(WXYZ) — A powerful winter storm is expected to slam metro Detroit later this week. With every check of the computer models, the incoming holiday storm looks stronger after every run. At this point in the forecast, we can see that the storm is coming and have an idea of what it will do while it's here.
Here's what we know right now:
THURSDAY
Thursday brings a chance of a mix of snow and rain through midday. Then it will likely rain through 3 a.m. to 4 a.m.
FRIDAY
Expect widespread travel disruptions.
We anticipate there will be a quick drop in temps from the 30s to the teens, making the rain turn to snow between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. Roads could quickly become icy, especially after 6 a.m.
The snowfall that's expected to move in Friday throughout the day and night will have the heaviest amounts toward the west and north of Detroit. We're predicting about 4 inches to 6 inches widespread. It will be enough to shovel, but it's not the primary issue with this storm.
Friday evening, temperatures are expected to drop in the 7- to 12- degree range with blowing and drifting snow, meaning roads will stay snow covered and slippery.
The bigger story: the winds!
There's a high likelihood of high winds reaching 50+ mph across the Great Lakes region. This could lead to power outages, which is always a bad situation in the winter. These winds may also lead to the storm reaching blizzard levels. When we hear the word "blizzard," we may picture a lot of snow, but the term refers to gusty winds and low visibilities while snow is falling as opposed to the amount of snow.
SATURDAY AND BEYOND
The winds appear to stay strong all the way through Saturday, according to models.
Arctic air will follow closely behind this storm with sub-zero wind chills and actual temps in the teens and single digits. This will set us up for the coldest Christmas in over 20 years, possibly longer.
Stay with the 7 Action News team throughout the week as we track this developing storm closely.
Detroit weather 7-day forecast
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Twitter: Dave Rexroth , Hally Vogel , Kevin Jeanes
