Ice storm, snow predicted for area Thursday night into Friday
12/18/2008The National Weather Service has issued an ice storm warning for Williams, Fulton, Defiance, Henry, and Paulding counties. Lucas, Wood, Ottawa, Sandusky, Hancock, Seneca, Wyandot and Crawford counties are under a winter storm warning from 10 p.m. Thursday evening through 4 p.m. Friday afternoon. All of southern Michigan, including Hillsdale, Lenawee, and Monroe counties, is also a winter storm warning.
The ice storm warning will be in effect from 10 p.m. Thursday to noon Friday.
A storm is moving into the area from the southwest U.S. bringing snow and ice precipitation with it.
Heavy snow is predicted for areas in Michigan north of the Ohio border. The southwestern Michigan counties, including Monroe, Lenawee and Hillsdale are expected to receive a mix of snow and ice that will lower the snow amounts as compared to Michigan counties just to their north.
Amounts and type of precipitation will vary with the exact track of the storm, and temperatures near the surface, according to the National Weather Service.
Travel is expected to become very difficult Thursday night across most of the Midwest, because this is a large storm system.
The weather service is warning people in the affected areas to avoid or delay travel and continue to check the latest forecasts.
Widespread power outages are possible because of a chance of heavy icing.