Blizzard Warning Issued for Michigan, Heaps of Snow Expected

Parts of Michigan could see a particularly white Thanksgiving as a storm set to deliver inches of snow blasts the region, alongside high winds.

Local snow totals on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula may be much higher, making travel very difficult or impossible, according to the National Weather Service.

In the Upper Peninsula, a blizzard warning published by the agency is in effect through Thursday morning.

The agency said that between 12 and 29 inches of snow are possible, with winds gusting as high as 55 miles per hour. Those winds could cause tree damage, the NWS added. The warning includes the cities of Ironwood, Houghton, Copper Harbor, Hancock, L`Anse, and Ontonagon.

“Travel should be restricted to emergencies only. If you must travel, have a winter survival kit with you. If you get stranded, stay with your vehicle,” the National Weather Service warned.

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An additional hazardous weather outlook cautioned that more than an inch of snow could fall per hour. Minor lakeshore flooding is possible, as are continued travel impacts until Tuesday of next week. 

The NWS’ Weather Prediction Center attributed the storm to a “fairly intense cyclone” that’s “expected to continue its eastward track across the Great Lakes while expanding in size for the remainder of today into tonight.”

Mount Bohemia, a famed Upper Peninsula ski area, shared a brief, to-the-point update on the weather today: “Great news – snow and lots of it coming down.” What’s the bad news? “Power is out so spa is closed.”

The ski area isn’t alone in losing power. The Detroit Free Press reported power outages across the Upper Peninsula, concentrated in the north and west.

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The wintry weather won’t be limited to the Upper Peninsula. 

According to the forecasting service AccuWeather, more snow could hit parts of Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and South Dakota. That could cause travel delays during the holiday weekend. 

“Even a few inches of snow at major airports such as Chicago O’Hare or Minneapolis–St. Paul can lead to delays and cancellations for travelers heading home,” AccuWeather senior meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said in a release.

The active weather may deliver a reprieve for snow-starved ski resorts, though.

Many North American mountains have faced opening day delays amid mild temperatures, but through the end of the month, meteorologist Chris Tomer—a favorite amongst skiers—is anticipating snow across multiple western states.

Related: Alberta Has The Powder—30 Inches of New Snow Reported