textproduct: Grand Rapids

KEY MESSAGES

- Lake effect continues through Thursday night

- Ridging provides quieter weather finally over the weekend

- Temperatures warming back towards normal early next week

DISCUSSION

Issued at 339 AM EST Wed Jan 28 2026

- Lake effect continues through Thursday night

Today will be the 15 straight day in Grand Rapids of at least a trace of snow. During that 2 week period we have measured 30.2 inches of snow here at the NWS Grand Rapids office. So, if it seems like winter has been on a roll of late you are right. We have a Winter Weather Advisory in effect until 10am for Ottawa, Allegan, Van Buren and Kalamazoo Counties. The question this morning is whether to let it ride or cancel it. Have made the decision to maintain the headline. The reasoning is that shortwave energy upstream is approaching Lake Michigan from Wisconsin and we expect a bit of a boost to the ongoing activity as we approach and move through the morning commute. Moisture is not all that deep, but sufficient with model data and our VWP confirming 5,000 feet of depth. The DGZ is completely contained within this cloud layer with lift seen in the BUFKIT overviews for the remainder of the night and much of the morning. Light snow will continue and we have seen an increase in intensity and an aerial expansion since midnight. Expect it to uptick a bit more as the shortwave gives the LES a synoptic scale boost. The snow will not be heavy, 1-2 inches, but that snow combined with temperatures in the single digits to lower teens will continue to make for impacted travel. The snow will be lighter in other areas today.

Lake effect snow will continue tonight, Thursday and Thursday night as well. The flow during this time frame will slowly be veering to the north which will eventually take the lake effect snow off shore, but that will not happen until Thursday evening into Thursday overnight. The snow during this time frame will be light but it will continue.

The cold weather will remain in place through Friday as 850mb temperatures hover a couple degrees either side of -20C. 850mb temperatures this cold result in cold temperatures at the surface resulting in travel impacts. So, look for snow packed and icy road conditions across Western Lower Michigan to continue through the remainder of the work week (Fri).

We are likely looking at the need for Cold Weather headlines Thursday night into Friday morning. Wind chill values are forecast to reach the -15F to -25F range. Much of the area will see these values with the exception being down towards I-94.

- Ridging provides quieter weather finally over the weekend

Once the lake effect snow goes off shore Thursday night we are looking at a more quiet weather pattern...finally. Friday through Sunday will be dominated by surface ridging and what should be dry conditions.

- Temperatures warming back towards normal early next week

Temperatures at 850mb begin a slow warming trend starting Friday night. 850mb temperatures over GRR Fri afternoon will be near -22C. Those temperatures warm to around -10C by Monday and will push to around -5C on Tuesday. What this means at the surface is that highs that have been in the teens will rise at least into the 20s on Monday and may push to around 30 on Tuesday. That will allow road crews to attack the snow and ice buildup on area roads that the current temps do not (salt is ineffective at the current temperatures). Normal highs for this time of year are around 30 and we will finally get back towards normal early next week.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY/

Issued at 705 AM EST Wed Jan 28 2026

Lake effect snow showers will continue both today and tonight, with the most intense snow showers likely occurring this morning (12z-17z). MVFR conditions will be prevalent through the next 24 hours with fairly widespread 2000-3000ft ceilings hanging on. Visibilities will range from VFR to occasionally MVFR inland at LAN and JXN to MVFR occasionally IFR to the west at MKG, AZO and GRR. Tonight the winds in the cloud layer will veer from a more westerly direction to more of a north trajectory. As such, the clouds and snow showers will tend to migrate closer to the lakeshore. Inland TAF sites will trend VFR tonight. The lake effect should be less potent tonight coming up, so even at the lakeshore it will be trending better with time.

GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

MI...Winter Weather Advisory until 10 AM EST this morning for MIZ056- 064-071-072. MARINE...None.