THUMB

Wednesday’s snow system was easy to measure without a lot of drifting. It was a solid 6 to 8 inch snow from Jackson to Ann Arbor to Monroe, the Detroit area and the eastern Thumb. As it very common in this type of snowstorm, the next row of counties had 4 to 6 inches of snow, and then a stripe of 2 to 4 inches of snow. Here are some of the exact National Weather Service snow reports from trained weather spotters. The heaviest snow was measured at Ann Arbor and Saline with 8.8 inches and 8.4 inches, respectively.

You’ll notice this on all of the snowfall forecast maps I show you, as every computer model is showing it. Here are the two latest snowfall forecast maps I think are most accurate at this time. And now the National Weather Service snow forecast as of 7:00 a.m. Thursday, December 22. In the Saginaw Valley the increase of a few inches more snow may put that region in an official blizzard situation. We may eventually get a blizzard warning for the Saginaw Valley and the Thumb.

The Michigan Air National Guard is extending public comment for an extra month on a proposal that would increase military airspace in northeast Lower Michigan and the Thumb. MORE: Military airspace expansion plan irks Camp Grayling growth opponentsThe FAA previously said it plans to make a decision in early 2023. Gen. Bryan Teff, assistant adjutant general and commander of the Michigan Air National Guard, said in a news release. This decision is separate from the proposed expansion of Camp Grayling, which would double the camp’s footprint in northern Lower Michigan. At 484 square miles, it’s already the nation’s largest National Guard training facility, spreading across parts of Crawford, Kalkaska and Otsego counties.

GRAYLING, MI — A proposed military airspace expansion over northern Michigan and the Thumb is drawing fire from officials and conservation groups already upset with potential growth of the Camp Grayling National Guard base. Map showing a proposed expansion of military airspace over Michigan. Airspace expansion would increase the use of chaff and flares, which deteriorate into magnesium oxide, chloride and fluoride in water. Although the airspace expansion would not involve any new construction on land, opponents nonetheless see it as another side to the Camp Grayling expansion coin. PFAS pollution from past use of firefighting foam at Camp Grayling was mentioned multiple times.

Parts of Western and Mid Lower Michigan are bracing for a November winter storm walloping, with up to a foot of snow possible in some areas.

Here is the weather forecast for Metro Detroit.

Good Wednesday morning! It is very tolerable out there while also being cool for anyone heading out and about early on this Hump Day. We are once again seeing some cloud cover coming and going with more active weather in the middle of the country and parts farther west. Our air is dry, which eliminates the chances for anything leaking from the scattered morning clouds. Temperatures are not as cool as the last couple of mornings with most of Metro Detroit in the middle 30s to near 40 degrees so, grab a light jacket knowing that you will be able to shed a layer later in the day.

It was a dry growing season for the Flint, Tri-Cities and Thumb regions. The farther south you were located in Mid-Michigan, the drier your growing season. Flint was the driest of the major observing sites with only 14.62 inches of rain this growing season, coming in 5.62 inches drier than average. MBS Airport, between Saginaw, Bay City and Midland, had 17.08 inches of rain, which is only 1.72 inches below average. We will need a wet winter to keep the drought from intensifying into next growing season.

A line of severe thunderstorms with no significant breaks in the line is moving east into the eastern and southeastern part of Lower Michigan between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. The severe thunderstorm watch covers the entire Saginaw Valley and Thumb, south to Ann Arbor and the entire Detroit area. The line of storms produced numerous wind gust reports between 55 mph and 66 mph as the line swept through western Lower Michigan. Plan on the strongest wind gusts occurring in the first five minutes of the thunderstorm. Winds could gust to 60 mph at spots along the line of storms.

The latest drought status, ranked on August 23 and released today, August 25, shows moderate drought covering part of the Thumb and the Saginaw Valley. Drought status as of August 23, 2022 (source: U.S. Drought Monitor)Abnormally dry status is the dryness just before being officially declared in drought status. Three months ago only five percent of Michigan had abnormally dry conditions and no areas ranked in moderate drought. Rainfall over the next two weeks doesn’t look heavy enough to put a major dent in the drought conditions. There should be enough rain to keep the drought conditions from spreading.

