Lake effect snow to impact Southeast Michigan -- here’s when, where, how much

Lake effect snow showers are expected to impact Metro Detroit this week.

Here’s when, where and how much snow is possible in the area over the Thanksgiving holiday and the following couple of days.

Snow on Wednesday

Rain showers are expected to change over to snow late Wednesday morning and into the afternoon.

Scattered snow showers are expected to continue Wednesday night and throughout much of the day Thursday.

1-2 inches

Many areas of Southeast Michigan could see 1 to 2 inches of snow through Thursday night.

Read more --> 78 Michigan counties under weather alerts, including blizzard warnings

Areas that will see the most snow

The highest snowfall totals are expected in areas hit by repeated rounds of snow showers coming off the lake over the next 24-36 hours.

Snow showers are expected to be “more widespread along the I-94 corridor from Ann Arbor to Detroit,” according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

The NWS also said accumulations of up to 3 inches are expected in the Thumb.

With those overnight lows in the upper 20s and continued snow, slick roads could be an issue for most of the day Thursday.

Wind advisory

Overnight lows on Wednesday night and Thursday morning will drop into the upper 20s. High temperatures will only make it to the low or mid-30s by Thursday afternoon.

However, it’ll feel much colder than the actual air temperature on Thanksgiving due to the strong wind gusts.

A wind advisory is in effect for all of Southeast Michigan from 10 a.m. Wednesday through 4 a.m. Thursday.

Wind gusts of 45-50 mph are possible.

What is lake effect snow?

Lake-effect snow happens when cold air, often from Canada, moves across the warm water of the Great Lakes.

The warming air from the lakes pushes moisture into the lower portion of the atmosphere.

“The air rises, clouds form and grow into a narrow band,” which then produces snow, according to the NWS.

Here’s a visual explanation of lake effect snow from the NWS: