After a quiet day on Wednesday, the lake effect snow returned to West Michigan with a vengeance on Thursday and will continue into the weekend. The Grand Rapids National Weather Service has issued a Lake Effect Snow Warning for Mason, Oceana, Muskegon, Calhoun, Newaygo, Ionia, and Eaton counties until 7AM Saturday and for Ottawa, Allegan, Van Buren, Kalamazoo, Kent and Berry counties until 1 PM Saturday. They also issued a Lake Effect Snow Advisory for Lake, Mecosta, Montcalm, Clinton, Ingham, and Jackson counties from 7 PM Friday until 7 AM Saturday. The intensity of the sow should diminish Friday afternoon but intensify during the evening.
An additional 4-7 inches of snow is expected in the warning area west of US-131 bring the total accumulations to 8-16 inches be Saturday afternoon. In the advisory area, an additional 3-5 inches of snow will likely fall by Saturday afternoon.
The storm total forecast snowfall through Saturday afternoon shows the lake effect bullseye over Allegan County where over a foot of snow is expected.
The wind will become very gusty creating blowing and drifting of the snow and hazardous travel conditions. The wind will also create dangerous wind chill values of 10° below zero tonight.
Another weaker disturbance will move into the area bringing additional snowfall on Sunday morning.
Flooding remains a problem for much of West Michigan, both from the heavy rain and recent ice jams on area rivers.
See the slideshow on the left for a few forecast weather maps for the snow.
Before you head out to travel around West Michigan, check out the live West Michigan Weather conditions and live lakeshore weather
The Grand Rapids National Weather Service wants any weather reports as well as any pictures you may have.
You can send then your weather reports via their on-line spotter report form. This can be accessed at: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/grr/spotter/
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