TUSCOLA COUNTY, MI - A National Weather Service survey team has concluded that two weak, short-lived tornadoes did touch down Monday in Tuscola County’s Thumb region, uprooting trees and shearing off tree limbs. The maximum speed of the strongest tornado, which was confirmed to have touched down near Vassar just before 2 p.m., was estimated at traveling 80 mph for just over two miles, the NWS said. The second tornado, near Caro, touched down about 2:15 p.m. and reached speeds of 75 mph while it was on the ground for about a half a mile. Both were rated EF-0, which means they were the weakest kind of tornadoes on the ratings scale. “We have confirmed two tornadoes touched down in Tuscola County yesterday afternoon,” said meteorologists from the NWS Detroit/Pontiac office.

Drought areas have expanded due to the dryness. Those areas have been put into a ranking of moderate drought as of Tuesday, July 19, 2022. Here is the current U.S. Drought Monitor map of the drought areas. The percentage of moderate drought went from two percent to 12 percent, which is a six-fold expansion. It’s pretty easy to see where the areas with moderate drought are based on the rainfall in the past 60 days.

There is an area of rain moving into Lower Michigan as of 11:50 this morning. The rain area will move southeast this afternoon. At the same time, the rain area will decrease slightly in intensity and the area will shrink some. Here is the always updated radar, so you can track the rain area across the state. You can see the gradual shrinking of the rain area this afternoon and evening.

This six-hour rain forecast shows the Friday night rain moving out and leaving us with a dry weekend. The few hundredths of rain forecast in the Thumb Saturday comes from maybe a leftover shower around sunrise Saturday. Total rainfall forecast for Saturday, July 16, 2022Sunday’s rain forecast below shows a few hundredths near the Lake Michigan coast. Wind forecast for 2 p.m. Saturday, July 16Sunday could have a stronger wind on Saginaw Bay. It looks like a classic great summer weekend for us Michiganders.

A man helping with a church food drive in Michigan’s Thumb region struck and killed his 80-year-old wife outside the church with an SUV as the couple was preparing to leave, police said.

TUSCOLA COUNTY, MI — A white cedar log home on nearly eight acres in Caro makes for a beautiful private retreat in Michigan’s Thumb. “It’s like your own little oasis,” said Realtor Jenifer Rifkin of Century 21 Signature Realty. “It is like a vacation to be on the property.”

WELLS TOWNSHIP, MI — Gunshots reportedly caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage to fiber optic cables in a community in Michigan’s Thumb area. Tuscola County Sheriff’s Department officials reported gunshots from a .22-caliber rifle likely were the cause of about $50,000 in damage to the fiber optic cables.

Here is the weather forecast for Metro Detroit.

There are shower chances the rest of this week, but then the summer weather really arrives.

I don’t like the “average last freeze date,” as that means half of the years still have a freeze occur after that date. (Data/map provided by Iowa State University)The data shows Flint has only a 10% chance of a freeze after May 22. From the map, Saginaw and Bay City are actually at about the same freeze date. (Data/graph provided by Iowa State University)The Saginaw and Bay City areas can get a freeze also in late May. Midland is in that same pocket as Saginaw, Bay City and Flint, where a freeze could occur in late May.

The odd part of this snowstorm is the second half of the afternoon is when the snow will really come together. Notice the darker blue developing over the Detroit area, the Thumb and even the Flint/Saginaw/Bay City areas this afternoon. snowstorm info3 p.m. is a key time for the changeover to snow over the entire eastern part of Lower Michigan. snowstorm infoA little closer look at southeast Lower shows Bad Axe, Sandusky and Port Huron getting between four and six inches of snow by noon Tuesday. snowstorm infoThe west side of Lower Michigan will only get one or two inches of snow for most areas.

There’s now a winter weather advisory in effect for part of the Detroit area and the Thumb. The winter weather advisory goes into effect noon Monday and continues through 4 a.m. Tuesday. Winter winter advisory in the purple from noon Monday to 4 a.m. Tuesday. The winter weather advisory is for Huron, Tuscola, Sanilac, Lapeer, Oakland, Macomb and St. Clair Counties. While the Thumb and Detroit area get the heaviest snow, we could all lose sight of our grass for a while.

Most of Lower Michigan will flirt with 70 degrees, but not every location makes it to 70. Where the rain is located between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. will be the areas that fall just shy of 70 degrees. High temperatures of 70 degrees make it as far north as the away-from-Lake-Huron areas of Arenac and Iosco counties. On the west side of Lower Michigan, some cities are close to 70 degrees already, but won’t warm much more. Holland is 68 degrees, so you’ll make it to 70 degrees just as rain arrives late this morning.

