TRAVERSE CITY -- Shovels, ice melt, roof rakes and windshield scrapers are hot sellers at Torch River Hardware in Rapid City.
Owner Thane Pressman stocked plenty of supplies after last winter's heavy and consistent snowfall. He anticipates more of the same this season.
And with a winter storm warning threatening to dump more than a foot of snow in Northwest Michigan within 36 hours, Pressman has watched the items move from store shelves.
"These are the big-ticket things," Pressman said. "We expect a big, big rush."
Residents today could find 6 to 8 inches of fresh snow, with another 7 inches expected through today and 3 more Thursday, said Scott Rozanski, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Gaylord.
A winter storm warning is in effect until 7 a.m. Thursday.
The low-pressure system is resulting in "a pretty typical December winter storm," Rozanski said.
Snowfall amounts likely won't vary much from Traverse City to Gaylord, he said. But windy conditions will make driving hazardous, especially during morning commutes.
Leelanau County Road Commission plow drivers will be out overnight, with the full crew starting at 5 a.m. to clear expected heavy snowfall, Superintendent Herb Cradduck said.
"We're ready. All we can do is wait," he said. "The trucks are ready to go."
The county will have 24 plow trucks moving snow and working to keep it from becoming ice on roads and highways, Cradduck said.
The possibility of significant accumulation is a delight to snow enthusiasts.
"I've been getting calls all day," said Monica Claycomb, a front desk worker at the All Seasons Resort in Kalkaska, a popular hotel for snowmobile riders near a state-designated trail.
Trail conditions are not good enough for snowmobiles right now, but could be by week's end. Out-of-town visitors are expected to flock to the region, should the storm deliver the promised white stuff.
"If we get what they say we're going to get, they'll be here," Claycomb said. "They're all calling back on Thursday."
Students undoubtedly hope to hear the words "snow day," but school administrators say they can't make that call until they view the morning's weather conditions.
A decision to cancel classes in Benzie County Central Schools typically is made by 5 a.m., Superintendent Dave Micinski said.
Students make up missed classes after five canceled days, he said. The district closed for two days this fall because of high numbers of flu-related absences.
Betsie Valley Elementary in Thompsonville already reached its five allotted days due to illness and a power outage, Micinski said.
Traverse City Area Public Schools includes five make-up days in its calendar. The district closed for four days this fall due to flu, with the exception of West Middle School and Blair Elementary, both of which shut down earlier.
Employee union leaders will meet Thursday to discuss what might happen if more than five days are canceled, spokeswoman Alison Arnold said.
"It's just very apparent that we're pushing that now," Arnold said. "If there is a snow day, it will impact our school calendar. We know that."
The Grand Traverse Bay YMCA offers drop-in child care when schools are closed due to weather, from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Rates vary depending on whether families are YMCA members, but staff said they range from $16 to $25 per day. Assistance is available.
The facility is housed at 3000 Racquet Club Drive in Traverse City.
