TRAVERSE CITY — Grand Traverse County officials reported at least 37 vehicle crashes on Monday, largely because of hazardous driving conditions.
Heavy snowfall and swirling winds led to slippery roads and limited visibility throughout the day and into the evening, officials said.
No reports of fatalities or serious injuries were reported, according to the Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office.
“If you do not have to be on the roads, we recommend against it,” read a statement from the county’s 911 Central Dispatch on Monday. “If you must go out, turn on those headlights, slow down and be patient!”
Temperatures Monday hovered between a high of 32 degrees and a low of 28, with a slight warming starting at 6 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
Warm water temperatures in Lake Michigan contributed to heavy lake effect snow, with periods of near white-out conditions. Snow precipitation mostly stopped by Tuesday morning, leading to cloudy skies and light winds.
The area forecast for Christmas Day calls for mostly cloudy skies with a 10 percent chance of precipitation throughout most of the daylight hours. Temperatures will hover between 34 and 26 degrees.
About 3.8 million Michiganders are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, Dec. 21 to Jan. 1, according to a report from AAA of Michigan. That’s an all-time high and 98,000 more than 2023.
Of that total, about 3.4 million are expected to drive, AAA officials added.