Multiple injured after 100-vehicle pileup near Hudsonville, Michigan
Multiple injuries were reported after lake effect snow and whiteout conditions triggered a 100-vehicle pileup on the I-196 southeast of Grand Rapids on Monday, January 19, 2026. The crashes prompted the closure of all lanes of the highway throughout the day as crews cleared the road.
Heavy lake effect snow triggered a multi-vehicle pile-up involving around 100 vehicles near Hudsonville, Michigan, on Monday morning, January 20.
The crash occurred between 32nd Street in Hudsonville and 64th Avenue in Zeeland, prompting a closure of all lanes of I-196 between Hudsonville and Zeeland throughout the day.
The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office told FOX Weather that 9 to 12 people are injured, but no fatalities have been reported. Buses from Hudsonville Public Schools and MAX Transit were used to transport stranded motorists from the scene to Hudsonville High School for safety.
The chain-reaction pileup began around 10:19 local time (LT), the sheriff’s office said. The crash involved at least 30 to 40 semi trucks, among other vehicles, according to the Michigan State Police. Not all vehicles were involved in direct crashes, as the pileup led to multiple slide-offs.
Near-whiteout conditions were reported across the region at the time of the crashes due to an Arctic front moving through the region.
Snow showers are forecast to continue downwind of the Great Lakes over the coming days due to a cold west-northwesterly flow. Snowfall totals of 15–30 cm (6–12 inches) are forecast across most affected areas, with isolated higher amounts possible. Heavier snowfall is forecast in areas downwind of Lake Ontario through January 20.
A frigid Arctic air mass will remain in place through January 20 from the Midwest through the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Daytime high temperatures of −9.4 to −1.1°C (15 to 3 °F) are forecast across these regions, which is 8.3–13.9°C (15–25°F) below average, according to the National Weather Service.
The severe winter weather is driven by a disrupted polar vortex, which is forecast to split later this weekend, triggering another round of winter weather through the end of January and into February.
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Featured image credit: MDOT
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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