textproduct: Grand Rapids

KEY MESSAGES

- Lake effect snow continues through Thursday

- Cold temperatures Thursday night

- Warming trend late weekend

DISCUSSION

Issued at 300 PM EST Wed Jan 28 2026

- Lake effect snow continues through Thursday

Water vapor imagery shows another short wave moving south over Wisconsin and will move across the lake later this afternoon. We'll see an uptick in snow showers, especially near the lake shore. Earlier, we extended the winter weather advisory through Thursday morning and extended it north to include the entire lake shore counties.

Bufkit omega profiles show an omega bullseye at South Haven this evening, corresponding to the lift created by the short wave. More lift was noted through 12z. Instability remains very favorable for lake effect snow production with h8 temps around -20c through Thursday.

One final short wave will move south early Friday and once it does so, boundary layer winds will become northeasterly effectively pushing the lake snow bands southwest across the lake toward Wisconsin and Illinois. We will see some synoptic snow, however, as the short wave passes through on Friday, but accumulations will be limited to an inch or less.

- Cold temperatures Thursday night

RH progs show clearing skies developing over northeast Lower and moving south across the northeast cwa Thursday night. Apparent temperatures will bottom out in the 15 to 20 below range and we'll likely need a cold weather advisory north of I-96. Apparent temperatures south of I-96 are expected to fall to -5 to -10.

- Warming trend late weekend

Saturday and Sunday will be mostly dry as high pressure builds southeast from the northern Plains. H8 temps near -12c Saturday warm to -6c by Monday. Correspondingly, highs in the mid teens Friday and Saturday will warm into the mid 20s Sunday and remain there through Wednesday. Low temperatures Sunday night through Tuesday night will remain above zero.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 635 PM EST Wed Jan 28 2026

Light to moderate lake effect snow continues, thanks to persistent troughing over the Great Lakes, and 850 mb temps near -20C. An uptick in lake snow noted the past 1-2 hr thanks to short wave rotating across the region. Expect MVFR to occasional IFR conditions next few hours. Then, as winds lighten up and short wave departs, VFR conditions should be predominate over inland areas. WNW winds around 10 kt will diminish late tonight into Thursday.

GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

MI...Winter Weather Advisory until 10 AM EST Thursday for MIZ037-043- 050-056-064-071-072. MARINE...None.