textproduct: Grand Rapids

KEY MESSAGES

- System snow transitions into lake effect tonight

- Cold weather continues much of this upcoming week

- Another snow event for Monday night into Tuesday morning

DISCUSSION

Issued at 347 PM EST Sun Jan 25 2026

- System snow transitions into lake effect tonight

The relentless winter weather continues as system snow transitions into a lake effect event tonight. The big system to our south continues to push occasional bursts of moderate snow into Southern Lower Michigan this afternoon. The back edge to the precipitation is slowly working across Illinois at this time, but the snow continues in Michigan and it likely does not end until after 7pm. We therefore continued the Winter Weather Advisory as is due to ongoing snow and the fact there have been numerous accidents and slide offs in the advisory area. Also, we could see one more burst of snow this evening as the jet core that has rounded the base of the trough works across the Ohio Valley placing us in the left exit region of the jet streak.

The system snow ends this evening and a northerly flow lake effect band becomes the focus. The band is already in place working NNE- SSW down the length of the lake. As winds back to the NW and W tonight the dominant band works into the lakeshore counties. The band should make landfall between 10pm up towards the points and 4am in portions of the area south of Grand Haven. We have opted to extend the Winter Weather Advisory in Van Buren for this reason through the day on Monday. We also added Allegan and Ottawa into an advisory for the same reason. North up the lakeshore from Muskegon to the north the band looks more transient and is dissipating as we head into the Monday morning commute. As of now the areas that stand to see the highest impacts are from the Holland area south down the shore. Later shifts may re-evalute the northern lakeshore and make tweaks appropriately. Snowfall in the western portions of Ottawa, Allegan and Van Buren Counties is likely to reach the 3-6, 4-7 range. Highest totals will likely be near South Haven. The Monday morning commute along I-96 west of Hudsonville south down the lakeshore will very much be affected.

- Cold weather continues much of this upcoming week

The cold weather looks to continue much of if not all of the upcoming work week. 850mb temperatures hold between -17C and -23C all week. These are values that result in cold surface air temps and road problems due to salt not being effective. We are looking at highs in the teens most days with lows in the single digits which is well below normal. We will likely be 10 to 20 degrees below normal most days for highs.

We have a particularly cold period Monday night into Tuesday morning as surface air temperatures drop towards zero F south and east of Grand Rapids. Winds ramp up at the same time in advance of a clipper system and we set the stage for wind chills to drop into the -15F to -20F range. A Cold Weather Advisory was issued for a large portions of our area near and south of I96. The Muskegon, Holland and Grand Rapids areas are not in that headline though due to slightly warmer air with winds off the lake. It's still going to feel cold that morning though with strong winds for a January morning.

- Another snow event for Monday night into Tuesday morning

The aforementioned clipper will be sliding southeast through the Great Lakes region Monday night into Tuesday morning. This will be our next snow event as synoptic scale snow with the clipper aids in lake enhancement for areas downwind of Lake Michigan. Additional winter weather headlines will be needed as Western Lower Michigan, especially near and west of Highway 131 is impacted by snow and blowing snow. The cold temperatures will lead to another powdery snow event that will limit visibilities. Visibilities will certainly be changeable and occasionally dipping towards whiteout categories given the combination of wind and dry/powder snow character. The beat goes on...so be prepared to slow down and potentially adjust travel plans.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z TUESDAY/

Issued at 637 PM EST Sun Jan 25 2026

Light snow with IFR visbys will pull east of the terminals over the next hour ot so. Scattered development behind it has a low chance of bringing brief periods of MFVR conditions to AZO/BTL/LAN/JXN (though LAN/JXN will already be MVFR prevailing for cigs) over the next few hours. After 06z tonight a lake effect band over the lake will reach the shoreline, with the worst at MKG after 10z. This band will weaken and shift inland through the day impacting AZO/BTL and possibly GRR. Behind this band will be MVFR cigs that will impact terminals from Monday morning through the end of the TAF period. Gusts to 20 knots are possible Monday afternoon.

GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

MI...Winter Weather Advisory from 1 AM to 7 PM EST Monday for MIZ056- 064. Cold Weather Advisory from 7 PM Monday to 9 AM EST Tuesday for MIZ058-059-064>067-071>074. Winter Weather Advisory until 10 PM EST this evening for MIZ065>067-072>074. Winter Weather Advisory until 7 PM EST Monday for MIZ071. MARINE...None.