The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for Central and Western Chippewa County and Luce County in the far Eastern U.P. from Thursday afternoon through Saturday evening.
Included in the the watch are Sault Ste. Marie, Sugar Island, Dafter, Rudyard, Trout Lake, Brimley, Bay Mills, Raco, Dollar Settlement, Eckerman, Strongs, Hulbert, Paradise, Whitefish Point, Tahquamenon Falls, and Newberry.
Lake effect snow squalls are expected to increase Thursday afternoon through Friday and continue through Saturday. Total accumulations under the heaviest squalls could exceed well over a foot.
This watch could be upgraded to an advisory or warning Thursday.
Roads, and especially bridges and overpasses, will likely become slick and hazardous. Visibilities may drop below 1/4 mile due to falling and blowing snow. Travel could be very difficult to impossible. The hazardous conditions could impact the Thursday evening and Friday morning commutes.
