Significant winter storm could be headed our way

Environment Canada has issued the special weather statement appearing immediately below.

That statement is followed by a U.S. National Weather Service storm watch in effect for much of Michigan, including the Michigan Soo, Chippewa County and Mackinac County.

*************************

FROM ENVIRONMENT CANADA:

SAULT STE. MARIE - SUPERIOR EAST -TIMMINS - COCHRANE - GREATER SUDBURY AND VICINITY - CHAPLEAU - GOGAMA - KIRKLAND LAKE - NEW LISKEARD - TEMAGAMI - ELLIOT LAKE - RANGER LAKE -MANITOULIN - BLIND RIVER - KILLARNEY - NORTH BAY - WEST NIPISSING.

 SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL BEGINNING THURSDAY.

A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL DEVELOP OVER COLORADO AND TRACK TOWARD SOUTHERN ONTARIO WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY.

CURRENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT SNOW WILL BEGIN THURSDAY MORNING OVER REGIONS NEAR LAKE HURON AND SPREAD TO THE NORTH DURING THE DAY.

HIGHEST SNOW AMOUNTS ARE LIKELY TO FALL SOUTH OF A LINE FROM MANITOULIN ISLAND TO KIRKLAND LAKE. 

AMOUNTS OF 15 CM OR MORE ARE LIKELY BEFORE THE SNOW ENDS FRIDAY. 

LESSER AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED FROM EASTERN LAKE SUPERIOR TO TIMMINS.

HOWEVER, THE EXACT TRACK OF THE LOW WILL DETERMINE SNOW AMOUNTS FOR EACH AREA. 

AT THIS EARLY STAGE THERE IS STILL MUCH UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THE TRACK OF THE LOW. 

ENVIRONMENT CANADA IS MONITORING THIS STORM CLOSELY AND WILL ISSUE FURTHER STATEMENTS AS MORE DETAILS BECOME AVAILABLE.

PLEASE MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS AND WARNINGS FROM ENVIRONMENT CANADA.

*************************

FROM U.S. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE (ABRIDGED):

SIGNIFICANT WINTER STORM HEADING TOWARD THE GREAT LAKES.

LOW PRESSURE WILL BE ORGANIZING OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS TONIGHT...AND TRACK NORTHEAST AND INTO SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN BY LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON.

SNOW IS EXPECTED TO OVERSPREAD NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN DURING THE PRE-DAWN HOURS OF THURSDAY...AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY THURSDAY AND INTO THURSDAY NIGHT.

INCREASING WINDS WILL ALSO RESULT IN BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW.

SNOW WILL BEGIN TO TAPER OFF FRIDAY.

...

WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GAYLORD HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

HAZARDOUS WEATHER...

* HEAVY SNOWFALL WILL DEVELOP BY THURSDAY MORNING...AND CONTINUE INTO THURSDAY NIGHT.

BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW IS ALSO EXPECTED AS WINDS INCREASE FROM THE NORTHEAST AND NORTH BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON.

IMPACTS...

* SNOW DEVELOPING ACROSS NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN PRIOR TO SUNRISE THURSDAY...AND INTO EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN THURSDAY MORNING.

* SNOW WILL BE OF THE WET AND HEAVY VARIETY...DIFFICULT TO MOVE AND TRAVEL IN.

* SNOWFALL TOTALS IN EXCESS OF 10 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS MUCH OF THE WATCH AREA BY FRIDAY MORNING.

* NORTHEAST TO NORTH WINDS GUSTING OVER 25 MPH WILL RESULT IN CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW.

NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG THE NORTHWEST LOWER LAKESHORE AREAS THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

* A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. TO LEARN MORE...VISIT US ONLINE AT WEATHER.GOV/GAYLORD OR FIND US ON FACEBOOK.

**************************