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(01/29/19) - Mother Nature is making up for lost time with this week's forecast. First she dumped lots of snow on mid-Michigan, now we're up against strong winds and dropping temperatures. Drivers and road crews will find some challenges on roadways over the next few days. Michigan Department of Transportation Bay Region Communications Representative Jocelyn Hall said maintenance workers have been preparing for this winter storm since Sunday night. She said they'll likely be working around the clock, through Friday, to keep up with the ever-changing weather conditions. Tuesday's main concern was the wind. "We're not getting a lot more snowfall, but we've got some pretty aggressive winds out there and that unfortunately is taking snow that we've already removed from the roadway and placing it back where it was originally," Hall said. Maintenance workers will likely spend additional time on roads with stretches of open fields. "So we are probably going to have to take some additional passes over some of those M routes that maybe have farm fields surrounding them, those kinds of things are something our drivers are already aware of," Hall said. Just like MDOT workers, everyday drivers are facing tough road conditions in spots. One thing that was consistent Tuesday was that conditions were constantly changing. "Depending on the direction of wind, how aggressive the wind is, things like that, so that's definitely something we want motorists to keep in mind," Hall said. "The road conditions can change very quickly, whiteout conditions can occur as well." And while the trucks are loaded up with salt don't expect to see it used as frequently as you might be used to. "Certainly the reduced temperature is going to be an issue, so we will be using salt where it's applicable, but know that salt isn't going to work as quickly as it would in regular conditions," Hall explained. MDOT trucks utilize the Mi Drive tracking system which allows residents to see where trucks have been as well as a snapshot of road conditions. Click on the 'Related Link' with this story to check it out. It only tracks trucks operated by MDOT workers, not road commission trucks contracted to cover MDOT routes.