DETROIT – An average of four to seven inches of snow blanketed the area by Thursday night but there’s another weather concern in the forecast.
A very dynamic cold front is approaching and will cross the area between midnight and 3 a.m. Saturday morning. Not all cold fronts are created equal and this one won’t be notable for the snow showers it generates nor the cold air behind it as it will for the wind associated with it. Weather is three-dimensional.
In other words, what you and I experience here at the surface is primarily dictated by things happening aloft, and in this case, as that front approaches, the wind just 5,000 feet above the ground will be blowing at 60 to 70 mph. While the wind aloft loses some of its speed when it gets to the surface due to friction from terrain, trees, buildings, etc., in this case, the loss in speed will bring the wind gusts down to the 45 to 50 mph range, which can bring down tree limbs and cause power failures. As such, the National Weather Service has issued a Wind Advisory for all of southeast Michigan from 9 p.m. Friday (Feb. 18) evening until 8 a.m. Saturday (Feb. 19) morning.
Saturday
Saturday will start with temperatures in the mid-teens (-10 degrees Celsius) but only rise into the low 20s (-6 degrees Celsius) due to the cold air streaming in behind the cold front. And making things feel even colder will be west winds at 15 to 20 mph and more clouds than sun. It’s a good thing there are heating tents and hot chocolate available at Winter Blast in Royal Oak!
Saturday’s sunrise is at 7:24 a.m., and Saturday’s sunset is at 6:11 p.m.
Clouds clear out Saturday evening, followed by a batch of clouds coming through (dry) in the middle of the night, followed by more clearing toward Sunday morning. Lows near 10 degrees (-12 degrees Celsius) in urban areas and even colder in rural locations.
Sunday
Mostly sunny and breezy on Sunday. However, those breezes this time will be coming from the southwest, which will boost our temperatures into the upper 30s to near 40 degrees (4 degrees Celsius). Don’t worry: the ice sculptures at Winter Blast will be able to handle it.
Next week
Presidents Day, Monday looks cloudy but dry, with highs near 40 degrees (4 to 5 degrees Celsius).
The Next Storm
Monday night into Tuesday carries the usual uncertainty four days ahead of time with a storm that could bring rain, ice, and or snow. This storm doesn’t appear to have nearly as much moisture as the one we just experienced, but we’ll still need to keep an eye on it. I cannot possibly get specific about it at this point, but just be aware of the possibility for a wintry mix in that timeframe.
And then, we have another similar storm to monitor for the end of the week. Fasten your seat belts!
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