Two rounds of snow expected across Michigan, followed by deep freeze

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The next couple of days are not going to have pleasant weather. We have two rounds of snow in the forecast - one coming Thursday afternoon and another Thursday night and into Friday.

That second round is likely to cause problems with Friday morning’s commute across much of Michigan. Winds blowing to 40 mph, combined with the incoming snow, is expected to create visibility problems on the roads, leading to hazardous driving conditions in some areas.

In southern Michigan, we could have freezing drizzle creeping into the forecast on Thursday, which would make for a mess on the roads.

Here are the forecast highlights from the National Weather Service offices across Michigan:

Light to moderate snow will affect Michigan in two waves from Thursday afternoon through Friday morning, with the most significant impacts expected during the Friday morning commute when strong winds and blowing snow could create hazardous travel conditions across much of the state.

The first round of snow arrives Thursday afternoon, bringing one to three inches of accumulation across most of Michigan by Thursday evening. A brief lull may occur Thursday night, with some areas potentially seeing freezing drizzle, particularly in southern Michigan. The second and more impactful wave moves through late Thursday night into Friday morning, delivering an additional one to four inches, with the highest totals expected in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Michigan.

Friday morning’s commute appears particularly problematic as an Arctic cold front sweeps through the state. Behind the front, north to northwest winds will gust between 30 and 40 mph, creating areas of blowing and drifting snow that could significantly reduce visibility. The National Weather Service notes this combination of fresh snowfall and strong winds poses the greatest travel hazard, especially across the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Michigan. Recent ice cover growth along Lake Superior’s shoreline may worsen blowing snow conditions in those areas.

Temperatures will briefly reach or exceed freezing on Friday before plummeting as the Arctic air arrives. The cold front will send temperatures tumbling through the teens Friday afternoon, with lows dropping to near zero or below across much of the state Friday night into Saturday morning. Wind chills could reach 10 to 20 degrees below zero Saturday morning.

Lake effect snow may develop Friday afternoon and continue into Saturday, particularly in areas downwind of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. The Upper Peninsula could see an additional two to four inches in favored snowbelts, while areas west of U.S. 31 in the Lower Peninsula may receive one to two inches.

The bitter cold will be brief. High pressure moves through Sunday, allowing temperatures to moderate into early next week. Highs will climb back to near or above freezing by Monday, with some areas potentially reaching the upper 30s to low 40s by Tuesday and Wednesday. This warming trend will create concerns about unstable ice conditions on inland lakes and along Great Lakes shorelines.