NEXT Weather Alert: Winter storm system bringing heavy snow to southeast Michigan

NEXT Weather meteorologist Ahmad Bajjey gives an update on what's to come this weekend following a winter storm.

The cold can be especially brutal for residents without permanent housing, and if you need a warm place to stay, there are a few locations offering hot meals and beds.

The Detroit Rescue Mission is gearing up to make room for an influx of families and individuals.

Organizers say that means making sure they have enough supplies and beds for accommodations. 

If you're in need of an emergency shelter, you can call 313-993-6703.

 Facilities:

Detroit Rescue Mission (men only) 

• 3535 3rd Ave.
• 313-993-6703

Genesis House II (women and families)

• 12900 W. Chicago
• 313-309-5900

Genesis House III (women and families)

11037 Mack Ave.

Click here for more locations.  

The Detroit Metro Airport says it temporarily closed after a winter storm hits Southeast Michigan.

"Please check your flight status with your airline before heading to the airport," Airport officials said in a tweet.

As of 7 p.m., more than 200 flights arriving and departing from the airport were canceled or delayed. 

NEXT Weather meteorologist Karen and reporter Luke Laster travel through the streets to explain Friday night's road conditions.

In midst of our weather coverage, CBS News Detroit's Ibrahim Samra stepped outside of the studio in an attempt to build a snowman.

Power outages are mounting up in southeastern Michigan as a results of Friday's winter storm. 

You can view DTE Energy's outage map or Consumers Energy's outage map. 

You can also view your outage status for DTE Energy or Consumes Energy. 

You can report an outage for DTE Energy or Consumers Energy. 

The heaviest snowfall is still moving in to southeast Michigan.

The Monroe County Sheriff's Office is urging residents to be cautious during Friday's winter storm. 

When snow accumulations in the City of Detroit reach six inches, plow trucks will begin clearing off residential streets. 

CBS News Detroit's Cryss Walker breaks down the process of clearing snow in Detroit.

Dr. Dan Wahl, an emergency room physician at McLaren Oakland, discusses the health risks associated with shoveling heavy snow.

As a winter storm is expected to deliver a half-foot or more of snow Friday, road crews in Macomb County are busy preparing.   

CBS News Detroit's Gino Vicci caught up with Landscape Services in Clinton Township to see how they are preparing. 

Road crews in Oakland County are preparing for a 16-hour shift as a winter storm hits southeast Michigan Friday.   

Friday morning, the priority was to pre-treat roads by spraying liquid brine to keep ice from forming. Once the freezing rain or snow starts, crews will focus their attention on overpasses and ramps, as those are the places that ice up first. 

Thanks to the mild winter Michigan has enjoyed this year, Oakland County has saved money, specifically on overtime and their salt supply. 

The county has nearly 7,000 tons of rock salt in each of its salt barns, but they're still dealing with some of the mess last week's ice storm left behind. 

NEXT Weather meteorologist Kylee Miller delivers a final forecast update before a winter storm delivers heavy snow to southeast Michigan. 

NEXT Weather meteorologist Ahmad Bajjey previews what's expected ahead of Friday's winter storm.

Several counties in Southeast Michigan are now under a Winter Storm Warning through 4 a.m. Friday. 

The warning is in effect for the following counties:

• Genesee
• Huron
• Lapeer
• Lenawee
• Livingston
• Macomb
• Monroe
• Oakland
• Saginaw
• Sanilac
• Shiawassee
• St. Clair
• Tuscola
• Washtenaw
• Wayne

Snowfall totals are expected in the range of 4 or 5 inches in the lowest areas closer to the Ohio state line, up to 10 inches in our northern communities north of M-59. 

Snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour are possible in a three- to six-hour window close to the evening commute and past sunset. These rates can be dangerous as visibility drops rapidly and snowfall accumulates on the pavement in a short period of time. 

In addition, strong wind gusts in the 40 mph range are likely and will further reduce visibilities.

Wind gusts may also cause isolated power outages.

Snowfall will taper off after 2 a.m. Saturday morning.

Snowfall begins very light in the late morning hours moving from south to north. Snow should be more widespread, but remain light, after the noon hour as it continues to move north. Snowfall begins to truly fall after 2 p.m. Friday. 

Between the hours of 4 p.m. and 10 p.m., the snow should fall at the heaviest rate. Some snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour are possible, along with a chance for thundersnow. Snowfall tapers off after 10 p.m. and is over by the midnight hour.  

Friday is a NEXT Weather Alert Day.

What does this mean? Our team expects higher than normal impacts to travel and/or daily life from a storm system that requires larger coverage. We increase staffing and clear the way for us to do things like break into programming or gear up teams to be mobile, for example in the NEXT Weather Tracker.

We'll take temperature readings of the road surface, use the mounted weather station to feed back data in different parts of the storm, and also work on updates from places like road commissions on expected impacts with staffing or road clearing timelines.

Expected snowfall amounts Friday through Saturday morning. 

Winter Storm Watch: Start Friday afternoon and extend until 2 a.m. Saturday.

Thursday 6 a.m. update.

Timing continues to be more consistent, focusing mainly on the afternoon Friday through most of Friday night.  

The primary issue is the storm track, which has been all over the board until Wednesday night.

The area of low pressure hasn't been over land for us to measure, which meteorologists have now been able to do on the west coast.

With this new data, we are seeing a slight southern shift in the heavier snowfall bands.

At the moment, there are really two main tracks that the area of low pressure can take.

The southernmost track, track No. 1, brings heavy snowfall directly into the central and northern counties in Southeast Michigan, along with portions of central Michigan and into the Thumb.

Snowfall is the wet/heavy type and would be difficult to shovel, so it's important to keep up with the accumulation.

Rain would be likely to move through parts of the counties closest to the Ohio border, and this would therefore cut down on snowfall amounts specifically in those areas.

Storm track No. 2 brings the area of low pressure further north and would leave the heaviest band of snowfall over central portions of the mitten.

Snowfall type would be the same, but amounts in the Metro area would drastically diminish because of this.

Rainfall also makes a more notable appearance and would aid in cutting snow totals even further.

It's important to note that updates to these tracks are coming within the next 8-12 hours as truly raw data finally becomes available.

Right now, the bottom line is to have the shovel handy and gas for the snow blower.

You're going to have at least a couple of inches to clear, but the track of the heaviest snowfall is still in flux and it's good to be prepared now if the system continues to slide south as some recent data has shown.

You can download the CBS News app to watch CBS News Detroit anytime, and we are available to stream live on PlutoTV.

Stay with the NEXT Weather Team as this storm system evolves.