TRAVERSE CITY- Grand Traverse County emergency officials and the Michigan Department of Transportation are preparing for a winter storm expected to bring more than 24 inches of snow to parts of northern Michigan beginning Saturday night and lasting into Monday.
Grand Traverse County Emergency Manager Greg Bird said forecasts have escalated rapidly since his team first began tracking the system late Wednesday afternoon.
Snow totals for Friday alone jumped from four to six inches, to six to eight inches in a single update cycle, and weekend projections have climbed significantly.
“This is system snow. This is heavy. This is wet. It’s pretty serious,” Bird said.
Unlike lake effect snow events common in the region, this system storm carries the threat of high winds, icing and widespread power outages. Bird said the combination of those factors is what elevates the storm on his team’s radar.
The county has begun calling in emergency operations center staff for Sunday into Monday and is in regular contact with the National Weather Service, road commissions and three major power companies serving the Traverse City area.
Bird drew a comparison to a March 2012 storm that struck the same weekend leading up to St. Patrick’s Day, dropping 38 inches of snow in 18 hours. That storm triggered the last declaration of emergency for snow in Grand Traverse County.
MDOT Spokesperson James Lake said the department is fully prepared for the storm despite its late-season timing.
“We consider March to still be a winter month,” Lake said. “So we’re not at all surprised to have a winter storm regardless of how big of a storm it is at this time.”
Lake said MDOT will have crews working around the clock through the storm. Expressways and freeways, including I-75, will receive priority attention, followed by major routes like US-31 and US-131, with lower-volume roads cleared after. He said the department plans ahead using a five-year rolling average for salt and sand purchases and still has plenty of supplies on hand.
Lake also urged drivers to think carefully before getting on the road.
“The fewer vehicles that are out on the road while our plows are moving, the easier it is to get those roads cleared safely for everyone,” Lake said.
Bird echoed that message, urging residents to take preparedness steps now, including stocking up on food that does not require electricity to prepare, ensuring generators are fueled and operational, and bringing in firewood or confirming alternative heating sources. He also recommended keeping a blanket, extra water and warm clothing in vehicles.
“We’ll hope for the best,” Bird said. “And we’re prepared for the worst.”