Metro Detroit weather forecast: Another record breaker?

Plus an update on Friday's storm

Temperatures didn’t make it into record territory today, but it still felt plenty mild if you stepped outside (and didn’t get wet).  Remember:  today’s average high is only 37 degrees (3 degrees Celsius)!  Don’t worry, though, we may have a shot at another record on Wednesday…stay tuned!

Tonight will feature partial clearing early, but fog and low stratus likely developing in the middle of then night.  A bit of drizzle is possible this evening, too.  Lows around 47 degrees (8.5 degrees Celsius).  If tonight’s low doesn’t drop below that 47 degree number, then we’ll tie Wednesday’s record for warmest low temperature on that date, which was set in 1930.  South wind at 2 to 5 mph.

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Clouds and fog will greet us as we head out to work and school on Wednesday, but we should start seeing some breaks in the overcast developing during the afternoon.  Highs, of course, will be highly dependent upon the amount of sunshine we get.  At this point, I’m forecasting a high of 64 degrees (18 degrees Celsius), which is just shy of our record high of 65 degrees.  If clouds hang tough longer into the afternoon, we’ll be cooler than that 64 degree high; if the clouds break up earlier, then we’ll shatter that record.  South wind at 7 to 12 mph is also key…the quicker the wind speed picks up, the quicker we can try to scour out some of that cloud cover. 

Wednesday’s sunrise is at 7:19 a.m., and Wednesday’s sunset is at 6:15 p.m.

Partly cloudy Wednesday night, with lows near 50 degrees (10 degrees Celsius).  That would also break Thursday’s record for warmest low temperature for that date.

Partly cloudy on Thursday, with highs in the low 60s (16 degrees Celsius), which is shy of Thursday’s record high of 64 degrees (18 degrees Celsius).

Increasing clouds with rain and possible thunderstorms developing.  Lows again near 50 degrees (10 degrees Celsius), which would shatter Friday’s record for warmest low temperature for that date.

The Thursday night band of rain and thunderstorms should move north of our area early Friday morning and, as long as we get deep enough into the warm sector of the approaching dynamic storm system, we’ll have a dry period for most of the daytime period Friday.  And if that happens, we’ll once again hit the low 60s for highs (16 degrees Celsius), which would tie or break Friday’s record high of 60 degrees, and this record is a special one:  it was set in 1871, which makes it one of our oldest standing records!

The cold front associated with the approaching storm comes through with a band of showers and thunderstorms Friday evening or night.  It’s too early to try and get specific about how severe these storms will be…there are too many small-scale thermodynamic and dynamic parameters that I’m not confident about the models’ handling of three days in advance.  However, in a general sense, be aware that there’s at least the possibility for some strong storms Friday evening or night, with the best relative chances being the farther south you are in our area (and even better in Indiana and Ohio). 

Friday night’s strong cold front could also be called a reality check front…it’s the front edge of a very different air mass than the one we’ve had recently.  As a result, Saturday will be a very windy, blustery day, with temperatures falling from the 40s into the 30s (roughly, from 6 to 2 degrees Celsius), and with early rain showers ending, and possibly being replaced by afternoon or evening snow showers.  Some, but not all, models even suggest wind gusts to 40 mph.  You’ll be talking about the weather on Saturday!

Snow showers gradually diminish Saturday night, with lows in the mid 20s (-4 degrees Celsius).

Sunday will probably start out mostly cloudy, but we’ll see more sunshine for the second half of the day.  Highs in the mid 30s (3 degrees Celsius), and it’ll be a breezy day.

Partly cloudy on Monday, with highs in the low 40s (5 degrees Celsius).

Rain is likely on Tuesday, and possibly into Wednesday morning, with highs on Tuesday once again approaching 50 degrees (10 degrees Celsius).