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Incoming storm could land as dangerous Bomb Cyclone in part of Michigan

The forecast details for a major winter storm that will begin to develop over Michigan on Sunday are showing an increasing level of concern that the Upper Peninsula and the tip of Northern Michigan may have to deal with more than just blizzard conditions.

This rapidly deepening low-pressure system moving over this northern part of the Great Lakes could land as a dangerous “bomb cyclone” storm.

What does that mean? MLive Chief Meteorologist Mark Torregrossa has explained that when a storm “bombs out,” the data behind the storm is measured in a way that shows it will be a rapidly-intensifying storm.

“To figure out if a storm is ‘bombing out’ or will just be a strong storm system, we have to look at the lowest air pressure in the center of the storm system,” Torregrossa has said. “To reach the criteria of becoming a bomb cyclone, a storm system’s lowest air pressure has to go lower by 24 millibars(mb) in 24 hours.”

Right now, forecast notes from the National Weather Service in Marquette show this storm system’s air pressure could drop by the 24 millibars needed to reach Bomb Cyclone status.

This typically means we’ll see some really high winds with a storm. In this case, the winds from late Sunday into Monday could reach 60 mph across parts of the Upper Peninsula, and the rest of Michigan.

Storm-force winds over 60 mph are expected on Lake Superior and other areas of the Great Lakes, with waves forecast to top 25 feet on some of the lakes.

Regular blizzard conditions are dangerous for motorists, but add the Bomb Cyclone designation with the heavy snowfall - up to 2 feet - expected for parts of the U.P., and we could see law enforcement asking for travel restrictions during the worst of this storm.

“The worst conditions are expected Sunday night into Monday morning, when the combination of heavy snow and high winds could make travel very difficult to impossible,” the NWS team in Marquette said today.

Parts of Michigan will see rain and a wintry mix on Sunday, while northern areas will see snow start to stack up.

This storm that will impact Michigan is part of a much larger system that’s overspreading the Great Lakes and beyond. For many, it’s a one-two punch after ice accumulations on Friday led to power outages at thousands of homes and businesses across the state. Power is expected to be restored to some just in time for this second round to hit, brining more high winds.

Consumers Energy says it has crews prepared to respond to the Sunday-Monday storm.

“Michigan winters are rarely predictable, and Consumers Energy takes our responsibility seriously to restore power and be ready for the next storm,” said Norm Kapala, one of Consumers Energy’s officers in charge for restoration.

AccuWeather forecasters say the Great Lakes are in the bullseye for this Sunday-Monday storm system. They say “all-out blizzard” conditions are likely and travel impacts are expected to be severe.

“There is a good chance the storm will undergo rapid intensification and become a ‘bomb cyclone’ between Sunday afternoon and Monday afternoon over the Great Lakes,” said AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham.

South of this blizzard zone, the Lower Peninsula will see high winds and lesser amounts of snow. Areas of higher snow—6 to 12 inches—could be seen across Northern Michigan. Lakeshore areas could see higher levels of lake-effect snow, too. Other areas across southern Michigan could see just a trace to a few inches of accumulation.