UPDATED: Flood Watch in Effect Through Saturday Evening

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for 12 Southeast Michigan counties including Wayne, Washtenaw, Livingston and Oakland.

The flood watch is in effect until Saturday afternoon. The NWS forecasts that 1-1.5 inches of new rain on Saturday, coupled with melting snow due to the falling temperatures, will create the potential for flooding. At particular risk are small streams, creeks and low drainage areas.

"Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop," the NWS advises.

Freezing rain showers developed across Southeast Michigan early Friday morning, wreaking havoc on roads and causing multiple freeway closures.

“With the evaporational cooling, the rain will still be freezing to the surface for another couple hours,” said Dave Kook, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's White Lake office. He said rain will taper off by about noon.

Overall, he said, an inch of rain is expected through Saturday, followed by a half-inch of snow in the later afternoon or early evening.

“The bulk of the rain’s going to fall tonight and Saturday morning,” he said. “It’s going to depend a lot on how fast it refreezes Saturday night into Sunday (and) how much liquid is on the road and if they salt.”

Kook said secondary roads may be more hazardous because of the combination of snow and ice.

He said the combination of rain on frozen ground adds up to potential flooding, because “we still have 3 to 5 inches of snow on the ground and the ground is still frozen, so it’s all going to run off into creeks and rivers.”

Lousy as the weather is today, it could be worse. In 1900, snow piled up to 16.1 inches, the third-heaviest snowfall recorded in Southeast Michigan.

For today and through this weekend, the National Weather Service advises people to use caution while driving, expect longer travel times and a greater risk of accidents.

Northville Patch editor Nancy Kelsey contributed to this report.