BROWNSTOWN TOWNSHIP, Mich. – With the forecast calling for snow to arrive in Monroe and southern Wayne counties, both have their first round of drivers hitting the streets between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m.

“We spent all day today changing blades, checking fluid levels, and loading them up with salt,” said Wayne County Deputy Public Services Director Scott Cabauatan.

The first crew call time is 2 a.m. in Wayne County when the pre-salting of the roads starts.

“Once the snow starts flying, we’ll pull those trucks off pre-salting and put them on the highways and state trunk lines,” Cabauatan said.

The current storm track suggests both southern Wayne and Monroe counties will not only see snow first but likely the most significant accumulation.

High winds can also cause real headaches.

“We have a lot of open land,” said Monroe Road Commission Director Dori Hawkins-Freelain. “Because of that, we get sizable snow drifts. If we get eight inches of snow and drifting occurs, some roads can be impassable.”

Hawkins-Freelain says monitoring changing conditions will be key.

If both counties see the top end of expected snow totals, this will turn into a 48-hour clearing cycle.