41 WEATHER ALERT COVERAGE STARTS AND CONTINUES THIS MORNING HERE AT SEVEN O’CLOCK, WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT A DANGEROUSLY COLD
CHRISTMAS WEEKEND IN THE BIG
STORY WINDSHIELDS THAT ARE BELOW
ZERO ACROSS METRO DETROIT. AND
WE HAVE A CREW DRIVING AROUND
METRO DETROIT THIS MORNING,
BRINGING YOU LIVE MINUTE BY
MINUTE UPDATES AND ARE TAKING A
LIVE LOOK OUTSIDE OUR CREW. I 96
HEADING WEST. RIGHT NOW. YOU CAN
SEE THE ROADS THERE SLICK
CONDITIONS. MOVE FORWARD NEWS
STARTS NOW WITH A FOREWARN
WEATHER ALERT. GOOD MORNING.
IT’S SEVEN O’CLOCK. I’M
GRANT HERMES AND I’M PRIYA MANN.
THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR LOCAL
4 NEWS. WE DO HAVE SPECIAL LIVE
COVERAGE OF THE HOLIDAY WINTER
STORM ALL MORNING LONG ARE
FOREWARNED WEATHER TEAM IS
TRACKING WHAT’S LEFT OF THE
STORM WITH EXACT TRACK FOUR D
RADAR OR MEGAN WOODS WITH A
PHOTOJOURNALIST IS LIVE OUT ON
THE ROADS. NICK MONACELLI IS AT
METRO AIRPORT AND WE’LL HAVE
LIVE UPDATES ON ALL OF THOSE
CANCELATIONS AND DELAYS. BUT
LET’S FIRST START WITH OUR PAUL
GROSS, PAUL THE STORM. TRYING TO
MAKE ITS WAY OUT OF HERE, BUT IT
IS STILL BITTERLY COLD OUTSIDE.
OH, YEAH, IT IS. AND IN FACT,
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS
ISSUED A WINDCHILL ADVISORY. NOW
THE WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS IN
FACT FOR SOUTH OF EIGHT MILE SO
YOU CAN SEE WASHINGTON COUNTY,
WAYNE COUNTY RUNAWAY MONROE, AND
IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE THE ENTIRE
AREA EXCEPT BECAUSE TO THE
NORTH, WE ALSO HAVE THE ADDED
COMPONENT OF AN EXTRA BIT OF I
GUESS WE’LL CALL IT RISK FOR
BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW AND
REDUCED VISIBILITY SO NORTH OF
EIGHT MILE IT IS A WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY BECAUSE OF THE
WIND CHILL AND THE POTENTIAL FOR
THAT BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW.
SO JUST BE AWARE THESE ARE
SEVERE WINTER CONDITIONS THAT WE
HAVE THIS WEEKEND AND YOU CAN
SEE THIS LAKE EFFECT BAND THAT’S
EXTENDING EASTWARD FROM THE
WESTERN SIDE OF THE STATE. THIS
IS GENERALLY LIGHT SNOW RIGHT
NOW, SO WE’RE GOING TO KEEP AN
EYE ON IT. BUT RIGHT NOW IT’S
LIGHT. BUT WITH ALL THAT WIND
BLOWING IT ALL AROUND. IT’S A
TOUGH MORNING OUT THERE. SINGLE
DIGITS ACROSS THE AREA, LOW
SINGLE DIGITS IN MOST AREAS AND
WHEN YOU FACTOR IN THE WIND
GUSTS, WHICH ARE NEAR 40 MPH. IN
SOME SPOTS. ITS WINDSHIELD
THAT’S MINUS 15 TO MINUS 25
METRO, JUST UPDATED METRO
AIRPORT IS NOW GUSTING TO 40 MPH
YOU CAN SEE OTHER GUSTS ARE 30
TO 40 IN MANY AREAS, SO AS WE
MOVE THROUGH THE DAY, WE’LL HAVE
SCATTERED SNOW. AND THEN THAT
PERIOD OF LIGHT SNOW, ESPECIALLY
