textproduct: Grand Rapids

KEY MESSAGES

- Snow and Wind Cause Hazardous Travel Conditions Today

- Periods of Snow through Friday

- Cold Temperatures Continue

DISCUSSION

Issued at 308 AM EST Tue Jan 27 2026

- Snow and Wind Cause Hazardous Travel Conditions Today

Snow continues largely along and north of a South Haven to Alma line early this morning. Upper level divergence with the left exit region of the upper level jet, positive vorticity advection, along with the southwest flow over Lake Michigan will provide a favorable set up for 1 to 3 inches to fall prior to daybreak. Winds will also cause blowing and drifting snow across the area. Snow, blowing snow, and reduced visibilities will impact the morning commute. These impacts may briefly extend eastward as the front moves through later this morning bringing better lift in the low levels as we lose the deeper moisture.

Continuing into the day expect lake effect snow to continue within the northwest flow. Large lake surface to 850 mb temperature differences will support lake effect snow with the low level moisture remaining in place and low level instability with favorable lapse rates mixing down stronger winds aloft. These gustier winds will impact snow ratios even with the better saturation in the dendritic growth zone. Additionally moisture will be shallow limiting accumulations during the day with 1 to 2 inches largely west of US-131 and lower amounts to the east.

Lake effect snow will continue mainly along the lakeshore tonight. There is a signal that a heavier band could develop in the northwest flow impacting portions of Allegan, Van Buren, and Kalamazoo counties which could warrant and extension of the advisory.

- Periods of Snow through Friday

850 mb temperatures remain cold continuing lake effect chances mainly along the lakeshore through the week. We'll see upticks with synoptic support tonight into Wednesday, Wednesday night into Thursday, and Thursday night into Friday. The signal for deep moisture however remains questionable. Therefore the probabilities of 1 inch or more over a 24 hour period remain 40 percent or lower with the higher probabilities focused in Allegan County.

- Cold Temperatures Continue

Wind chills are expected to slowly improve this morning as air temperatures warm. However wind chills of 15 below zero remain possible toward daybreak, therefore no changes to the Cold Weather Advisory. Wind chills will be in the single digits below zero through the day and into tonight.

With highs in the teens and lows in the single digits above and below zero, wind chills overall are not expected to improve much with values around zero through most of the week. We'll see another potential for dangerous cold temperatures Thursday night into Friday with lows around 10 below zero and wind chills approaching 20 below zero.

AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 1151 PM EST Mon Jan 26 2026

Key changes: - earlier onset of visibility restrictions at GRR terminals - added tempo LIFR visibility restrictions during the day at MKG

Radar shows an area of snow moving east across Lake MI at this time ahead of an upper PV maximum. Reflectivities have perked up recently along a GRR to BIV line associated with FGEN forcing along the leading edge of a plume of Lake MI modified air. Have therefore added snow to the GRR TAF a bit earlier than what was previously advertised. Otherwise, few changes were made to the inherited TAFs, except to provide a bit more detail regarding evolution of snow and visibility restrictions Tuesday afternoon and evening.

As noted previously, BLSN at MKG/AZO/GRR/BTL given gusts of 25-35 knots will be a persistent factor overnight into Tuesday, resulting in occasional, perhaps frequent, IFR visibility restrictions.

GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

MI...Winter Weather Advisory until 7 PM EST this evening for MIZ037- 038-043-044-050-056-057-064-065-071-072. Cold Weather Advisory until 9 AM EST this morning for MIZ058-059- 064>067-071>074. MARINE...None.