Freezing rain forecast: Winter weather advisory issued for Ann Arbor area
It's looking more likely that freezing rain could turn the Wednesday morning commute into a challenge for Ann Arbor-area motorists.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory in effect from 3 a.m. to 9 a.m. Wednesday for freezing rain. Light snow is expected to develop late tonight with one half inch or less of accumulation expected, the weather service said. The snow may mix with sleet at times.
The snow and sleet will transition to freezing rain during the pre-dawn hours, and could glaze roads and sidewalks. Ice accumulation of one tenth of an inch or less is expected through Wednesday morning.
But even that could wreak havoc on the roads. Even a trace of freezing drizzle is enough to cause problems, National Weather Service meteorologist Matt Mosteiko said Monday.
Freezing rain could coat some surfaces with ice early Wednesday morning.
Jim Harmon, director of operations for the Washtenaw County Road Commission, was closely monitoring the forecast Tuesday afternoon and said that monitoring will continue through the night. He expects drivers will be called in early to deal with whatever Mother Nature dishes out.
National Weather Service meteorologist Amos Dodson said the freezing rain will eventually change over to all rain as temperatures rise Wednesday. That changeover is expected to happen around 8 a.m.
Whatever ice does accumulate won’t stay around long. Temperatures are expected to rise to a high near 50 Wednesday afternoon. Rain is expected to dwindle to a drizzle by about 3 p.m.
For updated weather conditions and forecasts anytime, check out AnnArbor.com's weather page.
Comments
jns131
Wed, Feb 29, 2012 : 11:10 a.m.
6am and 36 degrees. I am now hearing 50 and thunderstorms. Yup, spring is around the corner. Happy Leap Year!
justcurious
Wed, Feb 29, 2012 : 1:06 p.m.
Sandhill cranes, turkey vultures and redwing blackbirds are all back. All real signs of spring!
julieswhimsies
Wed, Feb 29, 2012 : 4:58 a.m.
A little tongue in cheek humor.com? I love it!
Kent Jocque
Wed, Feb 29, 2012 : 12:59 a.m.
Thanks for the warning. The news report of possible hazardous driving, and the subsequent updates, gave me time to rearrange my schedule so I won't have to be on the roads tomorrow morning.
justcurious
Wed, Feb 29, 2012 : 1:05 p.m.
That's what you get for listening to aa.com forecasts.
Perry Samson
Wed, Feb 29, 2012 : 12:48 a.m.
Not to be a weather snob but your e-mail headline states "The National Weather Service is expecting just about every form of precipitation except hail to fall between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning." Hail happens in the summertime (and, in Ann Arbor, to the victors). The hydrodebris Ann Arbor will enjoy will either be sleet or freezing rain, not hail.
G-Man
Wed, Feb 29, 2012 : 12:30 a.m.
OR not........
jns131
Tue, Feb 28, 2012 : 10:26 p.m.
I remember reading about some boy who cried wolf and at the same time some chicken who thought the sky was falling. I wonder if this is one and the same?
justcurious
Tue, Feb 28, 2012 : 10:23 p.m.
Television stations are saying some sleet tonight, turning to rain. As usual the heavier stuff is heading north. I agree with the other posters on here.
boo
Tue, Feb 28, 2012 : 8:52 p.m.
I could really use some rain on my driveway. I'm still shoveling snow from that monster storm we had last week.
javajolt1
Tue, Feb 28, 2012 : 8:37 p.m.
Here we go with the drip, drip, drip (pun intended) on the impending weather catastrophe. There was already one story by the same writer earlier today informing us of the possibility of freezing rain. Now we get a second story adding to the hype. Will there be a third, fourth, etc. like last week that wil again cause paranoid schools to cancel classes only to wake up an find....oops, never mind. As was stated for the last big storm forecase: there is nothing wrong with reporting the potential of a storm that the National weather Service has predicted. But there is something wrong with writing 5 stories about how bad it might be, when nothing about the original prediction is any different. Please stop.
amazonwarrior
Tue, Feb 28, 2012 : 8:14 p.m.
Cindy...I think in the title of this article you meant to write.....slip and SLIDE on the drive to work Wednesday..... Ooops!
Cindy Heflin
Tue, Feb 28, 2012 : 8:19 p.m.
Yes, indeed. That's been fixed