: DISCUSSION…(This evening through next Thursday) Issued at 304 PM EST Thu Jan 9 2020 -Impactful precipitation expected from Friday night through Saturday night, especially south of a Muskegon to Mt Pleasant line. The latest models runs generally show a swath of 2.5 to 3.5 inches of precipitation through the southern half of the CWA with lesser amounts further north. This is very unusual and around record values for this time of the year for a two day period. With pwat values up over an inch a stalled out 925 mb to 850… Read more »
I am really filled with anxiety with this system. I think our area is in the bullseye for the freezing rain. Being a snow lover, this winter has been depressing and having this potential freezing rain “beast’ upon us…. yeah.. I am a little ticked 🙂 Having no generator and having own well…. if power goes out, makes for a miserable time if multiple days are in play. In 1985 we were off for 5 days when we were hit with a major ice storm. I do have a gas range, therefore can have a lot of soup… LOL 🙂
Current nws map!
GR get ready for freezing rain and then 3 to 5 inches of snow!
Don’t worry because Barry said 5 inches of snow in not even a snowstorm! Incredible!
Nope, nothing like we used to get. Add in ice and that’s way different, but you wouldn’t have a clue with that. Ridiculous.
Here is the latest gfs snow map! Move that snow a little bit farther South please!
http://wxcaster.com/gis-gfs-snow-overlays.php?STATIONID=GRR
Does anyone have a good source to get model forecasts for ICE accumulation?
This should do the trick!
https://origin.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/pwpf/wwd_accum_probs.php
Thanks Rocky!
Rock on Nathan!
Euro MODLE gives GR 1.80 of ice for Saturday that would do major damage it’s time to go over a safe plan folks ….INDY
We want snow not ice!
The boy has a hockey game Saturday afternoon. It’s a home game but the visiting team is from Ann Arbor. I’m not sure if they will want to make the trip up here.
Only 34* degrees out at thee YARDofBRICKS NE of GR makes today’s high of 45* degrees cold don’t see that happening…The wind is cold definitely tell a storm is coming…INDY
34 here at this time also
Slim
Temps will be rising this afternoon and evening with the southerly winds, so yes the 40’s will be happening just later today.
Low 40’s now and rising!
Get a life and get ready for a winter storm warning!
Wow, now he’s telling Indy to get a life to for reporting the temp.
Too funny! You really don’t have a Clue!
Well more so than you so there’s that.
Well…looks like we won’t be flying out Saturday afternoon :/
Well if there are a lot of extended power outages, at least temps are back into the 40’s next week so no one has to worry about pipes freezing like last year.
While this very well will change but at this time the Euro has a unbelievable 3.36” of precipitation and the GFS has 1.90”. I do not believe that will happen but if it does there is a list of the top 5 wettest storms in January at Grand Rapids in recorded history. 2.15” in 1993 that fell with a temperature in the 50’s so no ice or snow. 1.85” in 1960 temperatures in the low 40” no ice or snow. 1.84” in 1907 temperatures in the mid 50’s no ice or snow. 1.70” in 1895 temperatures in the low 30’s… Read more »
Our local met at lunchtime said that 2-3″ of rain is not out of the realm of possibility, and some may see more than 3″. That’s a LOT of water.
One thing for sure this weekend is we will have to keep a close eye on the temperatures. If there is that much precipitation that falls as rain in sub freezing temperatures then we will all wish that it was snow and not rain. And if the winds are as strong as forecasted well power outages will be the norm and long lasting. At this time it is best to wish for the best and be ready for the worst.
Slim
“Two day storm total precipitation amounts, which includes the combination of rain and snow or ice water content, could approach winter season historical records in Southern Michigan.”
Winter storm watch for Friday evening into Sunday for all of west Michigan..Here we go INDY
“Heavy mixed precipitation possible. Rain transitioning to an icy mix is possible in southern portions of Michigan.”
main graphic is updated
Looks like a stormy pattern is back lots of snow and cold coming prepare now …INDY
I’m not seeing any major cold or snow in the foreseeable future.
I see John Dee has now shifted his snow line north, basically giving GR little to no snow this weekend.
2 to 3 inches or rain??! That will not be good with the ground already close to completely saturated with moisture. This area is going to turn into a rainforest if we have another year like last year.
Sounds like more of a sloppy and icy wintry mix for the weekend now. Too bad for the snow lovers who kept wishcasting a big snowstorm!