Two winter systems are coming together across the northern U.S. this week, bringing the potential for heavy snow and strong winds across the Great Lakes and Upper Midwest.

FOX 17 is issuing a WEATHER READY ALERT as West Michigan faces Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories for 7 inches of snow and strong winds on Wednesday.

Winter weather alerts have been issued from the Dakotas to Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan Tuesday and Wednesday. Rain will change over to snow from west to east across central and southern Minnesota Tuesday afternoon and evening.

DETROIT – New long-range models are giving us an early look at Michigan’s winter weather for January through March. Southeast Michigan is headed for a classic Midwestern winter, according to those new long-range outlooks from the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center.

Some areas of the state could see nearly 3 feet of snow with this winter storm. But it's the high wind gusts blowing all that snow around that are going to cause a problem on our roads.

Cloud cover will increase throughout the daytime hours today with dry conditions prevailing. As high pressure at the surface exits, low pressure will drive returning rain showers beginning overnight tonight.