Winter weather advisory issued for all of Southeast Michigan for freezing rain, sleet
Friday in Southeast Michigan may not be an enjoyable day right on the other side of Christmas.
A winter weather advisory has been issued for Lapeer, Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, Washtenaw and Wayne counties from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 26.
Freezing rain and sleet are the main issues, but freezing rain is the primary concern for Southeast Michigan at the moment.
After 7 a.m., we should see freezing rain spreading through Southeast Michigan.
While some road treatment will help, the rain may fall at a rate that also allows treatments to wash off as ice begins to accumulate.
Keep a very close eye on conditions as the morning goes on, as conditions will evolve.
I'll be honest with you, ice is the hardest type of weather to forecast in Michigan. A single degree can throw everything off in another direction. For now, our expectation is 0.1 to 0.25 inches of freezing rain, which is plenty to cause travel issues.
Anything more than 0.25 inches would be considered an ice storm, and while I think that risk does partially exist in areas north of I-696, it remains something to watch for the moment.
We've highlighted an area on the map that is being monitored for temperature profile, wind, moisture content, and overall path, as this is a zone that may see more if the storm lines up correctly.
As we are wrapping up the holiday week, it's safest to hold off on travel until late afternoon on Friday.
Stay with the NEXT Weather Team for updates as the rain falls and keep a close eye on changing conditions through the day Friday.