Rain, snow, strong winds and cold temperatures all are forecast for Michigan this holiday week.
Areas along the Great Lakes are likely to get the worst of the winter storm from the lake-effect snow
“A mild Monday (Nov. 24) and rainy Tuesday (Nov. 25) give way to a colder, windier Wednesday (Nov. 26) with rain changing to snow and falling temps,” said the National Weather Service office in Gaylord on X on Nov. 24. “Very poor travel conditions are possible in the snowbelts Wednesday night and Thursday (Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27).”
A clipper system — low pressure that forms typically over the Canadian province of Alberta, east of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, and move quickly across the U.S. — will bring heavy snow to Michigan by Tuesday night, Nov. 25, said the NWS. Later in the week, the polar vortex will bring even more snow to Michigan.
Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula are expected to get the most snow (possibly mixed with early-week rain). The western UP could see 12-25 inches of snow from Nov. 23-27, according to the NWS Probabilistic Precipitation Portal. Northwestern Lower Michigan may see up to 10 inches of snow in lake-effect areas.
A winter storm watch is currently in effect in parts of the UP, including, as of Nov. 24, Keweenaw, Houghton, Baraga, Ontonagon and Gogebic counties.
“We continue to monitor the potential for high-impact winter weather midweek onwards with heavy snow possible ahead of Thanksgiving Day,” the Marquette NWS said. “Stay weather aware!”
Weather officials warn travelers that the winter storm is expected to cause slick roads and low visibility for drivers.
Monday into Tuesday, rain is in the forecast for some areas as above-average temperatures linger. By Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27, temperatures will be frosty.
Weather officials are preparing Michigan residents for a windy week as well. Wind gusts from 30-45 mph are in the forecast for Nov. 25-26. Due to the strengthening winds, Michigan’s Great Lakes are under a gale watch.
On Black Friday, Nov. 28 — another busy day of travel for Michigan’s bargain shoppers — snow is expected statewide.
Here’s what the National Weather Service says Michiganders should prepare for this week.
When will it snow in Detroit this week?
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“Gusty winds, falling temperatures and snow showers can be expected Wednesday into Thanksgiving,” the Detroit NWS office said on X on Nov. 24.
Here’s the forecast for Detroit:
- Nov. 25: Rain, mainly before 3 p.m. High near 52. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch. At night, rain before 7 p.m., then a chance of rain after 1 a.m. Cloudy, with a low around 40.
- Nov. 26: Rain before 4 p.m., then a chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 51. Breezy, 36 mph gusts. At night, snow before 7 p.m., then a chance of snow after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29.
- Thanksgiving Day: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 37. Breezy. At night, mostly cloudy, with a low around 26.
- Nov. 28: Partly sunny, with a high near 36. At night, mostly cloudy, with a low around 23.
- Nov. 29: Snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 35. At night, Snow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 28.
What will the weather be like in Lansing?
“Thanksgiving weekend is coming up quickly, and the weather is looking like it will affect travel in Lower Michigan,” the NWS in Grand Rapids said on X on Nov. 24.
Here’s the forecast for Lansing:
- Nov. 25: Rain likely, mainly between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 51. At night, rain mainly after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37.
- Nov. 26: Rain before 10 a.m., then rain and snow between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., turning to all snow after 4 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 45. At night, snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28.
- Thanksgiving Day: Snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 33. At night, mostly cloudy, with a low around 24.
- Nov. 28: Partly sunny, with a high near 33. At night, mostly cloudy, with a low around 20.
- Nov. 29: Snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 32. At night, snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 25.
When will it snow on Black Friday in Grand Rapids?
“Poor holiday travel conditions will be developing across Michigan on Wednesday as snow and wind arrive. Wind gusts of 40-60 mph could cause power outages especially along the lakeshore. Lake effect snow and blowing snow could cause travel problems into Thanksgiving,” the NWS in Grand Rapids said about west Michigan conditions.
Here’s the forecast for Grand Rapids:
- Nov. 25: Rain mainly before 1 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 52. At night, more rain expected with a low around 36.
- Nov. 26: Snow possibly mixed with rain becoming all snow after 4 p.m. High near 43. 33-mph wind gusts. At night, snow. Low around 28.
- Thanksgiving Day: Snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 33. At night, more snow possible. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 26.
- Nov. 28: Partly sunny, with a high near 32. At night, snow after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23.
- Nov. 29: Snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 32. At night, snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 26.
Will it rain or snow on Thanksgiving in southwest Michigan?
“Increasing clouds today with breezy southerly winds and above normal temperatures in the low to mid 50s. This evening, chances for light rain will increase with a system moving into the region. Lows in the 40s overnight,” the NWS for northern Indiana said on X on Nov. 24.
Here’s the forecast for Coldwater:
- Nov. 25: Rain before 4 p.m. Patchy fog before 10am. High near 53. At night, rain after 1 a.m. Cloudy, with a low around 35.
- Nov. 26: Rain and snow before 1 p.m., then a chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 43. 35-mph wind gusts. At night, snow mainly after 1 a.m. Cloudy, with a low around 26.
- Thanksgiving Day: Snow before 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 32. At night, snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24.
- Nov. 28: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 32. At night, snow after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 20.
- Nov. 29: Snow expected. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 31. At night, snow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 25.
Here’s the forecast for Kalamazoo:
- Nov. 25: Rain likely before 1 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 52. At night, Showers, mainly after 1 a.m. Low around 34.
- Nov. 26: Snow likely, possibly mixed with rain, becoming all snow after 4 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 42.
- Thanksgiving Day: Snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 32. At night, snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24.
