TRAVERSE CITY — A heavy round of lake-effect snow and gusty winds is making its way to northwest Lower Michigan, just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Area residents are expected to wake to rain Wednesday but cooling temperatures throughout the day will start powering on the lake-effect snow machine sometime that afternoon, with an area centering on Kalkaska County and eastern Antrim County looking at high potential for 8 inches of snow or more. The National Weather Service Gaylord office has issued a Winter Storm Watch for Antrim, Charlevoix, Crawford, Kalkaska and Otsego counties, in effect from Wednesday afternoon through Friday morning, calling for between 5-9 inches of snow with localized amounts of 10 inches or even more possible.

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