Skip to main content
Clear icon
13º

New Year’s Day winter storm in SE Michigan: Updated timing, expected snowfall

3-6 inches of snow expected Saturday into Sunday

Shoveling snow in Metro Detroit on Feb. 16, 2021 (WDIV)

DETROIT – It’s been a relatively quiet, mild last day of 2021, but our New Year’s Eve could bring a few rain showers if you’ll be out.

Updated forecast (Jan. 1): Steady snowfall starts Saturday afternoon

Not everybody will necessarily get one, but some will develop this evening so keep an eye on the Local4Casters app’s real-time radar to stay ahead of the weather.

Temperatures will remain mild and not fall much, and generally hold near or a little above 40 degrees (4 to 5 degrees Celsius) through New Year’s. Light east wind will eventually shift to the north, at 4 to 8 mph.

The last sunset of 2021 will be at 5:11 p.m., and the first sunrise of 2022 will be at 8:02 a.m.

Here comes the snow

Aside from a possible sprinkle, most of us should have a dry Saturday morning, and it may even remain dry into the mid-afternoon for many of us. But increasing moisture to the southwest will move in by late afternoon, coincident with falling temperatures.

Translation: snow will begin!

While there initially could be a few rain drops across Lenawee and Monroe Counties (or a rain/snow mix)…that would change over to all snow within a few hours.

Snow intensity will increase Saturday night and, by Sunday morning, I think southeast Michigan should have a general 3-to-6 inch coating of fresh snow.

IF we do get those rain drops or a mix to the south, then that area will have less snow accumulation. Also, those north of I-69 could see a little less as the best moisture will be south of you.

As Brandon Roux said this morning, “it’ll be the biggest snowstorm so far in 2022!”

Temperatures Saturday will start mild…near 40 degrees (4 to 5 degrees Celsius) at midnight, fall into the upper 30s during the morning, and then into the low-to-mid 30s (0 to 1 degree Celsius) by dinner time. Lows Saturday night will drop into the mid 20s (-4 degrees Celsius).

As mentioned above, the snow will taper off Sunday morning, and we may even see some afternoon sun. But it’ll be cold, with near steady temperatures in the mid 20s (-3 degrees Celsius), but breezy northwest winds will put wind chills into the mid-teens (-9 degrees Celsius).

Another storm

I’m keeping tabs on another potential snow storm on Thursday of next week…stay tuned.

Track the weather on your phone: SE Michigan weather radar, alerts, updates: Download the WDIV Local4Casters app