Michigan's Winter Storm: What's Coming and How to Prepare

Michigan is bracing for another round of winter weather. This time, it's a strong storm system that will bring heavy snow, strong winds, and blowing snow. The Upper Peninsula and the snow belts of lower Michigan are expected to see the most snow. The storm is expected to hit late Sunday and last through Tuesday. Rain may mix in for parts of lower Michigan on Sunday before turning to snow Sunday night into Monday. The exact snow amounts and the intensity of the storm are still uncertain, so it's important to stay updated. The National Weather Service is calling this a "strong, multi-hazard winter storm. " It will bring heavy snow, whiteout conditions, hazardous ice, strong winds, and dangerously cold wind chills. The Upper Midwest, Great Lakes, and Northeast will all be affected. As of Saturday morning, more than 28, 000 people in Michigan were still without power from a Friday ice storm. This new storm could cause more outages. Winds will be sustained at 20 to 30 mph, with gusts as high as 55 mph. There's also a risk of flash freezing on paved surfaces.In northern Michigan, the storm will be most intense on Monday. Snowbelt areas could see more than 12 inches of snow. Strong winds will cause blowing and drifting snow as temperatures drop. The worst conditions are expected Sunday into Monday morning, making travel very difficult or even impossible. Here's a look at the expected snowfall amounts by Tuesday morning: * Munising: 17 inches * Ironwood: 16 inches * Marquette: 15 inches * L'Anse: 15 inches * KI Sawyer: 15 inches * Grand Marais: 15 inches * Sault Ste. Marie: 10 inches * Pellston: 8. 9 inches * Mackinac Island: 8 inches * Gaylord: 7 inches * Escanaba: 7 inches * Kalkaska: 6. 1 inches * Traverse City: 6 inches * Grayling: 5 inches * Alpena: 4. 7 inches * Muskegon: 4. 2 inches * Holland: 3. 7 inches * Battle Creek: 2. 3 inches * Tawas City: 2 inches * Port Huron: 1. 8 inches * Detroit: 1. 8 inches * Mount Pleasant: 1. 6 inches * Lansing: 1. 4 inches A winter storm watch means there's a potential for heavy snow or significant ice accumulations. Watches are issued when there's a 50% or greater chance of bad weather, giving people time to prepare.