GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Fierce winds and waves of heavy lake-effect snow are hammering West Michigan this morning, creating whiteout conditions and dangerous travel across the region. The National Weather Service in Grand Rapids has extended its Winter Storm Warning through 7 p.m. Thursday, warning drivers to avoid unnecessary travel as visibilities drop below ¼ mile in the heaviest snow bands.
Snow continues to fall across counties including Mason, Lake, Oceana, Allegan, Barry, Van Buren, Kalamazoo, and Calhoun, with additional accumulations of 1 to 3 inches expected. Wind gusts up to 40 mph are blowing snow back across already-covered roads, especially along US-131, I-94, and I-196. Meteorologists caution that conditions can shift drastically within just a few miles — clear one minute, a total whiteout the next.
Road crews are struggling to keep up as heavy bursts reduce visibility and quickly re-cover plowed surfaces. The Michigan Department of Transportation reports slick and snow-packed highways from Ludington to Battle Creek, and several minor crashes have already been reported in the Kalamazoo and Holland areas.
Temperatures will hold in the upper 20s to low 30s, but the wind chill will make it feel closer to the teens. Conditions are expected to slowly improve late tonight as winds ease and snow bands weaken.
Residents are urged to delay travel, keep emergency kits in vehicles, and prepare for rapid weather changes typical of intense lake-effect snow events.
