BY SHERI McWHIRTER
TRAVERSE CITY — A quick-hitting, intense winter storm is expected to blast the region this afternoon and over night, and could dump as much as seven inches of snow by morning.
Up to two inches per hour could fall across the region in what forecasters said could become a snowstorm complete with rumbling thunder. Sloppy snow could lead to icy conditions by Friday morning, when much colder conditions are expected, said officials at the National Weather Service station in Gaylord.
"It will be a pretty quick storm," said NWS meteorologist Jeff Lutz. "It will be doing its main damage by 1, 2 or 3 (a.m.). The snow we're expecting will be real wet and heavy."
Cold air will blow into the region behind the storm, dropping the temperature from 30 to 20 degrees in a few hours. That means the wet snow will freeze by morning, Lutz said.
"Probably about seven inches of snow will have fallen overnight in the Traverse City area," he said.
Wet and frozen snow likely won't blow around much Friday morning, despite winds anticipated to reach 20 mph.
Road workers in Grand Traverse County are preparing for this month's last wintery blast.
"We'll know when it starts snowing and as it gets more severe, we can call out more plow drivers," said Mary Gillis, road commission manager. "If we get that much before 3 a.m., we will have people in to clear the roads before people start their drives in the morning."
State highways should be cleared for motorists by Friday's morning commute times, but side roads will take a little longer, Gillis said.
"People will encounter slippery conditions on the side roads. We try to get out there on the roads with hills and curves," she said.
