Let’s mention the obvious: This does not feel like Christmas weather in Michigan.
After a foggy start, Southeast Michigan witnessed peaks of sunshine and temperatures reaching 50 to 55 degrees by Monday afternoon. The high at Detroit Metro Airport was 54 degrees. The normal highs and lows for this date are 35 and 23 degrees, respectively. The record high is 64 degrees, which was set in 1982.
From 1874 to 2022, Detroit had reached 50 degrees or higher on Dec. 25 only 12 times. While it is normally cooler, having a white Christmas is as common as you might think.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) considers it a “white Christmas” when there is at least one inch of snow on the ground on Christmas morning. Since 1874, this has been observed at Detroit’s weather station on just 20 Christmases. A dusting or anything less than an inch would not meet the criterion.
Although it is not a white Christmas, it will become a wet Christmas night. Rain showers will arrive in Metro Detroit during the evening ahead of a frontal boundary. Temperatures will slowly and barely fall into the 40s. With widespread light rain across the region, lows will be in the mid to upper 40s. Winds will shift from the east to the southeast and increase to 10 to 15 mph with gusts to 20 mph.
Tuesday
Tuesday, which is Boxing Day and the first day of Kwanzaa, will keep the rain showers around Metro Detroit. The warm air mass will also keep its position over the region, which will send temperatures back into the lower to mid 50s.
The front will sweep across Lower Michigan on Tuesday night and usher in a cooler air mass, but the cool down will be gradual during the week. Tuesday night’s lows will be around 40 degrees.
Wednesday and Thursday
Scattered showers will be possible on Wednesday. Highs will be in the mid to upper 40s with lows in the mid 30s. By Thursday, highs will be around 40 degrees with a chance of rain and snow showers.
Friday through Monday
Friday through Monday, it will be mostly cloudy with temperatures peaking in the mid 30s to 40 degrees. New Year’s Eve celebrations around midnight will see temperatures in the lower to mid 30s. Monday, New Year’s Day, there is a chance of a few flurries in the area, but disruptive weather is not expected.
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