7:38 p.m. update on winter storm watches

The following winter weather watch has been issued this evening for Sault Ste. Marie and all other parts of Northeastern Ontario except the Moosonee, Fort Albany area.

As of 7:19 p.m., a similar watch issued for Kapuskasing - Hearst - Smooth Rock Falls - Fraserdale - Pledger Lake has been cancelled. We've also included a winter weather advisory issued by the U.S. National Weather Service.

************************* Environment Canada

Snow, ice pellets, freezing rain for Thursday.

This is an alert to the potential development of dangerous winter weather conditions in these regions.

Monitor weather conditions. Listen for updated statements.

A low pressure system over Illinois is threatening to evolve into a winter storm for Northeastern Ontario as it tracks towards the Great Lakes.

With colder air in place over the district, precipitation from this low will fall in the form of snow, ice pellets and freezing rain.

Significant amounts of snow are quite possible over northern and western parts of the district.

Latest indications suggest a swath of regions from near Sault Ste. Marie to Timmins getting the most snow with total snowfall amounts of 15 centimetres or more quite possible generally on Thursday.

Further southeast in regions extending from Gore Bay across Sudbury to Earlton snow is expected to change over to a mixture of ice pellets and freezing rain.

Meanwhile over North Bay - Nipissing latest indications suggest primarily freezing rain and ice pellets which may change over to rain on Thursday as temperatures there sneak above freezing as the low pressure moves by.

There is still uncertainty as to the exact track of the low and the location of the heaviest snow and freezing precipitation.

Expect travelling conditions to deteriorate by Thursday morning across the district.

Motorists should be prepared for hazardous winter driving conditions and adjust travelling plans appropriately.

************************* U.S. National Weather Service

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO 2 PM EDT.

OVERVIEW

A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL LIFT INTO THE GREAT LAKES TONIGHT AND THURSDAY.

AS COLDER AIR WRAPS INTO THE SYSTEM, RAIN WILL CHANGE TO SNOW OVER MUCH OF NORTHERN MICHIGAN.

WHERE THE SNOW PERSISTS THE LONGEST, LIGHT TO MODERATE ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW WILL OCCUR.

CHIPPEWA-MACKINAC-EMMET-CHEBOYGAN-PRESQUE ISLE-CHARLEVOIX-LEELANAU-ANTRIM-OTSEGO-MONTMORENCY-ALPENA-BENZIE-GRAND TRAVERSE-KALKASKA-CRAWFORD-MANISTEE-WEXFORD-MISSAUKEE INCLUDING THE CITIES OF SAULT STE. MARIE, ST. IGNACE, PETOSKEY, CHEBOYGAN, ROGERS CITY, CHARLEVOIX, NORTHPORT, MANCELONA, GAYLORD, ATLANTA, ALPENA, FRANKFORT, TRAVERSE CITY, KALKASKA, GRAYLING, MANISTEE, CADILLAC, LAKE CITY.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GAYLORD HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW, WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO 2 PM EDT THURSDAY.

HAZARDS

RAIN WILL CHANGE OVER TO SNOW FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST TONIGHT. SNOW WILL BE HEAVIEST FROM 2 AM TO 10 PM.

SNOW ACCUMULATION

THREE TO 6 INCHES FROM NORTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN INTO THE EASTERN UPPER PENINSULA.

IMPACTS.

VISIBILITIES WILL BE REDUCED TO BELOW 1 MILE AT TIMES. ROADS WILL BECOME SLUSHY AND SNOW-COVERED LATE TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES.

BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES, AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

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