Monday will be mostly to partly sunny and milder. Afternoon temperatures reach the upper 50s to near 60°F.

After a gorgeous afternoon, Sunday evening will be lovely and cooler. Dinnertime temperatures will be near 50°F. The first night of spring will be chilly under a starry, moonlit sky.

There is a snow-maker heading toward Michigan, affecting most of Lower Michigan. The snow starts in the very southwest corner of Lower Michigan around 6 p.m. this evening. Here’s the total snow forecast from the computer model I like most in this situation. Total snow forecast by Friday morning, February 25, 2022Many of the cities of southern Michigan can plan on about three inches of snow. This includes Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Jackson, Flint, Ann Arbor, Detroit, Saginaw and Bay City.

Temperatures have continued to warm this Tuesday morning for most of SE Lower Michigan as rounds of rain keep moving our way from the south.

While it was a cloudy day, temperatures Thursday afternoon ranging from the low 30s (0 degrees Celsius) in the northwest to the upper 30s (3 degrees Celsius) in the southeast were actually a little above long-term average highs for this date.

FRANKENMUTH, MI - Several Thumb region school districts - as well as two Bay County districts and one in Saginaw County - are closed Thursday, Jan. 13 citing icy road conditions. Saginaw County’s Frankenmuth School District and Bay County’s Essexville-Hampton Public Schools and Bangor Township Schools join at least eight others from the Thumb region in closing Thursday. MDOT Bay Region acknowledged the icy roads in a Twitter post, sharing a tip that using cruise control while driving through snowy or icy roads could cause a car to accelerate while slipping. Closed school districts include Caro Community Schools, Carsonville - Port Sanilac Community Schools, Marlette Community Schools, Mayville Community Schools, Peck Community Schools, Reese Public Schools, Sandusky Community Schools, Vassar Public Schools, and the Huron Intermediate School District. If you would like more reporting like this delivered free to your inbox, click here and signup for our weekly newsletter: Michigan Schools.

It appears we still may have some scattered showers around Christmas morning, but then dry out in the afternoon.

Here is the Metro Detroit weather forecast update for Dec. 23, 2021, afternoon and evening.

SANILAC COUNTY, MI - A 61-year-old Marlette man is under investigation after causing a chain-reaction crash Sunday morning in the parking lot of a Thumb area Walmart store that left several vehicles damaged and two people hospitalized, police said. Sanilac County dispatch received a call about 11:20 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 1 for a truck that had hit multiple other vehicles in the parking lot of Walmart, 655 Sanilac Road, in Sandusky. Sheriff’s deputies, the Sandusky Fire Department and Sanilac EMS were dispatched to the scene, according to a news release from the Sanilac County Sheriff’s Office. The investigation into the incident is ongoing and the sheriff’s office will forward a completed report to the Sanilac County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office or review, according to the release. The sheriff’s office is withholding the names of those involved until after the prosecutor’s office completes its review.

Thursday’s weather scenario has played out as expected, with 40-50 mph wind gusts common across the area, and 55-65 mph gusts across Huron County in the northern Thumb.

Here is the weather forecast for Metro Detroit.

A very mild Monday morning around Metro Detroit with a little bit of cloud cover keeping our temps from dropping dramatically.

Clouds eroded across the western and southern parts of Southeast Michigan, giving some of us beautiful blue skies Tuesday.

And yet here we are and little Pinconning is known for not one, but two things: cheese and the holy grail of marijuana in Michigan. But it’s the wild folklore surrounding the mythical marijuana strain Pinconning Paralyzer whose tale we’d like to tell. Michigan Crime Stories - MLive’s most popular podcast - is back with a new season and Pinconning is at the center of it all. Please enjoy Episode 1 of Michigan Crime Stories: Pinconning Paralyzer here. To read the history of Pinconning Paralyzer and the quest to bring it back in the era of legal recreational marijuana, read this: Michigan’s most famous weed strain, Pinconning Paralyzer, eyes comeback after two-decade hibernation.

What a crummy day! Rain with a stiff breeze and temperatures in the mid- to upper 40s (8 to 9 degrees Celsius) sure left something to be desired.

