A winter storm could bring more than a foot of snow to parts of northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, according to the National Weather Service. Gaylord is expected to get 13-18 inches of snow.

Accumulating snow and tricky travel expected in the heaviest bands, particularly along a line from Grand Haven to Battle Creek and back to the lakeshore.

The first big snow of the season threatened to bury towns in New York along lakes Erie and Ontario during a hectic holiday travel and shopping weekend.

Lake-effect snow has been stacking up across West Michigan, with some communities recording more than a half-foot of fresh powder.

The first big snowfall of the season blanketed towns along Lake Erie on Saturday in the middle of the hectic holiday travel and shopping weekend

Ben Warren, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service's Marquette office, said Friday a "very persistent lake effect snow" was still coming down as of 6 p.m., especially in the far eastern and western parts of the U.P.

The National Weather Service warned that severe winter conditions—triggered by an Arctic blast—could persist over the weekend into Monday.

Forecasters say heavy lake effect snow will impact travel throughout the weekend east and southeast of the Great Lakes.

After an unusually mild fall, as much as 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 meters) of snow were possible along Lake Erie and south of Buffalo from lake-effect bands notorious for pummeling

The first big snow of the season threatened to bury towns in New York along lakes Erie and Ontario during a hectic holiday travel and shopping weekend.