April O'Neil / news@WHMI.com

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch starting Wednesday afternoon at 12:00 p.m. for Livingston, Oakland, and Washtenaw Counties. The watch will remain in effect until Thursday afternoon.

Most of mid and southeast Michigan will see snow accumulations up to two inches, heavy ice, and wind gusts up to 35 mph.

Ahead of the storm, the Michigan Department of Transportation is encouraging drivers to keep a safe distance from maintenance trucks, especially Tow Plow trucks.

A Tow Plow can clear up to two lane-widths of snow and slush in one pass. These trucks have a wide arm that extends approximately 25 feet, allowing crews to clear both the travel lane and shoulder lane at one time. The Tow Plow is also equipped with a salt hopper- another reason to keep a safe distance.

Other locations included in the Winter Storm Watch include Shiawassee, Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Macomb and Wayne counties.

To learn more about the Stay Safe. Drive Smart initiative and to track MDOT snowplows in your area, visit the provided link.