THIS MORNING INTO THE EARLY
AFTERNOON. THE MODELS ARE
SUGGESTING IT’S GOING TO START
TO DIMINISH AS WE GET INTO THE
LATE AFTERNOON PERIOD. THAT’S
GOOD NEWS. TEAMS FOR A HIGH BUT
WINDCHILLS BELOW ZERO TO PERHAPS
NEAR ZERO. BY THIS AFTERNOON
GUSTS TO 40 MPH. I’LL BE BACK
WITH THE REST OF THE FORECAST
COMING UP IN JUST A BIT. BUT
DON’T FORGET THE 41 WEATHER APP
IS THE NATION’S BEST WEATHER
APP. AND THE REASON I SAY THAT,
BECAUSE, UNLIKE OTHER APPS THAT
STATIONS BY WE ACTUALLY DESIGNED
IT OURSELVES IN HOUSE WITH OUR
DIGITAL TEAM UPSTAIRS, SO THE
WEATHER OFFICE HAD INPUT. WE
HAVE THE BEST FEATURES ON THIS
APP. IT’S FREE. JUST GO TO THE
APP STORE SEARCH UNDER WDIV’S
AND THAT REAL TIME RADAR IS
GOING TO COME IN REAL HANDY
GUYS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. PAUL
ALIVE. LOOK AT OUR METRO
AIRPORT. SKY CAM IN ROMULUS 100
FLIGHTS OUT OF D TWR CANCELED
TODAY BECAUSE OF THIS WINTER
STORM, AND NEARLY 400 FLIGHTS
WERE CANCELED AT METRO AIRPORT
YESTERDAY, BUT SOME TRAVELERS
ARE STILL HOPING TO MAKE IT OUT
AS WE COUNT DOWN TO CHRISTMAS.
NICK MONACELLI IS LIVE THIS
MORNING. I’M AT YOUR AIRPORT
WITH HOW THINGS ARE GOING. HEY,
NICK. HEY GOOD MORNING, SO A
LITTLE UPDATE. WE ARE NOW UP TO
114 CANCELATIONS AND MORE THAN
30 FLIGHT DELAYS. THIS RIGHT
HERE IS THE LINE FOR DOMESTIC
CHECK IN NOW. DON’T LET THIS
LINE FOOL YOU. THIS IS KIND OF
NORMAL FOR A MORNING RUSH.
HOWEVER YOU WILL SEE SOME PEOPLE
IN THIS LINE THAT ARE TRYING TO
GET OUT OF HERE. FOR THEIR
SECOND OR THIRD OR THEIR FOURTH
TIME. THERE WERE SO MANY
CANCELATIONS YESTERDAY AS YOU
MENTIONED CLOSE TO 400. IN FACT,
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS VIDEO
YESTERDAY WAS A TRAVELING
NIGHTMARE BECAUSE OF THE WINDS
AND THE SNOW AND THE CREW ISSUES
WITH THOSE WINDCHILLS OUTSIDE IT
MADE FOR A VERY, VERY HAVE THE
DAY HERE AND BTW JUST TRYING TO
GET OUT. SO AS YOU CAN IMAGINE,
YOU COMPOUND ALL OF YESTERDAY’S
PROBLEMS AND A LOT OF THOSE
TRAVELED INTO TODAY ON TOP OF
THE FACT THAT WE NOW HAVE 114
FLIGHTS ARE CANCELED TODAY WITH
30. ADDITIONAL DELAYS NOW ADDS
ALL THAT THE LUGGAGE ISSUES. I
JUST TALKED TO ONE WOMAN WHO
TRAVELING HERE FROM LOS VEGAS
TRYING TO GET TO SAINT LOUIS.
HER LAYOVER WAS HERE. HER FLIGHT
WAS CANCELED. NOW HER LUGGAGE IS
KIND OF CANCEL AS WELL FROM LAS
VEGAS OUT TO DETROIT. UM OUR
FINAL DESTINATION WAS ST LOUIS
AND A FLIGHT GOT CANCELED, GOT
PUSHED BACK A COUPLE OF TIMES
AND THEN EVENTUALLY GOT CANCELED
. UM AND SO WE TRIED TO PULL OUR
BAGS, BUT THEY TOLD US IT WOULD
BE ABOUT 5 TO 6 HOURS. 5 TO 6
HOURS TO GET YOUR BAGS, SO WE
GOT UP TO THE BAGGAGE OFFICE
AROUND MAYBE 1 30. AROUND 1 30.
