By David Helwig
SooToday.com
Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Environment Canada has issued the following snowfall warning for Sault Ste. Marie - St. Joseph Island - Searchmont - Montreal River Harbour - Batchawana Bay - Ranger Lake - Thessalon - Blind River - Elliot Lake - Espanola - Killarney - Manitoulin Island - Gogama - Foleyet.

A similar warning is in place for Greater Sudbury and vicinity, North Bay, West Nipissing, Kirkland Lake, New Liskeard and Temagami.

The Environment Canada warning is followed by a U.S. National Weather Service winter storm warning for a widespread area, including Chippewa and Mackinac counties.

The Environment Canada radar image shown was taken at 12:33 p.m. today.

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Environment Canada

15 to 25 centimetres of snow expected beginning tonight into Wednesday.

A low pressure system currently over the southwestern states will move towards the upper Great Lakes.

Precipitation associated with this system will begin as light snow late this evening over Manitoulin Island and spread northward and eastward overnight.

The bulk of the snow is expected to fall Wednesday into Wednesday evening.

Snow will likely change to rain for Manitoulin and its vicinity Wednesday evening.

Fifteen to 25 centimetres of snow are expected over the above regions before it tapers off Wednesday night.

Strong easterly winds may whip the freshly fallen snow causing blowing snow and reduced visibility.

Travellers should be prepared for hazardous winter driving conditions and allow extra time to reach their destinations.

In the wake of the storm, cold westerly winds going over the Great Lakes will set up another lake effect event for snowbelt areas on Thursday.

Environment Canada will continue to monitor this developing situation closely.

Snowfall warning may be extended to other regions later today if necessary.

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U.S. National Weather Service

STRONG WINTER STORM HEADING TOWARD THE REGION.

STRENGTHENING LOW PRESSURE WILL TRACK FROM THE SOUTHERN PLAINS INTO LAKE HURON BY EARLY WEDNESDAY EVENING SPREADING A LARGE AREA OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW ACROSS NORTHERN MICHIGAN BEGINNING TONIGHT.

IN ADDITION, STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL LEAD TO AREAS OF
BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW LATER WEDNESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT WITH DEVELOPING LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS PROVIDING MORE ACCUMULATION IN THE SNOW BELTS.

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

WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 AM EST THURSDAY

A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 AM EST THURSDAY.

* HAZARDS: HEAVY SNOW WILL OVERSPREAD EASTERN UPPER AND NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN THIS EVENING AND CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

COLD AIR AND STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL SWEEP INTO THE REGION WEDNESDAY NIGHT BEHIND THE DEPARTING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM LEADING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS AND CREATING AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW.

* SNOW ACCUMULATION: SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 6 TO 12 INCHES WILL OCCUR ACROSS THE WARNED AREA TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY WITH AN ADDITIONAL 2 TO 5 INCHES EXPECTED INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

* IMPACTS: VISIBILITIES WILL DROP TO A QUARTER MILE OR LESS WITHIN THE HEAVY SNOW.

ROADS WILL BECOME SNOW COVERED AND HAZARDOUS.

BOTH OF WHICH WILL BE OCCURRING DURING HIGHER TRAFFIC TIMES FOR THE MORNING COMMUTE.

STRONG WINDS WILL CAUSE SUBSTANTIAL BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW ALONG THE SOUTHERN SHORE OF MACKINAC COUNTY TONIGHT INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY AND THEN ALONG THE IMMEDIATE LAKE MICHIGAN SHORELINE OF NORTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN LATER WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS FURTHER DETERIORATING TRAVEL CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 36 HOURS.

SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS.

IF YOU MUST, USE EXTREME CAUTION.

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