West Michigan Snow Day Prediction For Tuesday 02/18/2025

School Closing Outlook

www.WestMichiganWeather.net/School-Closings

Issued: Monday, February 16, 2025 3:26 PM

Summary:

While overall forecast guidance has slightly reduced the degree of dangerously cold wind chills expected for Tuesday morning we do still expect fairly widespread school closures and delays, especially across the Eastern half of our coverage area on Tuesday.

Discussion:

As aforementioned, very cold wind chills, which could fall to dangerously low values of 15 below zero, or even colder, especially along the US-127 corridor. Lake Michigan will help to prevent the influx of dangerous cold along the immediate lakeshore as wind chills only fall to around 5 below zero. However, additional lake-effect snowfall will help make up the school closure/delay potential in this area.

Wind chills, which could drop to dangerously cold levels across much of the area East of US-131, and especially along US-127 are expected.

Across this area East of US-131 we have maintained 51-70% probabilities as wind chills as low as 15-20 below zero will likely prompt scattered to perhaps widespread school closings on Tuesday morning.

We have upgraded areas even further East, along US-127, where the greatest risk for wind chills as low as 20-25 below zero is apparent based on the latest computer weather model guidance we have. A 71-90% risk for school closures/delays is in place as we expect widespread to perhaps numerous school closures East of US-127.

Along and West of US-131, especially near the immediate lakeshore, wind chills will not fall as low, only reaching values of 5 above to 10 below zero.

This area will see continued lake effect snow however, which will help to make up the school closure/delay risk in this area, despite the lack of colder wind chills. A generalized 1-3 inches of additional snowfall with locally higher amounts is expected through 5:00 AM Tuesday morning. 

All in all, the combination of the snow and marginal wind chills will support widely scattered school closures and delays across this area, hence we have maintained the 31-50% risk in this region West of US-131.