Gaylord, Michigan – Bridges and overpasses across Eastern Upper Michigan could glaze over within hours as freezing drizzle develops by 10 p.m. tonight, coating roads with up to two tenths of an inch of ice before transitioning to wet snow Friday.
According to the National Weather Service in Gaylord, a Winter Weather Advisory is in effect from 10 p.m. Thursday until 7 p.m. EST Friday for Western, Central and Southeast Chippewa County, Mackinac County, Mackinac Island and Bois Blanc Island. Ice accumulations up to 0.20 inches are possible overnight, followed by 1 to 3 inches of heavy, wet snow Friday afternoon. East winds could gust as high as 35 mph.
Freezing drizzle will create the most immediate concern late tonight, especially on elevated surfaces including the Mackinac Bridge, rural highways and untreated secondary roads. By Friday afternoon, precipitation will change to accumulating wet snow, adding slush and reducing visibility during both the morning and evening commutes.
Drivers should slow down, increase following distance and use caution on sidewalks and driveways where a thin glaze may be hard to see. Road crews may struggle to keep pace during periods of steady icing.
Conditions improve after 7 p.m. Friday, but slick travel could linger into Friday night as temperatures hover near freezing.