It won’t rain all day Friday, but anywhere could have showers at anytime. The back edge of the rain will be moving across Lower Michigan Saturday morning and early afternoon. The rain will take until early afternoon to move out of the Thumb and far southeast Lower, including the Detroit area. Northwest Lower Michigan will have the cooler air moving in Saturday afternoon, and that will spark spurts of showers. windBy Sunday afternoon, the wind will be diminishing on the west side of Lower Michigan.

Scattered showers and even thunderstorms are possible Thursday and Friday.

CASEVILLE, MI — A “breathtaking” 8,000-square-foot luxury home with 400 feet of frontage on Lake Huron in Michigan’s Thumb could be yours for $3.5 million. The house, located at 4150 Port Austin Road in Lake Township near Caseville, is MLive’s House of the Week. (Photo provided by West & Main Photography)Photo provided by West & Main PhotographyA view inside of a home for sale located at 4150 Port Austin Road in Caseville. (Photo provided by West & Main Photography)Photo provided by West & Main PhotographyA view inside of a home for sale located at 4150 Port Austin Road in Caseville. (Photo provided by West & Main Photography)Photo provided by West & Main PhotographySee all 80 photos of the home here.

Thousands have lost power in the wake of an overnight storm that brought wind gusts of up to 40 miles per hour to some areas of mid-Michigan and the Thumb region. More than 4,050 customers in Genesee County without power as of 9 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 23, according to the Consumers Energy Outage map. Montrose Community Schools, located in the northwest corner of Genesee County, is closed for the day due to the outages, according to the district’s website. Related: 88K without power in Michigan after storms bring rain, wind and coldThousands are also without poser in Michigan’s Thumb region, according to the DTE power outage map. Sustained winds reached above 20 MPH overnight at Bishop Airport in Flint, with gusts of 40 MPH around 1 a.m. Thursday.

Here is the weather forecast for Metro Detroit.

Current drought status as of August 3, 2021 (produced by U.S. Drought Monitor)Huron, Sanilac and part of Arenac Counties are still in moderate drought. Surrounding the moderate drought area, much of the Thumb is abnormally dry. Moderate drought generally means there is still not a full soil moisture amount in the top few feet of soil. Drought status comparison from August 3, 2021 on left to June 15, 2021 on the right. The quick change in significant drought status shows just how fast our weather can change here in Michigan.

The contrast between the smoke-covered area and the not-yet smoke-covered part of Michigan gives us a good look into how the smoke influences our weather. We can clearly see the smoky skies over most of Lower Michigan and all of the Upper Peninsula. The best way to see the cooling effect is by looking at the lack of daytime heating clouds. The cooling effect on our bodies is probably a little more, since hot sunshine isn’t blazing down on our skin. Yes, but the smoke thickness, and it’s cooling effect can be difficult to forecast exactly.

Here is the weather forecast for Metro Detroit.

HURON COUNTY, MI -- A waterspout and a tornado were both spotted near the Lake Huron shoreline in Michigan’s Thumb region Saturday. At 4:26 p.m. on July 24, a confirmed waterspout was located just offshore near Port Austin, moving east at 45 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service. Related: Afternoon severe weather update: Tornado threat increased, timing of storms more confidentA confirmed tornado was later located near Port Austin at about 4:45 p.m., moving east at 40 mph. Other locations that could be impacted by the tornado include Port Hope, Huron City and Grindstone City, according to the National Weather Service. A severe thunderstorm watch remains in effect until 10 p.m. for Southeastern Michigan.

Here is the weather forecast for Metro Detroit.

Here is the weather forecast for Metro Detroit.

Residents at the tip of Michigan’s Thumb have been passing the hat and helping each other recover from a June tornado that destroyed dozens of properties with its 120 mph winds.

All of the drought classification areas over Michigan have been reduced over the past week. There are only a few small areas of drought left across Michigan. Here is the latest Drought Monitor drought assessment. Drought status on Tuesday, July 13, 2021 (source: U.S. Drought Monitor)A large part of the Thumb is still ranked in moderate drought to severe drought. Moderate drought also continues over Manistee and part of Benzie County and from Standish to Oscoda in northeast Lower Michigan.

The rain has certainly changed the look of the drought status over Michigan. The drought status isn’t an exact formula. Here is a comparison of this week’s drought status on the left and one week ago Tuesday’s drought status. Southern Michigan was previously called moderate drought, and now is mostly called abnormally dry, one step less drought than moderate drought. (source: U.S. Drought Monitor)Severe drought has been cut from 22 percent coverage to only five percent coverage.