- Nov. 28: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 31. At night, snow after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 20.
- Nov. 29: Snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 31. At night, snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 25.
Here’s the forecast for St. Joseph:
- Nov. 25: Rain mainly before 1 p.m. Patchy fog before 10 a.m. High near 53. At night, rain after 7 p.m. 30-mph wind gusts, and a low around 36.
- Nov. 26: Rain and snow likely, becoming all snow after 4 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 42. 40-mph wind gusts. At night, snow likely, before 1 a.m. Cloudy, with a low around 30.
- Thanksgiving Day: Snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 35. Breezy. At night, snow before 1 a.m. Cloudy, with a low around 29. Blustery.
- Nov. 28: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 34. At night, snow after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 26.
- Nov. 29: Snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 35. At night, rain and snow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 29.
When will it snow in northern Michigan this week?
“Very poor travel conditions are possible in the snowbelts Wednesday night and Thursday. Even short trips to visit family and friends could be challenging,” the NWS in Gaylord said on X on Nov. 24.
The Gaylord area will be on the top end of accumulation in the Lower Peninsula with up to 7 inches, but up to 11 inches is possible. Cadillac will get about 3-4 inches, but as much as 10 isn’t out of the question by Thursday.
Here’s the forecast for Gaylord:
- Nov. 25: Rain mainly after 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 46. At night, rain expected with a low around 39.
- Nov. 26: Snow possibly mixed with rain, becoming all snow after 4 p.m. High near 41. Breezy, with 35-mph wind gusts. More snow. Patchy blowing snow with a low around 25.
- Thanksgiving Day: Snow. High near 29. Breezy. At night, snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 21.
- Nov. 28: Snow likely before 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 27. At night, more snow expected. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17.
- Nov. 29: Snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 28. At night, snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 20.
Here’s the forecast for Traverse City:
- Nov. 25: Rain mainly after 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 51. At night, rain with a low around 39.
- Nov. 26: Rain before 10 a.m., then snow possibly mixed with rain. High near 43. 35-mph wind gusts. At night, snow. Patchy blowing snow after 9 p.m. Low around 28.
- Thanksgiving Day: Snow showers. High near 34. Breezy. At night, Snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24.
- Nov. 28: Snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 32. At night, snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22.
- Nov. 29: Snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 33. At night, snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24.
Here’s the forecast for Alpena:
- Nov. 25: Rain. Cloudy, with a high near 47. At night, rain expected. Low around 42.
- Nov. 26: Rain before 1 p.m., then rain, possibly mixed with snow between 1-4 p.m., then snow showers after 4 p.m. High near 46. At night, snow. Patchy blowing snow after 8 p.m. Low around 28.
- Thanksgiving Day: Snow. High near 34. At night, Snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 26. Blustery conditions.
- Nov. 28: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 32. Breezy. At night, snow before 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22.
- Nov. 29: Snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 32. At night, snow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 25.
Is it going to snow all week in the Upper Peninsula?
“We continue to monitor the potential for high-impact winter weather midweek onwards with heavy snow possible ahead of Thanksgiving Day. Stay weather aware!” #906wx #miwx” the NWS in Marquettes said on X on Nov. 24.
The NWS precipitation portal says a band from Ironwood on the Wisconsin border to the foot of the Keweenaw Peninsula could get 25 inches of snow — possibly as much as 3 feet in some spots on the high end of estimates.
The snowfall quickly falls off outside the lake-effect zone with Marquette expected to get about 7 inches. Farther south, Iron Mountain, Escanaba and Menominee are likely to only see 1-2 inches by Thanksgiving. Sault Ste. Marie also will only get 2-3 inches.
Here’s the forecast for Marquette:
- Nov. 25: Rain, mainly after 8 a.m. High near 42. At night, rain. Steady temperature around 40. Gusts as high as 20 mph.
- Nov. 26: Snow possibly mixed with rain, becoming all snow after 4 p.m. Patchy blowing snow after 11 a.m. Temperature falling to around 31 by 4 p.m. Wind gusts up to 45 mph. At night, areas of blowing snow. Low around 26.
- Thanksgiving Day: Snow showers. High near 30. Blustery. At night, snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 21.
- Nov. 28: Snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 27. At night, snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18.
- Nov. 29: Snow. Partly sunny, with a high near 29. At night, snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22.
Here’s the forecast for Sault Ste. Marie:
- Nov. 25: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a steady temperature around 41. At night, rain. Low around 39.
- Nov. 26: Rain before 1 p.m., then rain and snow. High near 45. At night, patchy blowing snow after 11 p.m. Low around 27.
- Thanksgiving Day: Snow. High near 31. Blustery. At night, snow mainly before 1 a.m. Cloudy, with a low around 24. Blustery.
- Nov. 28: Snow mainly after 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 29. At night, snow mainly before 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 20.
- Nov. 29: Snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 30. At night, snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22.
Here’s the forecast for Ironwood:
- Nov. 25: Rain and snow. High near 39. At night, rain and snow, becoming all snow after midnight. The snow could be heavy at times. Areas of blowing snow after 4 a.m. 30-mph wind gusts. Low around 26.
- Nov. 26: Snow. The snow could be heavy at times. Areas of blowing snow. High near 29. 30-mph wind gusts. At night, snow. Low around 18.
- Thanksgiving Day: Snow mainly before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 24. At night, snow before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 13.
- Nov. 28: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 22. At night, mostly cloudy, with a low around 8.
- Nov. 29: Snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 25. At night, snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 11.
Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@lsj.com
