/Upated 12/22/13/ Significant Mixed Precipition To Hamper Driving This Weekend

Update...12/22/13
 A damaging ice storm affected a significant portions of north and central Southeast Lower Michigan Saturday into early Sunday. For the particulars; Winter Storm Summary from the National Weather Service White Lake.

12/20/13
Periods of rain, freezing rain and some snow will be over Southeast Lower Michigan into the weekend; interfering with holiday shopping and travel in general. A storm center developing over Texas with slide northeast into the Eastern Great Lakes and bring a variety of dangerous winter weather to Southeast Lower Michigan. The worst of the weather will be in the form of freezing rain which will fall over much of the region at some point from Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning.

This low pressure area will have a lot of moisture to work with as it slides into Northwest Ohio Saturday night, therefore significant icing is likely where temperatures hover in the lower 30s. At this time, it appears the worst of the icing risk will be over central and northern areas of southeast Lower Michigan where up to a 1/4 to around 1/2" of ice could accumulate. This would include at this time, Detroit's northwest-north-northeast suburbs. In the meantime, a straightening high pressure system over south-central and southeast Canada will continue to deliver cold air into to the wet system; gradually changing any residual rain and freezing rain to some snow on the backside later Sunday.

Much of Southeast Lower Michigan will see more rain and freezing rain from this system with heaviest snow across the Saginaw Valley. Periods of snow, sleet and freezing rain will be confined to the Saginaw Valley and Thumb Region Saturday evening into Sunday, As colder air works back into the region, several inches of snow still could fall over the Saginaw Valley on Sunday.

Stay abreast for storm updates!

Making weather fun while we all learn,
Bill Deedler -SEMI_WeatherHistorian

Low Pressure System Continues to Bring First Significant Snowfall Of The Season To Southeast Lower Michigan

12/15 - Snowfall totals from the NWS DTX



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12/14- 12 Noon
Our storm continues to unfold with widespread snow and some blowing snow as the system wraps up nicely and precipitates much of the available moisture. This has been increasing snowfall rates across the region and to the south this morning and this will persist this afternoon which helps fine turning snowfall amounts. With a slightly better storm center and very efficient snow producer; I look for mainly 5" - 7" across much of Southeast Lower Michigan south of  I-69 with scattered pockets of 8"+; especially from the Ann Arbor area into Metro Detroit and south to the Ohio border. Some blowing and drifting will also occur do to a stiff northeast to north wind of 10 to 20 mph and gusts occasionally near 25 mph.

12/13
A low pressure system moving through the Upper Ohio Valley on Saturday will bring a light to moderate snowfall to the region. Snow will overspread Southeast Lower Michigan later tonight and continue into Saturday evening before diminishing to flurries from west to east overnight Saturday into early Sunday morning.

 Look for snowfall totals to range in the 3 - 6" range across the southern half of the region (basically south of I-69) with the highest totals south of I-94. Some isolated totals of  6"+ are possible in the heaviest falls. Across the Saginaw Valley into the Thumb; generally 2 - 4" can be expected...a bit higher downwind of Lake Huron.  Lowest visibilities during the storm will range from around a 1/2 mile to 1 mile in snow or snow and light fog.

This is Southeast Lower Michigan's first notable snowfall of the season of advisory criteria and motorists and holiday shoppers will observe poor winter driving conditions and be ready to act accordingly. In addition; the nearly persistent cold below normal temperatures of the past several weeks will continue into at least mid week which will preserve the snowfall and allow winter outdoor enthusiasts and snow lovers in general, time to enjoy it. This snowfall of course will give the region a Christmas scenario look at least before Christmas (see my "Past Christmas's" write-up blog will be online next week).

Speaking of the holiday; another storm will possibly brew next week at this same time (the Friday into Sunday timeframe) but as of this writing; model trajectories are all over the board with the when, where and type of precipitation occurrence. At this very early date; one should at least be aware there is the risk of some type of winter mess affecting Southeast Lower Michigan next weekend, the weekend before Christmas. This will be a heavier traveled weekend to boot and updates on that system will be forthcoming.

Making weather fun while we all learn,
Bill Deedler -SEMI_WeatherHistorian