Winter storm bears down on Branch County, bringing potential for freezing rain, slippery roads

COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The final month of 2015 has included relatively mild weather for Coldwater and Branch County but the last four days of December will be starting out on the hazardous side for drivers and walkers with freezing rain. The further north you go, the thicker the ice accumulation could get. There could be as little as a tenth of an inch in Branch County while mid-Michigan could see as much as half an inch. That may not seem like much but it’s enough to turn roads into ice skating rinks. Counties to the north are expected to get even more ice as the day and evening progresses. Forecasters look for it to begin mid-morning and continue into the mid-afternoon hours. The National Weather Service says dangerous travel conditions for motorists and pedestrians are possible. There’s also a wind advisory through this evening and the Weather Service adds that the combination of potential ice accumulations and strong east winds gusting up to 45 mph may result in some tree damage and power outages.