News Photo by Steve Schulwitz A car drives down River Street in Alpena as visibility starts to decline because of a winter storm on Friday. The storm is expected to continue through Saturday.

ALPENA — The blizzard that hit Northeastern Michigan overnight Friday could rival the blizzard of 1978 if predictions from the National Weather Service become a reality.

The Weather Service issued a blizzard warning effective 5 p.m. Friday through 7 p.m. today. On Saturday, the Weather Service downgraded the blizzard warning to a hazardous weather outlook that said lake effect snow would continue to accumulate through the weekend.

Even when the warning expires, forecasters expect storm-like conditions to continue, with elevated wind speeds and lake effect snow in Northeast Michigan.

The current forecast calls for as much as nearly 20 inches of snow, including lake effect snow after the brunt of the storm moves on by Sunday night.

The Michigan State Police on Friday urged people to stay off the roads except for emergencies. Strong winds accompanied by heavy snowfall will create low visibility, making driving dangerous and local roads, including the highways, unpassable.

Area emergency crews responded to numerous slide-offs and rollovers throughout the region on Friday night as the storm moved into the region.

Often, blizzard conditions feature low visibility and strong winds, but little snow. The storm forecasted for this weekend will include both poor visibility and strong, gusty winds, but also heavy snow that could lead to accumulations of a foot or more, the National Weather says.

It is a near certainty that the storm will impact the Alpena area in multiple ways as the snow, wind, ice, and poor visibility lead to dangerous roads, wind damage, and, possibly, power outages.

“There can be big differences between your typical snowstorm and a blizzard,” National Weather Service meteorologist Harold Dippman said. “A blizzard isn’t measured by the amount of snow, but the wind speed and visibility. In this case, though, the area is going to get a lot of snow on top of that, and that will make conditions even worse.”

Dippman said that, for a blizzard to be declared, sustained winds of 35 mph must be reached and visibility must be at or below a quarter-mile. He said continuous wind gusts of 35 mph or more over a three-hour span also fit the blizzard definition.

Forecasters expect gusts of up to 60 mph this weekend.

The last blizzard warning in Alpena came on Christmas Day 2022, Dippman said. According to weather data from that day, only a trace amount of snow fell, but the blowing and drifting from that storm met the criteria of a blizzard.

“The snowfall this time around is going to be intense and driving will be nearly impossible, so I would say people should stay off the road, period,” he said.

State Police Trooper Jason Kunath said people should stay off the roads to stay safe and to give snow plow and salt truck drivers room to do their job. He said if driving is a must, people should have a survival kit containing a blanket, enough food and water for three days, a flashlight, and other necessities, should they become stranded during the storm.

He said it is also a good idea to check in with vulnerable loved ones before the storm and via telephone during the storm to ensure they are prepared properly for the severe weather.

The intense wind also has raised concerns that power outages in the area could occur. Ken Dragiewicz, president of Alpena Power Co., said utility teams are on standby to restore any power losses, but only when the situation is safe to do so.

Dragiewicz said each crew sizes up the situation and determines if it is safe to work. He said each situation is different and where a powerline is located and the strength and direction of the wind often determines if crews can work safely. If crews decide it is too dangerous to work, people will have to wait until conditions improve.

That is why it is important for people to prepare for a possible power loss before the storm arrives.

“If it is not safe, our crews will stand down until it is,” he said. “Right now, this storm has the potential of a sustained power loss event for our region.”

Alpena City Engineer Steve Shultz said snow plow crews will be running constant shifts over the weekend during the storm to keep the roads as clear as possible. He said people who have items such as garbage cans, basketball hoops, and similar items should move them so they don’t get damaged or destroyed by snow flying off the plow blades. Shultz also reminds residents who park between the sidewalk and street to relocate their vehicle to a driveway, if possible.

If the ferocity of the storm comes to fruition, the blizzard could rival the historic storm that hit Alpena and most of Michigan from Jan. 25 to 27, 1978.

Over that three-day span, Alpena received nearly 24 inches of snow on top of the 10 inches already on the ground before the storm struck.

That snow, coupled with hurricane-force winds, caused snowdrifts that reached people’s rooftops and buried cars.

Knowing the possibility the storm could be severe, local governments and other entities announced cancellations on Friday.

The Alpena County Courthouse and Alpena City Hall closed early, as did the Alpena County Library. The library could reopen on Saturday, but only if weather and road conditions allow.

The APlex also canceled its comedy shows scheduled for Saturday and a concert slated for Sunday. District Health Department No. 4 also closed its offices in Rogers City, Alpena, and Atlanta early on Friday.