Marquette, Michigan – Drivers across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula could face multiple rounds of disruptive snow over the next several days, with one system late this week followed by a potentially stronger storm that may drop more than a foot of snow by early next week.
According to the National Weather Service in Marquette, light snow tapering from west to east Wednesday evening may still leave 1 to 3 additional inches across parts of the central and eastern U.P. before ending overnight. Roads in areas near Munising, Manistique, Newberry and Sault Ste. Marie may remain slick through the night as temperatures stay below freezing.
A more organized system is expected to move into the region Thursday night and Friday, bringing accumulating snow and gusty winds across most of the Upper Peninsula. Winter Storm Watches have been issued for large portions of the U.P., including areas near Marquette, Iron Mountain, Escanaba and Houghton, where blowing snow could reduce visibility on highways such as US-41 and M-28.
Forecasters say confidence is increasing in an even stronger storm developing Saturday night through Monday. Current projections show a 55% to 77% chance of more than 12 inches of snowfall in parts of the central and western Upper Peninsula, including Marquette, Escanaba and Houghton.
If the heavier band sets up over the region, strong winds could create blowing and drifting snow, making travel extremely difficult Sunday and Monday. Residents are urged to monitor updates and prepare for potential travel disruptions as additional advisories and warnings may be issued later this week.
