Yahoo Autos Michigan winter storm: Live weather radar, traffic updates
Did you awake Wednesday to the sound of snow blowers and shovels scraping snow off the concrete? Or were you the early risers doing the waking to get a jump start on what weather forecasters have predicted is sure to be a long, challenging day for snow plows?
With 6-8 inches of snow forecast, here's news from the rest of the day:
Icy interstate leads to fuel tanker crash
A tractor trailer heading east on Interstate 94 and carrying fuel crashed at about 11:15 a.m., forcing authorities to close part of the freeway. Michigan State Police said the truck was driving much too fast for the inclement weather conditions.
The tanker driver was uninjured and declined medical treatment, police said.
But the trailer smashed into a wall near Mt. Elliott, which sent debris onto the westbound lanes of I-94. The crash caused a secondary collision and a fuel leak, police said. Westbound I-94 was closed to Van Dyke to clean up the fuel and debris.
Delta requests ground stop at DTW
Detroit Metro Airport's runways were operating, airport spokeswoman Erica Donerson said just before noon. However, she confirmed, Delta Air Lines requested a ground stop — remaining on the ground at their origination airport — for flights bound for Detroit until about 12:45 p.m.
The airport, she said, did not have information on why, but the stop was lifted by 12:25 p.m.
Students sing 'Snowhemian Rhapsody'
Royal Oak Schools used a clever YouTube music video to help announce it's snow day.
Titled "Snowhemian Rhapsody," the 4-minute video starts with the superintendent Mary Beth Fitzpatrick telling students that as a result of the bad weather, there will be no classes. "Enjoy your day off," she says, and then, segues into a parody of "Bohemian Rhapsody" by British rock band Queen.
"Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Caught in a snowstorm, no escape from reality," students sing.
The district said that a Royal Oak senior, Toby Buckhiem, came up with the idea for a snow day video in the fall. He planned it, and got students and teachers involved. He also produced the video with the district's videographer Jaret Grisamer.
The video was completed in November, and the district held onto it, so to speak, for a snowy day.
Heavy snow on tap, schools close
A winter storm is expected to hit southeast Michigan on Wednesday, just as January enters its final week.
Heavy snow with total accumulations of 6-8 inches was predicted in storm warning areas — which included 10 counties on the state's eastern edge, and 3-6 in advisory areas in counties west of that. The bulk of the storm's snowfall is forecast between 7 a.m. and 10 pm., with the heaviest of it between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. A winter storm is expected to hit southeast Michigan on Wednesday, just as January enters its final week.
The warning and advisories, which began at 7 a.m., included most counties in the eastern half of the state.
By 7 a.m., 575 area schools reported they were closed or significantly delayed, according to WZYX-TV's tracker.
If you must venture out, the National Weather Service said, plan ahead and be extra careful.
"We have a winter storm warning that is in effect until 8 p.m. this evening," weather service meteorologist Cory Behnke told the Free Press, listing all three metro Detroit counties — Wayne, Oakland and Macomb — that were included. "We've also expanded the warning into the Thumb."
Airline impact
The wintry blast, dubbed Kassandra, will affect more than Michigan and could have an impact on air travel as it moves through portions of the Midwest toward the Northeast. Southwest Airlines issued a warning that its flights in Detroit and other Midwest cities could be delayed, diverted, and canceled.
Light snow is expected to spread north into the Interstate 69 corridor by about 7 a.m., resulting in just enough snow for hazardous driving conditions during the morning commute, with a steady increase and intensity of snowfall between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Be ready if you get stuck
Travel conditions, forecasters said, are predicted to deteriorate most during the afternoon into the evening.
If you must travel, the weather service said, be prepared by packing a flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. Obviously, a snow brush, ice scraper and small shovel in case you need to dig yourself out of a snow bank would be good to have, too.
Stay prepared:8 things to do ahead of a Michigan winter storm
If you go out:Here are some winter weather driving tips
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan winter storm 2023: Live radar, traffic updates
