DETROIT (WWJ) – Many in Metro Detroit have been dreaming of a white Christmas, and we're going to get it.
But with 6-10 inches of snow expected and wind gusts topping 50 mph in some areas between Thursday night and Saturday morning, will our white Christmas turn into a blackout? On a new Daily J, WWJ's Zach Clark discovers how the impending blizzard will impact holiday celebrations.
Experts are warning Michiganders on Wednesday they should be preparing for the worst as the holiday storm looms. The National Weather Service is discouraging travel on Friday.
"The combination of the falling snow and the blowing snow, you'll have very limited visibility, drifts across the road, and the temperatures will be a significant issue as well," Brian Mead with the NWS in Grand Rapids told WWJ.
While Metro Detroit is bracing for 6-10 inches, a Blizzard Warning has been issued for parts of southwest and west central Michigan, in effect from 4 p.m. Thursday until 7 p.m. Saturday.
The NWS says blizzard conditions are expected, with snow accumulations of 10 to 20 inches. On Friday, the NWS says travel will be "difficult to impossible" in these areas.
What complicates things with this storm is what's expected to come before the snow starts: rain. The storm is supposed to start with temperatures above freezing and then a big plunge comes in. Craig Bryson with the Road Commission for Oakland County tells WWJ that's just one of the issues.
"In this case it looks like there's gonna be rain before it turns to snow/ We never put down salt ahead of time whether it's raining or not because it blows off the road, but with rain, it'll just wash off the road. It's totally ineffective, a waste of money, a waste of staff time," Bryson said live on WWJ Wednesday morning.
He says "the critical point" is when the rain starts to turn to freezing rain and snow – that's when the RCOC salt trucks will start to hit the roads.
As for those last-minute Christmas shoppers, Andrea Bitely from the Michigan retailers association tells WWJ local small businesses will be open for business, even as the storm hits.
"If you feel safe going out and doing some last-minute shopping, our retailers will be open and ready to help you pick out that great gift. If you can get out today or Thursday, or even Friday morning hit the stores before the storm really closes in on Metro Detroit, you're going to have that gift that will make your sister, mother, wife smile and be happy that you remembered to get something," Bitely said.
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