DETROIT – Today’s high temperature of 44 degrees (6.5 degrees Celsius) sure felt good, right? Wait, what? Yes, our high today was 44 degrees.
However, that high occurred at 3 a.m. So, unless you felt the urge to take the dog for a rainy walk at 3 a.m., you didn’t get to enjoy it.
You see, a cold front crossed the area around that time and, within two-to-three hours, temperatures had plummeted into the mid 30s (1 to 2 degrees Celsius), and that’s pretty much where we’ve been all day. Factor in that breeze, and it felt even colder.
Skies will clear this evening, but a trough of low pressure quickly dropping down across the state will generate some scattered light snow showers. Once the trough passes by, we’ll then clear out again. Lows in the low 20s (-6 degrees Celsius), with a west wind at 10 to 15 mph.
Today’s sunset is at 5:09 p.m., and Tuesday’s sunrise is at 8:02 a.m.
Mostly sunny to start our Tuesday, and boy do we need that sun…it’s been a while since we’ve had some. High clouds start moving in midday and, by late afternoon, we’ll probably be mostly cloudy. So get out and enjoy that morning sunshine! Highs should top out not far from 30 degrees (-1 degree Celsius).
Snow develops overnight Tuesday night…we could perhaps get an inch. Temperatures may initially drop into the mid-to-upper 20s (-3 to -2 degrees Celsius), but then rise to near 30 degrees (-1 degrees Celsius) by dawn Wednesday.
Light snow potentially changes to freezing rain for a couple of hours first thing Wednesday morning, and then changes to just regular rain as warmer air builds in. Some models keep the northern half of the area all snow until it changes to rain…if that is the case, then snow amounts would probably be more like 1 to 2 inches. Regardless, we’ll likely have a sloppy start to our Wednesday. Highs in the low 40s (5 degrees Celsius).
Rain ends early Wednesday night, then just mostly cloudy for the rest of the night. Lows near 30 degrees (-1 degrees Celsius).
Mostly cloudy on Thursday, with the dry weather continuing into New Year’s Eve. Highs in the mid 30s (1 to 2 degrees Celsius).
A wintry mix may develop for a short period Friday morning, but it will change to rain, and rain will be the precipitation type for the rest of the day. Highs in the low 40s (5 degrees Celsius).
I’m seeing great agreement among the computer models that the two storms should give us a combined rain total over an inch (more from the second storm than from the first). Fortunately, since the ground is frozen and the water cannot soak into the soil, this rain will fall in two parts. Too much rain falling in a short period of time on a frozen ground is a prime flooding scenario, so I will continue to monitor over the next few days.