Detroit, Michigan – Slick freeways and strong wind gusts could disrupt travel across Michigan beginning Thursday, Feb. 26, as a wetter late-winter pattern raises the risk for freezing rain and high winds through Monday, March 2.
According to NOAA’s 6- to 10-day outlook issued Friday, above-normal precipitation is favored across the Great Lakes during the Thursday-to-Monday stretch. With temperatures hovering near seasonal averages, brief dips toward 32 degrees may allow freezing rain to develop, particularly overnight and during early morning commutes.
Statewide impacts may focus along I-94 from Detroit to Ann Arbor and I-75 from Flint to Saginaw, where bridges and elevated ramps freeze first. In Metro Detroit, overpasses near the Ambassador Bridge and along the Lodge Freeway could turn slick if light ice accumulates. Across western Michigan, including Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, fluctuating surface temperatures may cause rain to briefly mix with freezing rain before changing back.
Farther north, communities along US-131 and near the Mackinac Bridge could see stronger wind impacts late in the period. Gusts between 45 and 55 mph are possible Sunday into Monday, especially along Lake Michigan and Lake Huron shorelines. Strong winds combined with saturated soil could down tree limbs and cause scattered power outages.
Residents should secure outdoor items, charge essential devices and allow extra travel time during peak icing windows. The unsettled pattern continues through March 2, and additional advisories may be issued statewide.
