The snow is not the only thing that will pack a punch on Friday. Better cold temperatures and strong winds have the potential to pose health risks for vulnerable populations.
That includes the elderly, especially in the event of a power outage.
Also, people experiencing homelessness in a cold like this is a serious health hazard.
Related: Where homeless, vulnerable population can go to warm up during frigid temperates
"In weather like this, the focus is really to try and get people inside," Tasha Gray, the executive director of the Homeless Action Network of Detroit (HAND) said.
Getting people inside is the No. 1 priority for HAND.
"Our outreach teams, because they are out there day in day out, they build relationships," she said.
HAND coordinates resources in an effort to end homelessness. It's a bridge, connecting agencies working for a common goal. In a storm like this, teams just want to keep people safe.
"We don't want to see anyone out there you know, pass away," Gray said.
"Has that happened in previous severe weather events in our area?" I asked.
"Yeah, unfortunately, it has. It's been a couple of years to my knowledge," She responded.
Temps this weekend are expected to be in the teens with wind chills below zero. Dr. Rahul Mehta, the chair of the department of emergency medicine at Trinity Health Oakland, said it's a very serious health risk.
Mehta said it can take just minutes to feel the effects of exposure, something accelerated if someone is without proper clothing, under the influence, or simply has a low reserve.
"You get when we call chill veins or frostnip and it can go to the extreme of frostbite which is lack of circulation of the extremities," Mehta said. "Usually, it's related to exposure so you get in the fingertips, the earlobes, the toes."
This storm will also have the potential for widespread power outages. DTE is warning people for power outages and asking them to be ready and keep essentials in case they lose power.
Trinity's ERs are well-prepared, not just for exposure cases.
"We always on a regular basis make sure that we have adequate equipment, make sure we have warm saline," Mehta said.
They're also ready for slips and falls and cardiac events, things that are risks during severe weather.
HAND serves Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park, and tracks around 1,100 people experiencing chronic homelessness. Their outreach team is planning for a busy weekend.
"They can use those relationships and really the trust they build over time to get people to come in, even if it's not something they want to do for the long term," Gray said.
