Marshall County EMA Director Jack Garner has provided an update about this weekend’s winter storm potential.
According to the National Weather Service, a major winter storm system will enter the Great Lakes region Thursday night into Friday morning, bringing snow, rain, strong winds, and eventually subzero wind chills. The earliest hours of the storm will likely be rain. This does not necessarily rule out several inches of snow.
The National Weather Service says wind gusts could be more than 35 mph, regardless of the amount of snow. Even 1-2″ of blowing snow can cause whiteout conditions and drifted roads. Travel will be hazardous beginning Friday afternoon and carrying into all day Saturday. Roads will be slick, and visibility will be severely limited during peak snowfall times. Wind chills approaching negative 20s are in the forecast for Sunday once the system snow has passed. High air temperatures in the single digits are also being predicted. Wind chills will likely not exceed 0 degrees until maybe Wednesday. Off-and-on, lake-effect snow will persist.
The National Weather Service doesn’t know the exact timing of the storm’s arrival. Current forecasts call for early morning Friday. The change from rain to snow is still an unknown time as well. The proximity to the surface and low pressure at the center of the system will determine the exact amount. If the surface low pulls north, it could rain almost all of Friday before we get 1-2″ of snow on Saturday. If the surface low slides further south, we could easily walk away from this event with 8 or more inches of snow.
Marshall County citizens can stay updated on the weather by downloading the Marshall County App on their smartphones.
