Winter weather advisory: How much snow will Ann Arbor get?
Forecasters watching a winter storm moving up from the South have added freezing rain to the mix of snow and sleet that was already headed toward Ann Arbor.
The National Weather Service predicts a snowy morning in the Ann Arbor area Friday. University of Michigan students walk to class in this file photo from earlier this year.
Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com file photo
Forecasters say a mixture of snow, sleet and freezing rain will move into the area late this evening. The mixture will change to all snow in the predawn hours on Friday.
Matt Mosteiko, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in White Lake Township, said snow mixed with sleet and possibly freezing rain is likely to begin around 8 p.m. with significant accumulations starting by 9.
The weather service said the freezing rain could cause minor icing of road surfaces with a glazing of up to a tenth of an inch possible.
About 3 to 4 inches should accumulate by morning, Mosteiko said, with another half inch possible during the day on Friday.
This snow will be much heavier than the light fluffy snowfalls we’ve experienced recently, Mosteiko said. That’s good news for builders of snow forts or snowmen or other snow creatures, but not for shovelers.
Liz Margolis, director of communications for Ann Arbor Public Schools, said the district would be following its normal procedures for determining whether to cancel school because of snowy roads. Those procedures call for an early morning look at road conditions and a decision by about 4:30 a.m.
We can thank a large low-pressure system that’s headed our way for the expected snowfall, Mosteiko said. “Ann arbor will be in the prime position to get a pretty good amount of snowfall,” he said.
Parts of Michigan's Thumb and other areas to our north can expect even more snow, with some areas expected to get 9 to 11 inches before the snow ends Friday.
After the snow moves out, we can expect a cold night Friday with a low of about 5 degrees, then a mostly sunny day Saturday with a high of 25 degrees. Sunday will bring a warm-up, with a chance of showers and a high near 36.
For updated forecasts and conditions anytime, check AnnArbor.com's weather page.
Comments
Halter
Fri, Feb 8, 2013 : 1:52 a.m.
"Warning! One inch of snow will fall! You might need boots!"
beardown
Fri, Feb 8, 2013 : 4:07 a.m.
We're now down to less than an inch and just a wintry mix.
David Cahill
Fri, Feb 8, 2013 : 12:32 a.m.
Hm. The Weather Channel is now predicting only a single hour of "heavy snow", and the probability of snow has lessened to below 100%. So - probably we'll get an inch or so.
glenn
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 10:11 p.m.
my kids are doing snow dances go the schools to have a snow day.
Bertha Venation
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 10:04 p.m.
WOAH! Looks like I'd better go out for rations! Hmmmm.... a bottle of scotch and a pack of Camels ought to do it! :)
JRW
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 9:57 p.m.
weather.com is predicting 5"-8" of snow in SE MI.
happydave57
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 9:45 p.m.
OMG... warn the OB/GYN's that they better be ready to work next November!!!!
JRW
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 9:34 p.m.
I'm waiting breathlessly for the list of excuses from Jim Harmon tomorrow morning: "Oops! I overslept!" "Only got 6 inches, dodged another storm. No need to plow." "My road crew didn't get into work until 7:00 on Friday morning when their shift started. Did we miss anything?" "Ran out of salt out on I-94 last night."
dancinginmysoul
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 9:42 p.m.
"We had the trucks out Thursday morning in preparation for the storm. We don't know why the 24 hours advance salting had no effect."
whodat
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 9:15 p.m.
3.14159 inches. When in doubt, go with Pi.
AAFish
Fri, Feb 8, 2013 : 12:52 a.m.
And -- to be even more optimistic -- let's go with "e." 2.718281828. etc.
whojix
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 8:48 p.m.
Might as well just sleep at work tonight.
Federico de Arbor
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 8:20 p.m.
With so much lead time (especially during business hours) from our hypermedia I wouldn't expect there to be any issues with icy roads nor snow on the roads tonight as it is now widely known there is a storm heading our way within the next six hours. Somebody please let WCRC and the City of Ann Arbor street maintenance folks know - they apparently don't use the web, watch TV, nor listen to radio stations. This time around can we please avoid the lame excuses and just have safe streets and highways? Do we really have to put up with excuses like "it was a surprise", "we didn't know it would ice/snow this much", "it was too cold outside","we didn't expect ___ to happen", "salt is too expensive", "the roads were bad" (my favorite excuse), and the obligatory "my dog ate my homework".
thecompound
Fri, Feb 8, 2013 : 2:40 a.m.
"I wouldn't expect".....there's your first mistake, lol
JRW
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 9:36 p.m.
Here's another one: "It will all melt eventually. Why plow?"
djacks24
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 9:34 p.m.
@Sunkmybttlshp I didn't see anything in Federico de Arbor's comment ranting about "pre-salting" dry roads. Can't even figure out why you'd interpret it that way? He is just pointing out that they should be ready for when the storm hits and get out there (hopefully way before 7am and rush hour) to get the jump on it. I spent many years being in charge of plowing a large dealership lot. Yes they did expect me to come in before 7am if the entrances and customer parking needed to be plowed. And yes, there are ways to be proactive in with winter storms besides throwing salt on dry roads.
Sunkmybttlshp
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 8:56 p.m.
