LOCAL

From bad to worse: Arctic cold, fierce winds, more snow on the way, forecasters say

Lansing State Journal

LANSING - With a potentially deadly mix of extreme cold, strong winds and new snow expected over the next few days, forecasters are urging people to stay indoors and avoid driving as much as possible.

The Lansing area was expected to get up to 5 inches of fresh snow from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday evening as fierce, arctic-cold winds carry moisture inland from Lake Michigan, the National Weather Service said.

That's a recipe for icy roads, whiteout conditions and frostbite for anyone who gets stuck outside, Brandon Hoving, a forecaster for the weather service in Grand Rapids, said.

"The big threat now is the travel," Hoving said. "We are not recommending that folks venture out unless they absolutely have to."

Clinton and Ingham counties are under a winter storm warning until 1 p.m. Thursday.

Wind chill values could reach minus 25 to minus 40 degrees overnight Tuesday and through Thursday morning, the agency said. That's cold enough to cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.

Other parts of the region, including Charlotte, also are under a winter storm warning. West Michigan was expected to get several inches of snow through Tuesday night, with more snow possible on Wednesday and Thursday and wind-chill values as low as 45 degrees below zero, the weather service said.

The coldest areas are expected to be near Interstate 94 and away from Lake Michigan.

The extremely cold temperatures and strong winds will create a high risk of frostbite or hypothermia, forecasters said.

"High temperatures (Wednesday) will max out at around 2-below," Hoving said. "The last time Lansing had a daily high temperature of below zero was in 1994. That's not just a run-of-the-mill cold day, it's a once-in-every-20-to-25-years kind of cold."

State government buildings will be closed on Wednesday because of the weather, officials said. By Tuesday afternoon, all area school districts and many government agencies had announced closures for Wednesday. Michigan State University also canceled classes because of the extreme cold.

Some communities announced they were suspending their snow-removal rules so people wouldn't have to be outside in dangerous conditions.

The state of Michigan and city of Lansing are under emergency declarations. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said the declaration was meant to encourage citizens to take weather warnings seriously.

All city facilities will be closed during the day Wednesday, and all non-essential commercial, private and public travel on city roads is prohibited during a snow emergency. Mayor Andy Schor reinstated travel restrictions for Wednesday.

Parts of the Lansing area received 6 or 7 inches of snow on Monday, the weather service said. Other areas got up to 11 inches.

The region could get another three inches of snow by Wednesday morning, followed by another inch or two by Wednesday night, the weather service said.

"The winds are fairly strong off the lake, so they are able to carry these snow showers well inland, all the way to U.S. 127," Hoving said.

That makes for particularly hazardous travel because ice forms quickly and visibility can go from good to very poor in a very short time, he said.

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Check back for updates.

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