For the majority of West Michigan, several inches of snow are predicted to accumulate through Saturday morning, with some areas receiving six or more.
A strong lake-effect snow system is forecast to approach the Great Lakes Thursday night, with optimum snowfall conditions continuing until early Saturday morning. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for most of West Michigan until 7 a.m. Saturday, forecasting 2-4 inches of snow with isolated amounts of 4-7 inches or more.
Ground temperatures remain very warm, but persistent snow and air temperatures below freezing from Thursday night to Saturday morning will cause accumulation, with the snow progressively winning out over the warmth.
Winds are forecast to increase on Friday and Saturday, with gusts of up to 25 mph from the west and northwest. This will make vision difficult at times, particularly in the thickest lake-effect snow bands.
Snow intensity will decrease throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday, but fresh rounds of snow and lake-effect snow are predicted through the first week of December.
This will not only be our first inch of snow accumulation of the season (which is later than typical), but also our first substantial snowfall of the season. Typically, the first 3 inches of snowfall arrive around December 6, followed by the first 6 inches on January 6.
The Storm Team 8 2024-25 Winter Outlook predicts a strong start to winter, with stacking snow lasting at least the first part of December. Stay with Storm Team 8 for the timing and totals associated with each wave.