Grand Traverse County Emergency Management issued a public alert at 7pm Monday that a "life-threatening winter storm" continues to batter the region, producing three feet of snow in some areas and 40mph winds that are creating impassable roads. Residents are advised to stay off roads and "shelter in place" Monday night, with travel strongly discouraged. Responders could be "severely delayed" in reaching anyone stranded, with wind chills dropping below zero, officials warned. Numerous schools, government offices, and businesses have already announced Tuesday closures.

Parts of US-31, M-72, and Grandview Parkway were closed Monday as wind gusts created heavy blowing and drifting snow, impeding some lanes of travel and making driving conditions treacherous. GT County Emergency Management asked residents to stay home and give road crews space and time overnight to continue clearing roadways. The U.S. National Weather Service said that an additional three to six inches of snow is possible overnight Monday, with continued strong winds leading to blowing snow and low visibility. Single-digit temperatures are expected both Monday and Tuesday nights. Grand Traverse Metro Firefighters shared snow totals from their Garfield, East Bay, and Acme stations as of 6pm Monday ranging from 17 to 20 inches, with other areas reporting higher totals approaching two to three feet.

Traverse City Area Public Schools, Northwestern Michigan College, Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools, Career Tech Center, Grand Traverse Academy, Old Mission Peninsula School, and The Greenspire School are among those that have announced Tuesday closures, marking the third straight day of cancelled school for many districts. 

The City of Traverse City, which cancelled its commission meeting Monday night, has also cancelled its planning commission meeting Tuesday night. The city said it will close offices for all non-essential employees Tuesday. While travel is discouraged, the city is offering parking at no cost for community members who need to relocate their vehicles to allow for snow removal. Vehicles may be parked on the ground floor (ungated portion) of the Old Town Parking Structure at no cost until Wednesday, March 18 at 10am. 

Grand Traverse County is planning a delayed 10am start for non-essential employees Tuesday. The Grand Traverse County Health Department is also planning a 10am start. Peninsula and East Bay township offices will be closed Tuesday, while Garfield Township is planning on a delayed 10am opening. While 86th District Court is planning a delayed 10am start for Grand Traverse County - with all hearings prior to 10am rescheduled - the same court is closing in Leelanau County.

BATA said it was suspending all services again Tuesday, as it had done Monday. The decision was "not made lightly after continued discussions with emergency services and the road commission," BATA posted. "We are also unable to access many stop locations throughout our network." Flights continued to be impacted at Cherry Capital Airport, with TVC officials urging travelers to continue checking directly with airlines on the status of any flights. "We truly appreciate everyone’s patience as our teams continue snow removal and airfield maintenance operations throughout the day," TVC posted (pictured).

Numerous other businesses and organizations announced Tuesday closures, including the Father Fred Foundation - which had downed power lines in its parking lot - along with Grand Traverse Industries, the Grand Traverse Conservation District, the State Theatre, and more. Traverse Area District Library was planning a delayed noon opening for its Woodmere, East Bay, and Kingsley branches, while Peninsula Community Library will be closed Tuesday. Closures could continue in the region beyond Tuesday depending on the ability and timing of crews to clear roads once storm conditions have finally lifted locally.

Photo credit: Cherry Capital Airport