4Warn Weather – Traveling for Thanksgiving? You’re not alone: This week, tens of millions of Americans are expected to travel on the road to their Thanksgiving destination, with a few million more taking to the skies.
If you’re driving through, or maybe into, Metro Detroit or Michigan this week, you’ll be met with different weather depending on the day. Here’s a breakdown of the weather from Tuesday through Friday in Southeast Michigan -- with a look at the national forecast down below.
Tuesday, Nov. 21 forecast
Tuesday started with fairly widespread rain moving across Southeast Michigan. That rain will last for much of the day, but will taper off in the afternoon and evening.
Here’s the rain timeline:
- Showers were widespread for those more south and west in our region at around 7 a.m. Those in mid-Michigan and slightly more north in the Lower Peninsula were also experiencing a wintry mix and icier conditions.
- Steady, widespread, moderate-to-heavy showers were expected across all of Metro Detroit through the morning hours.
- The showers were expected to shift north and east starting around noon.
- At around 1 p.m., showers will continue in a line from Lapeer County to Monroe, while those more west will start drying out.
- By 4 p.m. or 5 p.m., the widespread showers will have moved out of the region. A few remaining, scattered showers are possible throughout Metro Detroit, but most will be drying out.
- The rain should end for everyone Tuesday evening. Skies will still be cloudy.
Most Metro Detroit areas were expected to receive between a half and inch to an inch of rain by the end of Tuesday.
Winds will be breezy throughout the day.
Metro Detroit temperatures:
- Tuesday highs: Upper 40s
- Tuesday lows: Upper 30s
Notes for other parts of Michigan:
- A winter weather advisory in place for some mid-Michigan counties was set to expire by 10 a.m. on Tuesday.
- Those in the northern Lower Peninsula and those in the Upper Peninsula could experience a wintry mix on Tuesday.
You can watch a video forecast for Tuesday’s weather in the video player below.
Wednesday, Nov. 22 forecast
Some moisture may linger early in the day Wednesday, but otherwise there isn’t any precipitation forecast in Metro Detroit. The day should remain dry for the region.
Skies will be cloudy. Some sunshine might get mixed in during the day.
As high pressure builds back into the region Wednesday, expect breezy conditions across Southeast Michigan. Winds will move southwest between 15-20 mph, and could gust around 30 mph.
Metro Detroit temperatures:
- Wednesday highs: Low and mid-40s
- Wednesday lows: Mid-30s
Thursday, Nov. 23 forecast
Thanksgiving Day is shaping up to be dry, and possibly nice and sunny, in Metro Detroit.
Our 4Warn Meteorologists aren’t expecting any precipitation in the region on Thursday. The clouds should break by Thursday, giving way to some sunshine for the holiday.
Winds could also be breezy Thursday, but they aren’t forecast to be as breezy as Wednesday. Winds will move west between 10-15 mph, and could gust around 20 mph -- though the winds shouldn’t have much impact on the giant balloons featured in America’s Thanksgiving Parade in Downtown Detroit Thursday morning!
Metro Detroit temperatures:
- Thursday highs: Upper and mid-40s
- Thursday lows: Lower 30s
Conditions look to be dry and mostly mild for all of Michigan on Thursday.
Don’t forget to tune into our coverage of Detroit’s Thanksgiving parade! Our coverage begins at 6 a.m., and the parade broadcast runs from 9 a.m.-noon. You can watch live on Local 4, or stream us live right here on ClickOnDetroit.com, or on our Local 4+ streaming app -- which you can download for free on any smart TV device, like Roku or Apple TV.
Friday, Nov. 24 forecast
Heading back home Friday? It’s expected to be a mild day for Metro Detroit.
Friday should remain dry, and will feature some sunshine with a few clouds. Temperatures will drop a bit, making for a cooler day.
Metro Detroit temperatures:
- Friday highs: Upper and mid-30s
- Friday lows: Upper 20s
National forecast
As pictured up above, a stretch of showers were moving across the eastern U.S. on Tuesday, Nov. 21. Some areas were also experiencing wintry mixes and snowfall. The wet weather is associated with a cold front affecting the Great Lakes all the way down to the Gulf.
That wet weather was expected to continue for those along the eastern edge of the country on Wednesday, Nov. 22. Rain and thunderstorms were expected in the southern states in this region, while mixed precipitation and freezing rain were possible in other states more north.
Some weather alerts were in place in parts of the U.S. starting Wednesday.
In the map below, the blue color indicates a winter storm watch that’s in effect from late Wednesday through Friday morning.
The purple color indicates winter weather advisories. Those advisories in the Northeast will lift later on Wednesday, while those in the Rockies will last until Friday.
The yellow color indicates high wind warnings.
Precipitation will ease up for the eastern states on Thanksgiving Day. Some rain will still be possible along the Gulf and in Maine, while mixed precipitation will be possible in parts of the northeast and in the west.
Snow is expected Thursday in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and part of Idaho.
Worried about traffic?
Traffic is expected to pick up across the country in the days leading up to Thanksgiving.
If you’re traveling on Wednesday or Thursday, the weather shouldn’t affect traffic much in the Metro Detroit area. Still, more cars than usual could be on the road.