DETROIT – A winter storm watch goes into effect for all of Southeast Michigan from 7 a.m. Wednesday through 11 p.m. Thursday.
Welcome to Monday, Motown.
All eyes are on a big snowstorm that will develop the middle of this week. In the meantime we can enjoy some fantastic looking and fantastic feeling weather today and tomorrow. After work, extremely disruptive snow, cold and wind are on the table.
The Calm Before the Storm
Let’s get the easy part of your forecast with calm weather. Monday continues to be gorgeous and seasonably cold. The afternoon will have blue skies. This evening will be clear. Tonight becomes partly cloudy. Temperatures go from 30 degrees in the afternoon to the 20s at dinner time and near 20 degrees overnight.
Tuesday will be the mildest day of the week. Before any thick cloud cover, a southerly wind will boost our temperatures to near 40°F.
Tuesday
We may as well call the upcoming major winter storm for what it will be; 2022′s Groundhog Day Storm. There are, at least, four different computer models we, the Local4Casters, use to predict the weather for you. Three of them originate in the United States. One comes from Europe. All four of them (the American and European models) are in close agreement with the timing and results of this weather event.
Here is a timeline of what is expected to happen as of now:
7 p.m. to 11 p.m., Tuesday: A cold front arrives, clouds build and rain begins to fall in Detroit and Southeast Michigan.
11 p.m., Tuesday, to 4 a.m., Wednesday: Steady, chilly rain falls in the region.
4 a.m. to 7 a.m., Wednesday: Rain changes to snow as the frontal system drags over the region and sets up shop just to our south.
Wednesday
After 7 a.m. and all day, Wednesday: Persistent light to heavy snow falls. Snowfall rates will be as light as an eighth of an inch per hour to as heavy as half inch or inch per hour.
Bottom line - the conveyer belt of snow will relentless.
By nightfall, 4 to 7 inches of snow will have fallen.
Wednesday night: Steady light snow continues to fall. An additional 2 to 4 inches are possible; making the Groundhog Day Snow Storm’s grand totals equal to 6 to 11 inches by early Thursday morning.
Thursday
8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday: Another round of light to heavy snow falls, and every portion of Southeast Michigan is vulnerable. Another 3 to 5 inches of snow are possible, and this will make the storm’s grand totals equal to 9 to 16 inches.
Note: It will be windier Thursday. So blowing snow is a huge factor because it will be extremely difficult to clear any snow from highways, roads, sidewalks and driveways. It will be extremely dangerous for anyone trying to travel.
6 p.m. to 11 p.m., Thursday: It will be blustery with scattered light to moderate snow. Another 1 to 2 inches of snow are possible, and this means grand totals for the two-day Groundhog Day Snow Storm of 2022 have the potential of being 10 to 18 inches. 10 to 14 inches are possible north of 8 Mile Road. 14 to 18 inches are possible south of 8 Mile Road, including the city of Detroit.
Falling Temperatures Compounding Problems
Plummeting temperatures and deepening wind chills mean frostbite is of grave concern for anyone who is not protected.
As we are being pounded by snow, temperatures will be in the low 30s Wednesday and fall to the 20s and teens Thursday. With winds become more wicked, wind chills will fall to the single digits and below zero mainly during the middle and end of the action.
Weekend forecast
Then, the real arctic blast arrives. Nighttime and early morning temperatures will be closer to zero Friday and below zero Saturday. Daytime temperatures stay in the teens each day. Wind chills will be as low as 10 degrees below zero.
The Local4Casters app is your absolute best weapon and tool to stay ahead of any kind of weather in Pure Michigan, and around the World. It’s free!