SO HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE COMING
SOON. BOY FOR YOUR SAKE. I HOPE
SO, TOO. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO
TALK TO SOME PEOPLE WORKING AT
DELTA, THEY SAID ONE OF THEIR
BIGGEST PROBLEMS IS JUST
STAFFING. OF COURSE, IT’S THE
HOLIDAYS AND THEN YOU HAVE ALL
OF THESE CANCELATIONS. SO EVERY
TIME A FLIGHT IS CANCELED, MORE
LUGGAGE GETS PILED BACK INTO
THAT ROOM WHERE THEY’RE TRYING
TO KEEP UP. THEY JUST DON’T HAVE
ENOUGH PEOPLE TO DO IT. YOU
WOULD THINK THAT WITH THE
WEATHER THAT WE HAVE BEEN
WARNING YOU ABOUT FOUR DAYS A
WEEK. NOW THEY COULD HAVE MAYBE
HAVE STAFFED A LITTLE BIT BETTER
TO BE BETTER PREPARED FOR THIS,
BUT HEY, I DON’T WORK AT THE
AIRPORT. I’M JUST HERE TELLING
YOU WHAT’S GOING ON. ARE JUST
TRYING TO GET OUT FOR THE VERY
FIRST TIME. SOME ARE WAKING UP
AND TRYING AGAIN. THAT’S WHAT A
LOT OF PEOPLE DID. THEY WERE
JUST TOLD. GO HOME. TRY AGAIN
TOMORROW. THAT’S NOW WE’LL SEE
HOW IT GOES FOR HIM. GRANTS AND
PRIYA. THE OPTIMISTIC THAT ONE
WOMAN YOU WERE SPEAKING WITH
NICK, I JUST LOVE HOW OPTIMISTIC
SHE WAS. YOU KNOW, I STARTED AT
1 30. I WENT TO BAGGAGE CLAIM.
STILL SITTING HERE THIS MORNING.
THAT’S THAT’S A GREAT OUTLOOK.
AT LEAST LISTEN, SHE HAD A SMILE
. I CAN TELL YOU I WOULD NOT
HAVE HAD A SMILE ON MY FACE, YOU
KNOW? YEAH I DON’T GET GRUMPY AT
ALL. NO LET’S GET YOU THAT CUP
OF COFFEE. THANKS SO MUCH. WELL
WITH THE HIGH WIND COMES
CONCERNS OVER POWER OUTAGES. DTE
CREWS HAVE HAD A PRODUCTIVE 24
HOURS. RESTORERS RESTORING LOST
SERVICE. RIGHT NOW, D D SAYS
ABOUT 5700 CUSTOMERS ARE WITHOUT
POWER OUTAGES PEAKED YESTERDAY
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 10 AND 15,000
. SO IT’S BETTER FOR CONSUMERS
ENERGY, WHICH SERVES OTHER PARTS
OF THE STATE. THERE ARE A NUMBER
OF OUTAGES HAS FALLEN TO AROUND
1100 AFTER REACHING 9000
YESTERDAY. LET’S GET IT UP DOWN
THE ROAD CONDITIONS THIS
MORNING. A LOT OF ICY AREAS.
STILL A CONCERN. MEGAN WOODS HAS
BEEN DRIVING FOR OVER AN HOUR
NOW AND MEGAN, TELL US WHERE YOU
ARE. WE ARE ON I 96 WEST AND YOU
CAN SEE THAT THE LANE WE’RE IN
IS PRETTY CLEAR. BUT IF YOU LOOK
OVER TO OUR LEFT SIDE, YOU CAN
SEE THERE’S STILL A LOT OF SNOW
AND ICE. WE’RE STILL TAKING IT
SLOW, AND THAT’S OUR ADVICE TO
YOU ALL IF YOU’RE GETTING GOING
OUT TODAY, BECAUSE I MEAN IT CAN
BE SLICK, AND IT’S WENDY. THAT
IS THE BIGGEST CONCERN HERE.
