Winter Storm Packs Punch, Closes Rochester, Lake Orion Schools

The Rochester Community Schools and Lake Orion Community Schools districts canceled classes Wednesday due to dangerous road conditions and heavy snow accumulation.

The districts were among hundreds throughout Metro Detroit to do so, according to clickondetroit.com.

A mix of rain and wet, heavy snow made for a messy evening commute Tuesday as Winter Storm Rocky moved through Oakland Township, Lake Orion and the rest of southeast Michigan.

[Upload your storm photos to Oakland Township-Lake Orion Patch!]

The National Weather Service, which issued the following alerts covering southeast Michigan, warned of heavy snowfall, dangerous road conditions and possible power outages in the storm's wake.

• A winter weather advisory in effect until noon Wednesday warned of snow accumulation up to 5 inches, coupled with poor visibility, creating hazardous conditions on area roadways.
• A special weather statement issued just after 8 p.m. Tuesday cautioned: "Visibilities in the heaviest activity will decrease to less than one mile. Snowfall accumulation during the next couple of hours will be between a half inch to an inch per hour. Motorists are urged to use caution due to fluctuations in visibility and quickly changing road conditions."

The snow was expected to continue Wednesday, with new accumulation up to 2 inches or more possible and a high of 34 degrees, according to the NWS.