The tornado started just north of the Port Crescent and Sand road intersection in Port Austin, the alert stated. The twister then crossed M-53 just south of its intersection with M-25, where it then damaged six homes and completely removed three roofs, the alert stated. One barn was destroyed just south of the 80th Avenue and 5 Mile intersection, the alert stated. The first Ionia tornado started around 4:31 p.m. on Saturday and touched down near Vedder Road and East of Hastings Road, according to the NWS alert. No fatalities or injuries were reported with either, the alert stated.

Here is the weather forecast for Metro Detroit.

ARCADIA TOWNSHIP, MI -- Seventeen fire departments from across mid-Michigan and the Thumb region responded to a large fire at a recycling facility this week in Lapeer County. Crews responded around 3 p.m. Monday, May 24, to the blaze at Jim’s Recycling in the 1300 block of North Young Road in Lapeer County’s Arcadia Township , Arcadia Township Supervisor John Howell confirmed with MLive-The Flint Journal. Arcadia Township fire had to respond to the facility again on Tuesday, Howell said, to extinguish a hot spot that flared up from the original fire. Some of the 17 fire departments that responded on Monday were from up to an hour away, including Linden in Genesee County and and personnel from Sanilac County’s Delaware Township, Howell said. “We’re very appreciative of the different fire departments across the thumb area that came and assisted with water transport,” he said.

CASEVILLE, MI - Vacationers will want to take some extra if they’re heading out to enjoy the beaches in Michigan’s Thumb due to a planned construction project. The project will take place on M-25 from M-142 near Bay Port to the south village limit of Caseville, and M-142 from Ewald Road to M-53. Another major MDOT project is underway Bay County. MDOT started a $29 million resurfacing and bridge improvement project in April on nearly five miles of Interstate 75 in Bay County. According to MDOT, the project will entail significant bridge improvements on the Parish Road bridge over I-75 and the I-75 bridge over Beaver Road, including deck replacements and steel repairs.

Here are tonight's top stories.

St. Clair County is Michigan’s top county in new coronavirus cases per-capita.

Here is the weather forecast for Metro Detroit.

Last week, while addressing Michigan's dubious distinction as becoming, once again, one of the nation's top COVID-19 hotspots, Governor Gretchen Whitmer said she would not...

Welcome to Friday night, Motown.

If you look at cases per 100,000 people, the Thumb -- Michigan’s 10th district -- becomes prominent. Less populated areas, like Macomb and St. Clair counties have critically high COVID transmission. RELATED: Tracking COVID-19 weekly growth factor by Michigan countyAdIn St. Clair County, the rate of COVID tests returning positive is nearly 27% -- higher than it ever was during the winter surge. In St. Clair County, more than one in four people are testing positive. The average number of new cases per million in St. Clair County is higher than it has ever been since the pandemic started.

The coronavirus pandemic is raging throughout most of Michigan, and the worst region right now is Michigan’s Thumb, as well as Macomb, St. Clair and Lapeer counties. All six counties in that region now have a positivity rate of more than 20%. The seven-day positivity rate on coronavirus diagnostic tests was 7.9% a week ago. The chart below allows you to look up any county by name to see the seven-day average positivity rate for March 23-29. The following counties reported one new death: Ingham, Ottawa, Lapeer, Saginaw, Sanilac, Tuscola, Midland, Wexford, Osceola, Houghton, Branch, Lake and Leelanau.

The weather this weekend in our Saginaw Valley area will be in the heart of a bitterly cold wind off Lake Huron. In fact, the Thumb will be blasted by the cold north wind, while Saginaw and Bay City get a glancing blow. If you have to travel, no precipitation is expected anywhere in the Saginaw or Bay City areas, or anywhere across Michigan. Low temperature forecast for Saturday, March 6High temperature forecast for Sunday, March 7Low temperature forecast for Sunday, March 7High temperature forecast for Sunday, March 7So you can see it’s a chilly weekend. Temperatures will warm to around 35 degrees in the Saginaw area, but downtown Bay City may only warm to 33 degrees.

