Slick Spots Make For Treacherous Travel Conditions Around Metro Detroit

DETROIT (WWJ) - Watch for slick spots and avoid a crash as snow falls today in Southeast Michigan.

While many commuters sped to work without a problem, some began to slip and slide and snow struck the metro Detroit area toward the end of Wednesday's morning rush.

WWJ AccuWeather Meteorologist Dean DeVore says an arctic front moving through is touching off some snow showers — and this means trouble on local roads and freeways.

"You know, it's not a lot of snow," DeVore told WWJ's Jackie Paige, shortly after 10 a.m., "but when the temperature's somewhere between 6 and 10 degrees it doesn't take a lot of snow to cause major problems."

"So, folks, this is when you have to use your common sense," DeVore said. "You come up on one of these spots where the snow shower's a little heavier and you've got to slow down."

A Special Weather Statement issued by the National Weather Service says wide coverage of snow showers will produce generally one inch or less of snowfall accumulation. However, the snow will make roads slippery and may cause a reduction in visibility under the more intense snow shower bands.

At around 10:30 a.m., WWJ's Tracy McCaskill said there were accidents peppered around slippery freeways and ramps including on I-696, I-275, the Lodge Freeway, US 23 and M-39. Please go slow, expect backups and allow yourself some extra time to get where you're going. [Get the latest traffic details HERE].

Michigan State Police suggest using your headlights and making sure your windshield wiper fluid is full.

DeVore said the snow showers are expected to continue through the mid-to-late afternoon before tapering off; so the afternoon commute shouldn't be too bad.

Temperatures, meanwhile, will remain frigid, reaching up into the teens for a bit before plummeting into "even more of a deep freeze," Wednesday night, according to DeVore.

Low temperatures overnight will be around -2 degrees in some of the outlying areas up to around 4 degrees above zero in downtown Detroit. The high temperature Thursday will be around 10 degrees in the city, which will feel as cold 10 to 20 degrees below zero during the day. Burr.

Here's the AccuWeather forecast for the rest of the week:

Wednesday: Some snow. Hi 16.
Wednesday Night: Clouds breaking; very cold. Lo -4.

Thursday: Partly sunny; bitterly cold. Hi 9 / Lo -2.

Friday: Partly sunny; bitterly cold. Hi 8/ Lo -3.

Saturday: Sunshine; bitterly cold. Hi 10 / Lo 4

Sunday: Not a cold; some p.m. snow. Hi 29 / Lo 26.

Don't get caught in the cold: Keep it tuned to WWJ Newsradio 950 for the latest forecast during traffic and weather, every 10 minutes on the 8s. See the live, local radar now at this link.