Lansing, MI – A fast-moving winter storm has left thousands of residents in West Michigan without power and caused hazardous travel conditions on Wednesday, December 4. The storm, which brought snow squalls, high winds, and lake-effect snow, impacted several counties across the state.
Consumers Energy reported that by 8:30 p.m., nearly 14,000 customers were without power, primarily in counties along the west side of Michigan. The hardest-hit areas included Allegan, Kent, Muskegon, and Ottawa counties, with outages affecting thousands of homes. In Kent County alone, over 2,300 customers were left in the dark, while Muskegon saw more than 4,000 outages.
Indiana Michigan Power also reported significant disruptions, with over 9,500 customers without power, most of them in the Benton Harbor area.
Local authorities across West Michigan have been responding to a flurry of emergency calls. Police and firefighters have dealt with reports of fallen trees, downed power lines, and accidents throughout the region. In Ottawa County, deputies were responding to at least 10 crashes by 8:15 p.m., while Kent County officers were handling six separate incidents at the same time. Emergency responders have also been addressing disabled vehicles stranded in the storm’s wake.
In addition to the power outages and crashes, dangerous road conditions are expected to persist as the storm continues. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Grand Rapids has warned that winds could reach speeds of up to 50 mph in areas like Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Lansing. However, some locations have already seen even stronger gusts, with Whitehall recording a 56 mph gust, Grand Haven experiencing 54 mph winds, and East Grand Rapids seeing gusts up to 52 mph.
As the storm moves through the region, forecasters are predicting the potential for significant lake-effect snow. Snowfall could accumulate in the range of 8 to 12 inches in parts of West Michigan and Northern Michigan, further complicating travel conditions.
The combination of snow, high winds, and freezing temperatures is expected to make travel treacherous throughout the night into Thursday. Local authorities have urged residents to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary, as conditions continue to deteriorate.