While there is a back-door cold front that delivers chilly weather, the Ann Arbor and Detroit areas will be slightly protected from those cold north-northeast winds. If you have to travel, no precipitation is expected anywhere in the Ann Arbor or Detroit areas, or anywhere across Michigan. Low temperature forecast for Saturday, March 6High temperature forecast for Saturday, March 6Low temperature forecast for Sunday, March 7High temperature forecast for Sunday, March 7So you can see it’s a chilly weekend. The wind will be brisk in the Ann Arbor and Detroit areas on Saturday. Wind forecast for 1 p.m. SaturdayWind forecast for 1 p.m. SundayThe big story is the wind switches from northwest to blowing from the southeast Sunday.

Highs in the mid-to-upper 30s (3 degrees Celsius) -- but only in the low 30s (0 degrees Celsius) in the Thumb. Highs in the upper 30s (4 degrees Celsius) -- but mid 30s (2 degrees Celsius) in the Thumb. Next week warm-upMonday and Tuesday will be dry, with mostly cloudy skies Monday morning becoming partly cloudy, and then remaining partly cloudy through Tuesday. Highs Monday rebound into the low 50s (11 to 12 degrees Celsius), and into the mid-to-upper 50s (14 degrees Celsius) on Tuesday. I’m sticking with the ECMWF on this one and, by keeping things dry longer, I think we can hit 60 degrees (15 to 16 degrees Celsius)!

Becoming mostly clear Thursday night, and it’ll be a cold one with temperatures dropping into the upper teens (-8 degrees Celsius). Weekend updateThe weekend looks splendid, with plenty of sunshine and highs Saturday in the low 40s (5 degrees Celsius), and highs Sunday in the mid 40s (5 to 7 degrees Celsius). We’ll start our Saturday and Sunday mornings with lows in the low 20s (-5 degrees Celsius). If the rain comes in early, then we’ll hold in the mid 50s (13 degrees Celsius). However, if the rain holds off until late in the day -- as the European model suggests -- then we’ll probably hit 60 degrees (15 to 16 degrees Celsius)!

FLINT, MI - It’s fish fry time, folks. We had more than 360 nominations across the state, including 44 in the Flint and Thumb area in our search for Michigan’s Best Fish Fry. Starting now you can vote once per email address, every three hours. Click on these links below:Grand Rapids area - VOTE HEREMuskegon and Lakeshore area - VOTE HEREKalamazoo area & Southwestern Michigan - VOTE HEREJackson area & Central Southern Michigan - VOTE HEREAnn Arbor & Southeastern Michigan - VOTE HEREDetroit Metro area - VOTE HERELansing and Central Michigan - VOTE HEREFlint and Thumb area - VOTE HEREMidland, Bay City and Saginaw area - VOTE HERENorthern Lower Peninsula - VOTE HEREUpper Peninsula - VOTE HEREAmy Sherman of MLive takes a photo of the crew at North Branch Bakery in North Branch, Michigan.John GonzalezFollow our Michigan’s Best adventures on social media:@mlivemibest on Twitter@mlivemibest on InstagramFacebook at MLiveMIBest. Michigan-made Yurts by Great Lakes Yurt Company offer outdoor dining on the patio at the Grateful Crow, 420 N. Main St. in Chelsea on Friday, Feb. 26, 2021.Jacob Hamilton | The Ann Arbor NewsMore Michigan’s Best StoriesA 2021 guide to Jackson-area Friday Lenten fish friesGrand Rapids area 2021 fish fry guide for LentFriday fish fry take-out will be flying out the door at these 21 spots across Michigan (2020)Michigan’s ultimate fish fry guide (2019)Michigan’s Best Fish Fry poll winners (2019)3 places in the Northern Lower Peninsula for fantastic fish fry (2019)6 things Michigan restaurant staff want you to know before you eat outMichigan’s Best Outdoor Dining: See winners from across the state

We’ve even had a bit of light rain and drizzle mixing in, generally south of 8 Mile, so the forecast has panned out exactly as expected. Snow is winding down – the Thumb will be the last to see it go – although some snow showers are still possible through about lunchtime. AdAnother batch of light snow crosses the area Monday night, but this one won’t be nearly as impactful. Thursday, Friday forecastA light rain or snow shower is possible on Thursday, but is by no means certain. AdMostly sunny on Friday, another great winter day, with highs in the mid 30s (1 degree Celsius).

