Lansing-area weather: Up to a foot of snow, dangerous cold on the way

LANSING - The next few days are going to be tough, Lansing. Very tough.

A major storm that could bring up to a foot of snow to the region Monday will be followed by days of bitter, life-threatening cold.

A winter weather advisory will be in effect for much of south-central and southwest Michigan, including Ingham and Eaton counties, from 1 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, the National Weather Service said.

The Lansing and Charlotte areas could get 5 to 8 inches of snow, with areas north of Interstate 96 getting generally higher amounts, forecasters said.

A winter storm warning will be in effect during the same period for Clinton, Gratiot, Ionia and a dozen other counties to the north and west of Lansing. Those areas are expected to get 8 to 12 inches of snow.

Ingham County government offices will be closed on Monday because of the weather, Controller Tim Dolehanty said in a news release. The county's circuit and probate courts also will be closed. 55th District Court will remain open, although jury selection scheduled for Monday has been canceled, court officials said.

All Ionia County government offices also will be closed Monday.

By Sunday afternoon, some school districts had already canceled classes for Monday, including Corunna, Byron, Fowlerville and Brighton. Many other districts were expected to follow suit.

The snow will start falling during the early morning hours and peak in intensity during the Monday morning commute, said Heather Orow, a forecaster for the weather service in Grand Rapids.

The snow showers should taper off later in the afternoon, but the evening commute could be problematic, as well, she said.

Temperatures will rise into the upper 20s during the day, then fall rapidly into the single digits overnight, Orow said.

Winds gusting up to 43 mph from the south will blow snow back onto cleared roads and make it feel like it's below zero, forecasters said.

Temperatures will plunge to around minus 8 overnight Tuesday, with a high of minus 3 on Wednesday and lows of around minus 11 on Wednesday night. The wind could make it feel like it's 25 to 35 degrees below zero.

"This will be life-threatening cold," Orow said. "It's best to avoid being outside, if possible."  

In those kinds of conditions, exposed skin can become frostbitten in as little as 15 minutes, and hypothermia is a serious threat for anyone who gets stuck outside unexpectedly, the weather service said.

A few ways to be prepared:

• Keep gloves, hats and other warm clothes in your vehicle, along with a flashlight, first-aid kit , blankets, snacks and water in case you get stranded.
• Keep your gas tank full and make sure you have jumper cables, a shovel and a bag of sand or cat litter to provide traction if you get stuck.
• Keep your cellphone charged and have a mobile phone charger with you.

More information on winter weather preparedness is available here.

The city of East Lansing said the Hannah Community Center and East Lansing Public Library will be open as warming centers from Monday through Thursday. The centers will be open during regular business hours, and the police department will drive people to overnight shelters as needed.

City officials said they'll work with the American Red Cross if long-term shelters become necessary.

It should warm into the teens on Friday and into the mid-20s on Saturday, the weather service said.

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Contact Ken Palmer at (517) 377-1032 or kpalmer@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBPalm_lsj.