Significant Ice Storm Headed For Detroit

Just so you guys know, the entire region [[SE MIchigan) is under a Winter Storm watch from tomorrow afternoon through Monday afternoon.

It's for snow & ice, but the emphasis will be on ice. The far northern suburbs through the Tri Cities and Thumb could see 6-10+" of mostly snow with some ice [[0.10" or less) while the rest of the area sees 2-4" of snow folllowed by 1/4" to 1/2" of ice.

So stay safe and remember to purchase any emergency supplies you may need and practice your emergency procedures, as power outages are probable and the roads will likely be trecherous.

The last significant ice storm Detroit had was in 2003, which wasn't as bad then because the warmer lake waters keep the ground temperatures above freezing. So I know many people in the area don't know or remember how to handle this much accumulating ice.at once.

For the last week or so, our local weathercaster on the NBC affiliate here in Las Vegas has been predicting day after day of doom and gloom: high winds, clouds, cold temps, rain, and snow above 3,000 feet. It's really depressing watching that guy, who otherwise has a delightful TV personality.

All we've had is bright sunshine, a little breeze, and temps around 60 all week. You guys back in MI would die for this weather.

This morning we did have enough rain to wet the ground, and now the skies are clearing once again.

The weathercaster's motto: "Doom and gloom".

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Originally Posted by Ray1936

For the last week or so, our local weathercaster on the NBC affiliate here in Las Vegas has been predicting day after day of doom and gloom: high winds, clouds, cold temps, rain, and snow above 3,000 feet. It's really depressing watching that guy, who otherwise has a delightful TV personality.

All we've had is bright sunshine, a little breeze, and temps around 60 all week. You guys back in MI would die for this weather.

This morning we did have enough rain to wet the ground, and now the skies are clearing once again.

The weathercaster's motto: "Doom and gloom".

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How else are they going to get you to tune in and watch the ads?

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Originally Posted by Ray1936

All we've had is bright sunshine, a little breeze, and temps around 60 all week. You guys back in MI would die for this weather.

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Ray - this isn't directed just at you - but to anyone in "warmer" climates, including my friends down south and in California. Forgive me if it sounds like a personal attack, because it's by no means intended to be that.

Why so often assume that we're completely jealous of your weather? It turns out that a major reason that I live in Michigan is because I enjoy the seasons. Of course, an ice storm isn't at the top of my list of favorites, but all of the snow we've had this season has been GREAT for skiing and playing with the dogs. I went for a walk today - on a particularly balmy 27 degree and sunny Saturday morning - wearing no more than a hooded sweatshirt and a knit hat. It was nice. Heck, I even went sledding a couple weeks ago. I swear those sleds used to be bigger...

Some of my fondest memories as a kid involved spending an entire "snow day" outdoors. Some of that magic has faded, of course, as sledding is replaced by shoveling and sliding on the road to get to work. Still, I'd never give it up.

Frosty autumn mornings at the cider mill? Love 'em. That first 60 degree spring day in Michigan - when EVERYONE has their car windows cracked open - feels like summer. I can't imagine Christmas without snow, and part of my yearly ritual is enduring the cold December night air to put up the lights, waiting for my wife to bring me hot cocoa...

The only thing comparable to terribly cold days, in my opinion, are 90+ degree days where a lake is nowhere near, and staying indoors with the air conditioning on is the only sensible option.

So, to each their own, just don't assume we're jealous. I don't deny that 60 degrees would have been nice today, but 27 and sunny wasn't half bad.

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Originally Posted by wazootyman

Ray - this isn't directed just at you - but to anyone in "warmer" climates, including my friends down south and in California. Forgive me if it sounds like a personal attack, because it's by no means intended to be that.

Why so often assume that we're completely jealous of your weather? It turns out that a major reason that I live in Michigan is because I enjoy the seasons. Of course, an ice storm isn't at the top of my list of favorites, but all of the snow we've had this season has been GREAT for skiing and playing with the dogs. I went for a walk today - on a particularly balmy 27 degree and sunny Saturday morning - wearing no more than a hooded sweatshirt and a knit hat. It was nice. Heck, I even went sledding a couple weeks ago. I swear those sleds used to be bigger...

Some of my fondest memories as a kid involved spending an entire "snow day" outdoors. Some of that magic has faded, of course, as sledding is replaced by shoveling and sliding on the road to get to work. Still, I'd never give it up.

Frosty autumn mornings at the cider mill? Love 'em. That first 60 degree spring day in Michigan - when EVERYONE has their car windows cracked open - feels like summer. I can't imagine Christmas without snow, and part of my yearly ritual is enduring the cold December night air to put up the lights, waiting for my wife to bring me hot cocoa...

The only thing comparable to terribly cold days, in my opinion, are 90+ degree days where a lake is nowhere near, and staying indoors with the air conditioning on is the only sensible option.

So, to each their own, just don't assume we're jealous. I don't deny that 60 degrees would have been nice today, but 27 and sunny wasn't half bad.

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Completely agree. I'd much rather put up with a week or two of extreme cold in the winter months, while dealing with seasonal cold for the rest of the winter, than deal with blazing summer heat in Texas, Arizona, Nevada or southern California.