So.. pre-salting the roads, before it snows? Before the first plows come out? Does that actually make sense to you? With so many people crying about taxes and how local governments manage their money, good luck getting anyone to agree with you that we should start putting more money into winter road maintenance. I have't had an issue in the last 6 years living in MI with winters, possibly because I don't live more than a few miles from my work, and I know how to drive in the snow. I do think sometime in the future, it would be nice to have a winter driving simulator at the Sec of State, because not everyone have snow driving experience, and those are usually the drives that cause issues for the rest of us.
Nicholas Urfe
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 8:11 p.m.
The best way to deal with the snow is to blow it with your lawnmower.
WalkingJoe
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 9:38 p.m.
Well, I did see people using their leaf blowers on the fluffy snow we had recently.
Youwhine
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 7:38 p.m.
Instead of changing the forecast every five minutes, why can't the meteorologists just be honest and say they don't have a clue what exactly is going on with a particular storm system?
mgoscottie
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 9:12 p.m.
Not sure if you just said the exact same thing as youwhine....
Sunkmybttlshp
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 8:50 p.m.
Because the weather changes dramatically in five minutes. You can use the internet to research what meteorologists do to get those predictions! I don't understand why people complain about someone trying to predict the weather, the predictions are avoidable if you wish to remain in the dark.
michutefan
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 6:31 p.m.
And I thought Al (Jazeera) Gore promised we wouldn't get these types of storms anymore. Well hopefully Ann Arbor City gets out their snow plows and salt trucks this time (Assuming they didn't get rid of them based upon Al (Jazeera) Gore's promises of Global Warming.
seldon
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 8:11 p.m.
I get that you're trolling, but you aren't doing it very well.
Youwhine
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 7:35 p.m.
1/10
stillatownie
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 6:58 p.m.
Warmer weather = more moisture in the air = more snow
dancinginmysoul
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 6:17 p.m.
So far the predictions for my area range from 3 inches to 2 feet. I'm either going to work or playing in the snowpocalypse. Perhaps both. I did see a salt truck out on my way to work this morning. Seemed a little early, but who am I to complain. Surly the road commission knows what it's doing.
JRW
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 9:29 p.m.
I love your post!
LXIX
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 5:59 p.m.
That's no fun. The poll closes on Valentine's Day.
Cindy Heflin
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 5:34 p.m.
I've updated the story with the latest forecast. We're now under a winter weather advisory, while other parts of Michigan are under a winter storm warning. And, we've added a poll. Make your predictions.
MRunner73
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 5:08 p.m.
There could be a few hours of mixed sleet and freezing rain which could reduce the total snow amounts, if that were to be the case. So the 2-4 inches forecast might be on the mark.
FrankOZ
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 4:42 p.m.
Get your shovels ready!? That is hilarious! About 98% of Ann Arbor residents don't even shovel their walkways.
CynicA2
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 5:46 p.m.
The Snow Police will get you if they get complaints from peds - they come out and check the length of your block, citing anyone who hasn't cleared their walk - unless, of course, the Snow Police have fallen victim to budget cutting so we can have more ugly "public art", instead of clear walkways.
MRunner73
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 5:06 p.m.
Supposedly, there is an ordinance about property owners having to shovel 1 inch or more. But, maybe half of the folks do that. I was dissappointed to see how many unshovelled patches of sidewalk there was on Main Street between Stadium and Packard last month before the previous snow melt. So much for enforcing the law.
sheeple
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 4:20 p.m.
According to the local media, who hyperventilate endlessly about 'winter survival' and the like, the expectation is that the entire solar system will be destroyed.
Sunkmybttlshp
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 8:45 p.m.
Yes Joe (and sheeple) they are trying to name the biggest winter storms now. There is a few articles from last summer outlining why they think this needs to be done, and considering how much financial damage is caused by big winter storms I don't think it's a bad thing. At the very least naming these storms isn't going to cause anyone any harm, right? If people can't handle weather networks making a big deal about WEATHER, than maybe people should step away from their information device and relax.
WalkingJoe
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 7:07 p.m.
Thanks Paula. You folks aren't like the people at the Weather Channel, now naming every winter weather event a named storm. This one is Nemo. I'm not kidding, Nemo. I know the predictions are for our storm to combine with another storm in the east and part of New England may get a blizzard, but my gosh are they going to start naming all weather events?
Paula Gardner
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 6:39 p.m.
Hey, now. We haven't pulled out "Snowpocalypse" yet. Or even "Snowmageddon."
Mohawk
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 6:25 p.m.
At least if the solar system is destroyed, I don't have to go to my lame 9:00am staff meeting
conundrummy
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 4:23 p.m.
Yeah that's what I herd also. Yikes.
conundrummy
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 4:15 p.m.
I don't know exactly how much Ann Arbor MI will get after the storm is done. But based on the weather reports from 950 am, accuweather, channel 7, channel 4, and A2 news it sounds like it will be at least 4 inches and maybe more. Because the snow will happen over night I guess we won't know the final answer till the morning. I think it would be real near if everyone could guess what it is with a reply. Who knows somebody might get lucky and get it right. That would be cool. My guess is 4.5".
a2roots
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 4:14 p.m.
OMG 4 inches of snow. What shall we do? Stock up on groceries and call out the national guard. Come on people get over it. It is Michigan and it is winter if you need to be reminded. By the way roads will probably be crappy for awhile so slow down.
smacks
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 7:46 p.m.
Who's not over it? You seem to be the only one hyperventilating...
treetowncartel
Thu, Feb 7, 2013 : 4:10 p.m.
What, no poll? I'm sticking with 3.1 inches.