Be care of the potentially icy and dangerous weather this weekend.

It's not very often that the National Weather Service here in Grand Rapids issues a statement with such strong wording. This was from a post on Facebook from Friday evening: "Consider canceling travel plans this weekend, and prepare for a potential multi-day power outage in the ice area. A mixture of sleet (ice pellets) and freezing rain (rain freezing onto trees and power lines) is expected in a couple of heavy batches this weekend. 2+ inches of rain is also expected in southern Michigan. Those 2 inches of water farther north will fall as some combination of rain, freezing rain, sleet, or snow. Winds could gust 30-45 mph at times, increasing the power outage threat in the areas of heaviest freezing rain."

They also posted on the National Weather Service webpage: "Heavy precipitation occurring in a couple batches between Friday night and Sunday will fall across much of Michigan as a wintry mix of snow, ice pellets, or rain freezing on contact with trees and powerlines. Over 2 inches of rain is possible in Southern Michigan. The 2 inches of water that falls over middle portions of Lower Michigan will be some mixture of ice pellets or freezing rain, which could cause icy roads and extended power outages. Deep accumulating snow and ice pellets up north may cause difficult if not dangerous travel conditions."

They have issued a Winter Storm Warning that starts at 12:00 Noon on Saturday and continues until 12:00 Noon on Sunday. The  Warning calls for "Heavy mixed precipitation expected. Total sleet accumulations of an inch or less are expected. Significant icing expected. Total ice accumulations of a quarter to a half an inch are expected.". The areas in the warning are Ottawa, Kent, Ionia, Clinton and counties north of there.

The Winter Storm Warning also states "Power outages and tree damage are likely due to the ice. Travel will be dangerous and nearly impossible. Tree branches could fall."

Here is the National Weather Service Facebook post from Friday evening...

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