National Weather Service issues winter storm watch for Ann Arbor area; 4-7 inches of snow expected
Snow-weary Ann Arbor area residents can expect a difficult commute to work Friday morning, The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch effective from late tonight through Friday morning.
Motorists should expect snow-covered roads for the morning rush hour, the weather service says.
The Ann Arbor area could receive from 4 to 7 inches of snow.
Snow is expected to develop around midnight and become heavy at times by morning. It will taper off by the late morning hours and end around noon, the weather service says.
The expected snowfall comes on the heels of a 1.1 inch snowfall overnight and this morning, said University of Michigan weather observer Dennis Kahlbaum.
So far this season, the Ann Arbor area has received 56.4 inches of snow, well ahead of the normal 40.2 inches, Kahlbaum said. That makes this winter the ninth snowiest on record. Record snowfall for this point in the year is 71.7 inches, Kahlbaum said.
Check AnnArbor.com's weather page for updated forecasts throughout the day.
Comments
a-guest
Sat, Feb 26, 2011 : 6:29 a.m.
It seems the city kept up. Higher snow amounts do make a difference, I wonder why that is? Traffic on the roads, no, schools in session, no, cars parked on the street no, it's just everyone wants to be first and complain. There is a reason for how they do it and when they do it, and whether they salt or plow. No one ever asked about any of that. The brine stuff only works so much, not cost effective. As for equipment do you really want to spend all that? 2, 3, 4 or more thousands of dollars to buy all that. It could be more I'm not sure. Yeah Sallyxyz I'm talking to your complaining and why they don't call off school beforehand. Funny how you can almost hear what you say over and over.
treetowncartel
Fri, Feb 25, 2011 : 2:50 a.m.
I sure am enjoying he the cotrolled climate in my house provided by DTE. I can't wait to exit the house in the morning and encounter the situation mother nature imposes on me for the day.
loves_fall
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 9:35 p.m.
They just canceled the winter storm watch and issued a winter weather advisory, now estimating 3-5 inches. Not that predictions mean anything around here. -.-
jcj
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 9:18 p.m.
Just got in from a couple hikes in the woods with my grandson. We were walking on two separate pieces of property about 4 miles apart. Both places were alive with Robins. Probably 30-40 at each place. Maybe spring isn't so far away!
treetowncartel
Fri, Feb 25, 2011 : 2:53 a.m.
Rumor has it there is a local flock of robins that does nor migrare. I saw a flock last Sunday, not sure if they were pissed enought to be from out of town.
AAmom
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 8:18 p.m.
We live in Narnia now.
Hmm
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 7:39 p.m.
It didn't seem that this winter was too bad until February arrived and, yeah, now it feels like it's never going to end! 2009 was way worse though, waaay worse
Top Cat
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 7:04 p.m.
Think Spring and be of good cheer. The first Tiger Spring Training game of the year is on the radio Sunday. Take your radio, lawn chair and a beer outside and spit in the eye of Winter !
Ignatz
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 5:43 p.m.
It might be a good idea for the City to declare a snow emergency if we get anyhwere near the max predicted amount. With many students leaving or already gone, it would prove less of a burden for those in Ann Arbor to keep the streets clear of vehicles. That way, many of the sidestreets could be plowed curb to curb.
Buster W.
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 5:15 p.m.
Last night, most of the side streets and sidewalks near the Big House were horrible! Why doesn't the City of A2 crack down on residents and businesses for not shoveling their sidewalks within ~24 hours after a snowfall? Ridiculous!
Rich Rezler
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 4:33 p.m.
As Jen Eyer stated a half an hour ago, "any further posts about climate change will be considered off-topic and will be removed. If you wish to debate climate change, you may post your own article on the Community Wall: <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/community."">http://www.annarbor.com/community.&quot;</a>
Bertha Venation
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 4:08 p.m.
Guess I need snow tires w/chains for my Hover'Round.
Jen Eyer
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 4:01 p.m.
The climate change discussion is hijacking this thread. Any further posts about climate change will be considered off-topic and will be removed. If you wish to debate climate change, you may post your own article on the Community Wall: <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/community">http://www.annarbor.com/community</a>
Calendar Girl
Fri, Feb 25, 2011 : 1:30 a.m.
@Henry, the Ann Arbor dot com made a decision that the comments were hijacking a thread and decided to move it elsewhere. Simple as that. Not EVERYTHING is a controversy. If you have so much time on your hands to find these controversies everywhere, perhaps some of it could be better spent actually trying to solve problems and doing some good. There has to be a point where things stop.
Henry Ruger
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 4:37 p.m.
... but you leave up a "post popular" posting that's all about climate change? Interesting moderating!
yaah
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 3:50 p.m.
Any way the moderators can delete any and all climate change-controversy or non-controversy related posts from articles on snow storms? The non climate change comments to these stories are often helpful because posters talk about certain areas of the city that are more trouble than others, etc. These climate change posts are completely irrelevant and distracting. No one's opinion is ever going to be changed on climate change based on rambling politically-biased posts and links and how they relate to one specific storm.
TripleVSix
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 3:57 p.m.
You want MORE comment deletions by annarbor.com? Really?
Ariel
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 3:30 p.m.
Enough with the snow already! I thought spring was here and then BAM snow. Just when I thought the strange Michigan weather was going to take it easy this year.
vera
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 3:27 p.m.
