Rain, snow, and gusty winds will require commuters to allow extra time Monday.
Sunday Night
Sunday night will be mostly cloudy with a few scattered rain showers. The wind will shift from the southwest to the west-northwest at 8 to 16 mph with gusts to 20 mph. Lows will be in the lower to mid 30s.
Monday
The wind will increase overnight as a strong storm system intensifies over the Northeast on Monday. Rain and snow showers and gusty winds will impact Southeast Michigan. Wet roads and gusty winds could create difficult driving conditions, especially for high-profile vehicles like trucks.
(Join Local 4 News Morning on Monday for the latest forecast before you head out the door)
Gale Warnings
A gale warning will be in effect for Lake St. Clair and the Michigan water of Lake Erie from 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 18 until 1 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 19. Northwesterly wind gusts up to 35 kt are possible on Lake St. Clair, while gusts could approach 40 ft over Lake Erie. Significant waves up to 3 ft are expected on both lakes.
A gale warning will be in effect for Lake Huron from Monday morning until Tuesday morning.
On Lake Huron, winds will be out of the north-northwest at 30 to 35 kt with gusts as high as 40 kt. Significant waves are expected to be 10 to 15 ft.
Onshore in the Thumb, winds will be out of the northwest at 15 to 25 mph with gusts as high as 40 mph. Winds in Metro Detroit will be closer to 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph.
Metro Detroit will see a mix of rain and snow showers as temperatures peak in the mid to upper 30s, which is near normal. The chance of light snow accumulation is greater in the Thumb, where snow bands develop. These areas, mainly east of M-19, could pick up 1 to 2 inches of snow. Elsewhere in Southeast Michigan, any accumulations will be under an inch and mostly on grassy surfaces, cars, and decks.
The strong winds will combine with heavy rain to cause inland and coastal flooding on the East Coast. Ground and air travel will be impacted in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.
Tuesday
As winds weaken Tuesday morning, the day will bring calmer and cooler weather conditions for Metro Detroit. A high-pressure system will promote mostly sunny skies, but temperatures will only be in the lower to mid 30s.
Wednesday and Thursday
Wednesday and Thursday will be mostly cloudy with highs around 40 degrees and lows in the mid to upper 20s.
A chance of rain showers will return on Friday.