'Fast-Moving Storm' With Freezing Rain, Snow to Hit Royal Oak Area Friday

The sun is shining brightly over Royal Oak today, but a wintry mix is predicted starting late Thursday night.

In the battle of spring vs. winter this week in Royal Oak, winter is about to take the lead. Forecasters from the National Weather Service are calling for a chance of snow and freezing drizzle overnight. A "Hazardous Weather Statement" issued Thursday calls for a the freezing rain to develop after midnight in areas north of I-94, including Royal Oak and all of Oakland County.  There is a 90 percent chance of snow and freezing rain on Friday. "A fast-moving storm system will bring accumulating snowfall late Friday afternoon through Friday night," the statement reads. "Confidence is increasing in appreciable snowfall in the 2 to 4-inch range across much of the area." There is a potential for the Friday evening rush hour to be impacted. Here'…

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Royal Oak Tales: Daughter & Dad

A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That

Mid-winter musings by columnist Gerry Boylan.

It’s midwinter in Michigan, which means most of us are toughing it out through the grey February days. Some of us are planning an escape for a few days of sun as balm to prepare us for March, which is sure to play cat-n-mouse with spring, as it always does. That’s why we Michiganders are so resilient, we roll with the punches our fickle weather delivers, as we wonder what’s coming next. I was traveling on business a couple of weeks ago and when I called home and asked what the weather was like, the lovely Kathy’s reply was, "We nearly had four seasons in one day.  It was over 60 degrees in the morning, started raining in the afternoon and 40 degrees, sleeted in the 30s by evening and was down in the 20s and snowing by night." This …

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Stay Dry, Dress in Layers, Keep Infants Dressed Warm Even Indoors

Oakland County Health Division shares tips for staying safe, indoors and outdoors, in this week's extreme cold weather.

Oakland County Health Division advises residents to take precautions against extreme cold during winter months. As temperatures drop, heat can leave your body faster than normal resulting in hypothermia or frostbite. “While anyone can be affected by extreme cold, infants and elderly are particularly at risk, as are people with diabetes because of impaired circulation,” said Kathy Forzley, Health Division manager/ health officer. “Proper precautions need to be taken to avoid serious health problems caused by cold weather.” Dress properly to reduce the possibility of hypothermia and frostbite. The outer layer of your clothing should be tightly woven and wind resistant to help reduce the loss of body heat. When outside, adults and children …

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Snow Kidding! Show us Your Wonderful Winter Topper

With the temperatures dipping, we're tipping our hat to the coolest ways to keep your head warm.

A toque, stocking cap, skull cap, ski cap, cossack, bomber hat, fuzzy ear muffs —  however you want to keep your head covered when it's cold — do it! Wearing a hat is one of the the best ways to minimize heat loss when the temperature drops, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, just keep in mind that winterizing your look doesn't have to be fashion disaster. At the Holiday Magic Parade in November, Patch spotted several hipsters tolerating cooler temps with fashionable caps. Now it's time for you to show us how you stay warm by looking cool. Add photos of your fun, funky or incredibly warm winter hat to this article. Here's how: Now, go grab your camera, share your photos and remember to stay warm and wear a hat!

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Welcome Back, Winter! Snow Expected Tonight, Tomorrow

Here's a look at the weather forecast for Thursday and Friday in Royal Oak.

It's been a good ride these past couple weeks as Royal Oak residents enjoyed unseasonably warm weather – but we knew the mild weather just couldn't last. Today, rain will change over to a mix of rain and snow as temperatures fall from a high near 42 degrees to just above freezing by late afternoon, according to the National Weather Service in Detroit/Pontiac. The mix will then change over to all snow after 10 p.m. Snow accumulation of around an inch is possible overnight, and winds will pick up to between 7 and 15 m.p.h. with gusts as high as 18 m.p.h. Friday will be much cooler with a high near 33 and a low around 18. Winds will continue between 15 and 17 m.p.h. with gusts as high as 28 m.p.h., and additional snow accumulation of 1-3 …

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Seasonal Affective Disorder More Common Than You May Think

Ten percent of the general population living in colder climates such as Michigan suffer from SAD, according to Dr. Howard Belkin at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak.

Summer often seems like the "happy" season. Warm weather and longer days mean there are more possibilities for being active and doing fun things outside the home and office. When winter sets in, all that can change. The days suddenly become shorter, many people arrive at and leave their jobs in darkness, and the frigid weather makes the thought of being outside unbearable. While the environmental effects of this seasonal transition are hardly surprising for anyone who's lived through a Michigan winter, very few people are aware of how the change can affect emotional health, said Dr. Howard Belkin, a psychiatrist affiliated with Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak. Belkin said even fewer people are aware that there's a name for the affliction—…

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