WE’RE DRIVING. MY
PHOTOJOURNALIST IS DRIVING RIGHT
NOW AND YOU CAN KIND OF FEEL THE
LIVE TRUCK SHIFTING AND THIS IS
A PRETTY BIG TRUCK, BUT SHIFTING
WITH THE WIND. SO THAT IS WHY
YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU
DRIVE SLOWLY. GIVE YOURSELF SOME
EXTRA SPACE BETWEEN THE CAR IN
FRONT OF YOU RIGHT NOW. THERE’S
NOT A LOT OF TRAFFIC ON I 96 BUT
AGAIN AS PEOPLE START WAKING UP,
THAT’S SOMETHING YOU WANT TO DO.
GIVE YOURSELF EXTRA SPACE. WE
ARE SEEING STATE POLICE OUT HERE
. WE ALSO SEE A LOT OF CARS
PULLED OFF ON THE SHOULDER. YOU
SEE THAT PICKUP TRUCK RIGHT
THERE. THAT’S FROM YESTERDAY AND
ALL THE COMMOTION AND CHAOS FROM
THAT, BUT REALLY, JUST TAKE YOUR
TIME. THIS IS 70 MPH. WE’RE ONLY
GOING 55 MPH. WE’VE SEEN SEVERAL
ROAD CREWS OUT ON THE FREEWAYS
ON STREETS LAYING DOWN SALT,
TRYING TO CLEAR THESE HIGHWAYS
TO MAKE SURE THAT IT’S SAFE. IF
YOU HAVE SOMEWHERE TO GO IF
YOU’RE VISITING FAMILY TODAY, SO
AGAIN, REMEMBER, TAKE YOUR TIME,
ESPECIALLY BRIDGES UNDERPASSES
ON AND OFF RAMPS, ESPECIALLY
THOSE CURVES AND SHADED AREAS
BECAUSE AS THE SUN COMES OUT, IT
MIGHT MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE
REGULAR ROADWAYS. BUT THOSE
SHADED AREAS DON’T GET TO SEE
THAT AND AGAIN LOOK TO OUR LEFT
ON THE SHOULDER HERE ON THIS
OTHER LANE, YOU CAN SEE THAT
GLARE THAT HOW SLICK IT IS. SO
JUST BE CAREFUL. TAKE YOUR TIME.
I KNOW IT LOOKS CLEAR. IT LOOKS
LIKE YOUR AVERAGE MICHIGAN
WINTER, BUT YOU JUST WANT TO BE
CAREFUL AS RIGHT NOW BACK TO YOU
ALL PRIYA GRANT. HERE IS YOUR
TIME SAVER TRAFFIC. LOOK AT THE
ROADS RIGHT NOW. 75 94. WE’RE
SEEING A LOT OF GREEN ON THE
SCREEN. A FEW RED SPOTS, THOUGH
, ARE STARTING TO POP UP, SO
MAKE SURE YOU’RE GIVING YOURSELF
SOME EXTRA TIME. AS YOU HEARD.
MEGAN TALKING ABOUT SOME SPOTS
CAN BE DECEIVING. IT MAY LOOK
FINE, BUT WE DO HAVE A THIN
LAYER OF ICE THAT WE’RE ALSO
DEALING WITH. SO GIVE YOURSELF
PLENTY OF TIME STARTING TO SEE
SOME RED POPPING UP ON THE
SCREEN HERE. AND SEVERAL CITIES
IN METRO DETROIT HAS SET UP
WARMING CENTERS FOR PEOPLE WHO
NEED A PLACE TO ESCAPE THE
BITTER COLD IN DETROIT. YOU CAN
GO TO ANY OF THE 13 LIBRARY
BRANCHES OR THE FARWELL
RECREATION CENTER OR THE PATENT
RECREATION CENTER. FARMINGTON
HILLS HAS TO WARMING CENTERS SET
UP AND WESTLAND WARMING CENTERS
ARE AT THE POLICE AND FIRE