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Ice storm conditions may taper off overnight
The ice storm warning expires at 4 a.m. but Rich Luterman tells us what to expect
(FOX 2) - Southeast Michigan is under several different watches and warnings, including alerts for incoming ice, wind, and other winter weather.
A second Ice Storm Warning has been issued for all of SE Michigan until 4 a.m. Thursday.
About 325,000 DTE Energy customers are without power - find the outage map HERE.
By midday Wednesday, much of Metro Detroit was experiencing some kind of precipitation that it can expect for the next several hours. Many of the National Weather Service's alerts will expire early Thursday morning.
Depending on the local temperatures of residents, they could see a conveyor belt of snow, rain, or something in between. Fortunately, with temperatures hovering above freezing for much of the region, what falls won't be snow or freeze into ice.
Among the greatest hazards is the ice accumulation that's expected in the afternoon and evening. Counties in mid-Michigan can expect up ice to thicken up to half an inch, while snow and sleet will rise as high as one inch.
Elevated surfaces like cars, bridges, and overpasses could have the slickest driving conditions.
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DTE Energy and Metro Airport share same winter storm worry: Ice
Canceled flights are adding up, and so are power outages in some areas.
Ice poses less of a threat to Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne counties due to temperatures hovering near the freezing point. But as the sun goes down, temperatures could follow which means more icy spots are expected to form on roads.
According to the NWS, dangerous driving conditions will be prevalent throughout the day with the worst being experienced between I-69 and M-59, which include northern portions of Oakland and Macomb counties, and the southern portion of Lapeer County.
Wind gusts and visibility issues will also be hazards for drivers.
Utility companies prepared for the incoming weather, with DTE deploying more than 1,500 crews into the field Wednesday morning. Check out DTE's outage map here for the latest updates.
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Icy weather cancels, delays flights at Detroit Metro Airport
If you were planning to escape Michigan's winter weather, you may be out of luck. About half of the flights at Detroit Metro Airport have been canceled or delayed due to icy conditions.
Thursday will be less dangerous with precipitation moving out of the way. Much colder air is expected to move in tomorrow night.