95.3 / 88.5 FM Grand Rapids and 95.3 FM Muskegon
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

High winds, whiteout conditions making travel dangerous

WGVU Photo

Ten to 20 inches of snow are expected through Saturday. Blizzard conditions with 50 mile-per-hour winds will cause whiteout conditions for motorists across west Michigan

The National Weather Service is warning travel should be restricted to emergencies only. Adding, travel will be difficult if not impossible.

“And the wind is probably what sets this storm apart from the last two weekend storms.”

Jerry Byrne is Deputy Managing Director of Operations for the Kent County Road Commission.

“Where we had similar type of intensity, but now we’re talking about wind gusts of over 50. You know, wind average speeds probably sustained in that 30 to 35 miles per hours. So, visibility’s going to be the impactful part of this event. Where the other ones, we had the snowfall rates, but we didn’t have the wind blowing. So, certainly blowing and drifting. Rural country roads will be an issue. On the freeway system where it’s open and the visibility, you know, is tough for everybody.”    

With the drifting snow and temperatures plummeting into the single digits, de-icing chemicals will give way to plows keeping roadways clear.

Patrick joined WGVU Public Media in December, 2008 after eight years of investigative reporting at Grand Rapids' WOOD-TV8 and three years at WYTV News Channel 33 in Youngstown, Ohio. As News and Public Affairs Director, Patrick manages our daily radio news operation and public interest television programming. An award-winning reporter, Patrick has won multiple Michigan Associated Press Best Reporter/Anchor awards and is a three-time Academy of Television Arts & Sciences EMMY Award winner with 14 nominations.
Related Content