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Originally Posted by wazootyman

Ray - this isn't directed just at you - but to anyone in "warmer" climates, including my friends down south and in California. Forgive me if it sounds like a personal attack, because it's by no means intended to be that.

Why so often assume that we're completely jealous of your weather?

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After spending a few years in Florida I know that I'm "completely jealous" of the South's warm Winters. Their 90+ degree summers, no so much. =)

If I wanted to live someplace where it was always sunny, I would. I don't like sun that much, and certainly don't like it all the time. Not to say that I always feel like winter either.

"Ray - this isn't directed just at you - but to anyone in "warmer" climates, including my friends down south and in California. Forgive me if it sounds like a personal attack, because it's by no means intended to be that."

Not taken wrongly; I quite understand. Winter can be fun....until the years catch up with you. At 74, I figure I've paid my dues.

Thank you for the update, 313. It will be interesting to see if our weather folks get it right...

As for the Michigan weather today, I spent part of the afternoon in an old cemetary looking for a gravestone. It was cold, but beautiful. I figured it would be a good day to do this, as a storm is rumored to be on the way. ;-)

Heading to Flordia tomorrow--hopefully my flight gets out before the ice.

If anything goes wrong with this storm, it would be more snow and less ice.

Looks like we will be in a portion of the freezing rain, right now they are saying 1/4 inch of ice....

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Originally Posted by Ray1936

You guys back in MI would die for this weather.

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Don't worry, Ray; soon enough, you'll be dying for our water.

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Originally Posted by Huggybear

Don't worry, Ray; soon enough, you'll be dying for our water.

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All the power and influence in this country have shifted to the South and the West... so if they want our water, they will pump it all the way out to the desert. What's Canada going to do to stop us, declare war? And the Great Lakes states are losing population and influence because everyone hates our weather AND our unions.

/snark

I'd feel better if our meteorological expert would weigh in on today's weather. Danny?

There's a reason why unions were formed in the first place and people better get wise fast as to why.
Getting rid of them would be nirvana to low wage, no benefit companies that won't be ashamed screw their employess that will have no where to turn.
As far as they weather, those guys enjoy spreading hysteria. The higher the fear factor, the higher
ratings they can sell to sponsors. I just hope we don't reach the "cry wolf" stage and all get hurt because of it sometime.

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Originally Posted by Huggybear

Don't worry, Ray; soon enough, you'll be dying for our water.

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We're working on dropping a pipeline in to Lake Michigan on the pretense that we're sucking away all the Asian Carp. With the mentality I've seen in the Michigan legislature, they'll go for it.

Grass roots will destroy any pipe that attempts to divert the great lakes. I really don't think people will stand for it. Not that.

Why take the water to people when you could take the people to the water?

I like to watch these storms approach in animated weather radar maps. They give a better sense of the size/speed/direction of the storm than the usual brief forecast.

Who has the best animated weather radar maps?

I prefer Intellicast.com over Weather.com.

Snowing like crazy out here in suburbia.

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Originally Posted by LodgeDodger

Snowing like crazy out here in suburbia.

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Ditto in Wyandotte

Here's the latest from the Lodgedodger Weather Deck at 5:34 PM:

Attachment 8881

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Originally Posted by Jimaz

I like to watch these storms approach in animated weather radar maps. They give a better sense of the size/speed/direction of the storm than the usual brief forecast.

Who has the best animated weather radar maps?

I prefer Intellicast.com over Weather.com.

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Check out this one from the NWS: http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?r...101111&loop=no

Significant snow fall here in Ferndale. No indications that it's slowing up any time soon.

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Originally Posted by Ray1936

Check out this one from the NWS: http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?r...101111&loop=no

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This is my personal favorite: http://radar.weather.gov/Conus/full_loop.php

http://www.wunderground.com

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Originally Posted by Ray1936

Check out this one from the NWS: http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?r...101111&loop=no

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Yeah, that's okay too.

The Intellicast map has a road conditions layer that shows an "icy" band that had been approaching Wayne County. It seems to have stalled out at the moment though. They say their data doesn't take into account plowing and salting so the map probably looks worse than the actual roads.

I lifted my windshield wipers off the windshield just in case it helps with clearing any ice.

Just got a couple of claps of thunder!!

Glad we got mostly snow rather than ice.

Took me a shovel, gentle rocking, and about 20 minutes to get down my street to where it was packed down enough to drive. I guess a plow would just make mountains of snow in front of my driveway, but still, there's gotta be a better way.

As I was visiting the best friend in Ann Arbor, I had to drive back yesterday evening in the storm. I didn't expect the storm to be as bad as it was because the weather forecasters didn't freak out like usual. When my buddy and I walked out of the undergraduate library, I could not believe all the snow that had already fallen.

It was a hell of a drive back to East Lansing. I was completely stopped on the on-ramp from downtown Ann Arbor to US-23 for a half hour. It was a treacherous drive to say the least. Ended up taking me two and a half hours to drive from Ann Arbor to East Lansing. But I will say this, the long drive back was totally worth the weekend!

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because the weather forecasters didn't freak out like usual.

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There was a winter storm warning starting at 4 pm yesterday.