LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — A mixture of snow, sleet and freezing rain will continue for the remainder of Wednesday.

By early Wednesday afternoon, ice had already began to accumulate.

This wintry mix of precipitation will produce extremely hazardous road conditions and the potential for scattered power outages in the area. The heaviest rates of precipitation are expected to occur from 3-10 p.m.

Areas near and north of I-96 will see a mixture of sleet and snow this afternoon, allowing for around 1-2 inches of mainly sleet to accumulate on the roads and other surfaces.

As we move into the evening hours, around 5 p.m., that mixture of sleet and snow will transition into freezing rain, allowing for ice accumulations around 0.25”. 

The most significant ice accumulation will be possible for areas between I-96 and I-94, as freezing rain will be the predominant precipitation type for the rest of the day.

Ice accumulation will range from 0.50” to 0.75”. This amount of ice will create treacherous travel conditions. In addition, the ice build-up on power lines and trees will likely cause power outages.

The likelihood of this occurring will only increase with winds gusting up to 45 mph this evening. Impacts will be relatively limited for areas south of I-94 as mainly rain showers are expected.   

Going into Wednesday night, freezing rain will still dominate most of the region before tapering off as we move into Thursday morning.

However, impacts will still be present as Thursday morning’s commute will likely still be difficult.

As temperatures warm into the 40s throughout the day, it should help to melt some of the ice that is able to accumulate. 

Wednesday and Thursday are considered WEATHER AWARE DAYS due to the potential for significant ice accumulation, gusty winds, and power outages. 

We start the morning with light snow or a wintry mix of precipitation. The majority of the

The weight of the ice on power lines and trees could potentially lead to power outages; the likelihood of this occurring is increased as we add in winds gusting up to 40 mph this afternoon and evening. 

Be sure to stick with 6 News on-air, online and through our StormTracker 6 App for the latest updates on this winter storm.