Local Cities Issue Snow Emergency

Some local cities have issued snow emergencies as Metro Detroit receives a winter storm.

At 8 p.m. on Wednesday, the city of Dearborn's early warning siren system was scheduled to sound off to signal that all parked vehicles must be removed from streets.

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The siren will again be activated at 7 a.m. on Thursday as a reminder to residents.

Vehicles that are not removed on Thursday morning could be towed by the Dearborn Police Department and owners may be ticketed.

The snow emergency will be in effect until all plowing is complete. The city's snow emergency hotline is (313) 943-2444.

Rochester Hills Mayor Pat Somerville also announced a snow emergency is in effect for the city's residents.

All cars are expected to be removed from residential streets or they will be plowed in or towed, according to city officials.

Blizzard Warning Issued For Parts Of Michigan

A blizzard warning is in effect for some Michigan cities from 1 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

The warning was issued for Huron, Sanilac and St. Clair counties and includes the cities of Bad Axe, Port Huron and Sandusky.

In addition to snow accumulation of up to 12 inches, north winds will gust to 40 mph or more on Thursday, especially along the lakeshore regions, according to NWS. Wind chills below zero are possible Thursday.

A blizzard warning is issued by NWS when sustained wind speeds or frequent gusts of over 35 mph are expected with considerable falling and/or blowing and drifting snow. Visibilities will be poor, with whiteout conditions at times.

Those venturing outdoors may become lost or disoriented, so residents in the warning area are advised to stay indoors.

Winter Storm Warning Issued For Metro Detroit

A winter storm warning is in effect from 1 a.m. until noon on Thursday, according to NWS.

The warning was issued for the counties of Lapeer, Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, Tuscola, Washtenaw and Wayne.

Heavy snowfall is expected to accumulate up to 10 inches in the cities of Adrian, Ann Arbor, Caro, Detroit, Howell, Lapeer, Monroe, Mount Clemens and Pontiac.

Snow is expected to develop over the area Wednesday evening and become heavy after midnight.

By midday Thursday, snow will begin to taper off to scattered light snow showers.

Amounts of 6 to 10 inches are expected across the area and wind gusts of 30 mph or more may cause blowing and drifting of snow, according to NWS.

A winter storm warning is issued when heavy snow and/or ice are forecast to accumulate in the affected areas causing hazardous driving conditions. People with travel plans in the warning are advised to choose an alternate route or should use extreme caution if travel is unavoidable.

Local4Caster Eric Wilson said flights at Detroit Metropolitan Airport could be affected by the storm Thursday morning. Blowing snow and the snowfall rates from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. could create visibility problems.

"Our morning commute will be very snowy," said Wilson.

Wilson said the best times to travel Thursday will depend on the route. Westbound drivers heading toward Chicago on Interstate 94 should be fine after 10 a.m. Drivers heading east on I-94 toward Buffalo, N.Y., should have major snowfall removed after 3 p.m. Drivers heading south on Interstate 75 should be clear after 2 p.m.

Christmas Eve has a 30 percent chance of snow showers, according to the Local4Casters report. Christmas Day is expected to be partly cloudy, with more snow possible in the evening.