Climate change skeptics, please read this before making yourself look more foolish: <a href="http://www.skepticalscience.com/argument.php" rel='nofollow'>http://www.skepticalscience.com/argument.php</a> <a href="http://www.grist.org/article/series/skeptics/" rel='nofollow'>http://www.grist.org/article/series/skeptics/</a> If you are interested in scientific publications, this is the best source: <a href="http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/publications_and_data_reports.shtml#1" rel='nofollow'>http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/publications_and_data_reports.shtml#1</a>
BobbyTarsus
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 3:17 p.m.
Tuesday's commute was more treacherous for me than Monday's, even with all the snow. The roads were ice rinks. I feel safer on 8 inches of snow than 1/10th inch of ice any ol' day.
treetowncartel
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 3:22 p.m.
I concur. I drove up through Indiana on Monday, and just north of Indianapolis I encountered the 32 degree mark and icy condition. Once I got far enough north that it was just snow on the roads, my knuckles got a little more color in them.
Life in Ypsi
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 2:59 p.m.
For the first time in all the years I have lived here I have to say Ann Arbor roads have been great this week. City of Ypsilanti and Ypsilanti Township what's going on with snow removal this year? Ypsi Township why is it now Thursday and the bottom of the Harris Road overpass is still pure ice? Why have the streets not been scraped to the pavement? We are still driving on ice rinks out here!
treetowncartel
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 2:54 p.m.
Riddle me this Batman. How did the Ice Age(s) happen(fluctuation in global temperatures over a period of time) when man allegedly did not inhabit the earth?
worker
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 8:33 p.m.
Fire also existed before man inhabited the earth. Uncontrolled man-made fires still suck and should be prevented whenever possible. Our environment is affected by many factors - that doesn't diminish our responsibility.
Cindy Heflin
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 2:49 p.m.
The snowfall measuring period for the season actually runs from July 1 to June 30, according to Dennis Kahlbaum.
TheGerman
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 2:46 p.m.
@C.S. Gass You really don't get it do you? Global Warming (Climate Change) has nothing to do with temperatures increasing so much that there won't be any snow, but rather the warmer temperatures cause more extreme weather during all seasons, including snowy winters, and extreme droughts in the summer. Look at the global climate over the past 50 years and anyone will be able to tell that it has gotten worse.
Garrett
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 2:46 p.m.
@ C.S. Gass It's sad that we have such a scientifically illiterate populous in this country. Climate change is as debatable as gravity in most other parts of the world. To imply snowfall means global warming isn't occurring really makes you sound ignorant. NO ONE debates that global warming isn't occurring. SOME scientists, ranging from 1-2%, are still unsure as to whether global warming is man-made.
Garrett
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 2:48 p.m.
It's like saying 'Look at that fancy winged-machine flying through the air! What do they call that? An aeroplane??? All them silly liberals believing in their Gravity!"
goodthoughts
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 2:45 p.m.
Just out of curiosity, does the actual winter measure from say January1 2009 to December 31 2009 or is it measured from the first day of winter 2008 to the first day of spring 2009? 71 inches was a lot of snow.
dexterreader
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 2:28 p.m.
Spring cannot come soon enough!! But thank you to all the WCRC workers who are out all hours of the night and weekends to maintain the roads.
thinker
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 1:56 p.m.
Hear that, city? Snow tonight and tomorrow! Be prepared and start early! We'd appreciate it!
Bob Heinold
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 1:29 p.m.
Just hope people remember to clear fire hydrants near their homes.
C. S. Gass
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 1:25 p.m.
Sure enjoying this 'global warming'. Makes me want to go outside and burn tires...
johnnya2
Fri, Feb 25, 2011 : 10:08 p.m.
It is actually showing how there is more snow fall in places that consistently had less or no snow. I know science is hard for people who get their information from Fox news and Rush Windbag, but th explanation as to why there is more snow GLOBALLY is explained completely. Too make it simpler for you. If you do not believe man made emissions are dangerous, I suggest you live next to a power plant, or close your garage door and start the car. Tell me how you feel after about an hour. The same concept is happening to the earth from cars, power plants and cows (the cows would not be the problem they are if it werent for the crap food eaten by humans and the factory farming
jcj
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 3:22 p.m.
Hit the wrong button! johnnya2 Average Joe is right. If you can point to specific instances around the globe and attribute them to global warming then the same argument can be used the other way arouind.
jcj
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 3:18 p.m.
Average joe has it right. You can't point to specific events around the "globe" and say they are caused by global warming
god's hammer
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 3:07 p.m.
Hope your kidding. This snow is the result of 'global warming' it's called climate change. As the Earth warms up weather patterns shift and we get more snow.
average joe
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 2:17 p.m.
Johnnya2- So if A2 is not global, then what effect does OUR heavy snowfall amounts have to do with GLOBAL climate change? In my humble, non-scientific opinion, your two statements contradict each other.
TripleVSix
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 1:34 p.m.
They always have an excuse, don't they C. S.? I think they blame the drift of the magnetic poles on global warming - oh, I mean, climate change - as well.
johnnya2
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 1:32 p.m.
Two things 1. Ann Arbor or where ever YOU are at is not GLOBAL. 2. The heavy snowfalls over the last several years IS a result of global climate change. Ice caps melt, the water evaporates then is carried in the form of more precipitation.
Brad
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 1:16 p.m.
That reads like we're predicted to get 4-7" overnight, but I believe that number from the NWS also includes Friday snow.