MARQUETTE, Mich. (WJMN) – When it comes to Winter driving, there are a few guidelines to go by that will increase your chances of arriving safely to your destination. These can be especially applicable when the weather changes its mind during your commute.

The video above shows the drive from Marquette Township to Negaunee on Monday night. The video is sped up to three times normal speed. The commute started with some cold rain and wind coming down. As the drive continues west of Marquette on the 8 miles to Negaunee, the elevation went up as did the snow totals.

The video below shows the difference of about 12 hours. Tuesday morning in Negaunee, there was a foot or more of wet heavy snow observed. This video was also sped up. (We know better than to go that fast.) Plow trucks continued making passes along US-41 to keep the slush away. Side roads needed a little more time before they were cleared.

Driving

When it comes to driving on ice and snow, it’s nothing new for winter driving in the U.P., but Michigan State Police do have some helpful advice of their own to make sure if you absolutely have to drive this weekend, that you make the trip as safely as possible.

Michigan State Police winter driving advice

“This weather causes icy and slushy conditions on the road. One of the worst things that you can do is slam on your brakes that will cause a spin, it will cause you to lose control, you’ll end up in the ditch, so, we want to make sure that we lightly went off the accelerator instead of going over to that break right away. We need to make sure that your vehicle is full of gas. Sometimes we’ll get stranded motorist up so sometimes you’d be stranded for quite a long time. If you’re on fumes and your vehicle runs out of gas. It’s gonna be cold” Says Lt. Mark Giannunzio of the Michigan State Police.

MDOT officials have said that a large number of their plows and salt trucks will be deployed during and after the storm. According to MDOT’s Dan Weingarten “This time of year is difficult because it’s always a transition between driving on dry pavement and driving on wet, slushy and potentially icy pavement. So we all need some time to readjust our driving habits. And the best thing we can remind people, is that when there is ice and snow, go slow.”

You can check for road closures and look at traffic cameras before you leave home with MDOT’s MiDrive Map.