We’ve even had a bit of light rain and drizzle mixing in, generally south of 8 Mile, so the forecast has panned out exactly as expected. Highs will reach the mid 30s (2 degrees Celsius). Thursday, Friday forecastA light rain or snow shower is possible on Thursday, but is by no means certain. Highs in the mid 30s (1 to 2 degrees Celsius). AdMostly sunny on Friday, another great winter day, with highs in the mid 30s (1 degree Celsius).

This parade of storms has two storms heading toward the eastern U.S. in the next week. Snowstorm track forecast for first storm this Thursday into Friday, based on the U.S. Ensemble forecast. Below is the ensemble snow forecast. Using the same legend as the first snow map, and using situational forecasting, the Sunday/Monday system initially looks like a two to five inch snow. With a track of a storm just south of Michigan, I’d lay out the two to five inch snow area across the southern half of Lower Michigan.

So there are still a few inches of snow left to fall, mostly in the immediate Detroit area and the Thumb. There will still be pockets of moderate snow around the Detroit area and the Thumb. Here’s the model I like best now for additional snow to fall today. Total ADDITIONAL snow from 7 a.m. to end of snow today. The Thumb Counties of Lapeer, Sanilac, Tuscola and Huron should get another two to four inches of snow before mid-afternoon.

SEBEWAING, MI — After carjacking a teenager at a high school in Michigan’s Thumb, a man was arrested in Indiana on his way to Florida, police said. Huron County sheriff’s deputies and Sebewaing police officers responded to Unionville-Sebewaing Area High School at 2203 Wildner Road for a carjacking report at about 7:04 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 11. Another person in the parking lot put together what had happened and drove off in pursuit, following the Equinox down side roads into Tuscola County, Hanson said. Back at the high school’s parking lot, police said they found a 2001 Chevrolet reported stolen in Mason County earlier that morning. Read more:‘It’s a freedom of speech thing for me,’ says Bay County man flying anti-Biden flag with crude wordingMichigan woman whose boyfriend was killed during police raid faces new drug chargesMan killed in two-vehicle crash on I-675 in Saginaw

DETROIT – As expected, Monday’s light snow that bulged westward from that big east coast storm didn’t have much impact on our local weather, and we now have a couple of quieter days ahead. Lows in the mid teens (-9 degrees Celsius), but colder in our western rural areas that start the evening clear and maximize their radiational cooling potential. AdWednesday is likely going to be our nicest day of the next 10 days, so get out and enjoy the sunshine and low 30s (0 degrees Celsius) afternoon highs. Afternoon highs in the mid 30s (1 degree Celsius), with temps actually rising a bit more Thursday evening. AdCloudy Friday night, with lows in the low teens (-11 degrees Celsius).

The heaviest snow from the Monday night-Tuesday morning storm fell in a swath from north of Grand Rapids to the Saginaw Bay region and the Thumb. Across eastern Lower Michigan the snow was heaviest in the eastern Thumb, as expected. Far southern Lower, including Ann Arbor and Detroit, had some drizzle mix with the snow and produced lighter snow totals. This is what I’ve always called “situational forecasting.” In situational forecasting, I look at what that type of storm normally drops for its heaviest snow band. Initially two days out the I-94 corridor looked to get the heaviest snow.

The snow system is underachieving for some, but really picking up for the Thumb and Saginaw Valley area. In the eastern Thumb I think you’ll call it a snowstorm, with amounts around six inches total snow. Total additional snow expected from 11 a.m. Tuesday to 2 a.m. Wednesday. Grand Rapids, Lansing and Flint could have between one and two inches of additional snow by ending time mid-afternoon. The exception will be the eastern Thumb where it may be late evening before the snow ends.

We’re trying to determine who has the best outdoor dining in the Flint and Thumb region. It’s time to make your vote count as part of our search for Michigan’s Best Outdoor Dining. Vote nowMuskegon and Lakeshore areaVote now for Muskegon and the Lakeshore area’s Best Outdoor DiningKalamazoo area & Southwestern MichiganTime to vote for Kalamazoo and Southwestern Michigan’s Best Outdoor DiningJackson area & Central Southern MichiganWho has the Jackson area’s Best Outdoor Dining? Vote nowAnn Arbor & Southeastern MichiganIt’s time to vote for Ann Arbor area’s Best Outdoor DiningDetroit Metro areaWho has the Detroit Metro area’s Best Outdoor Dining? Lansing and Central MichiganVote now for Lansing area’s Best Outdoor DiningFlint and Thumb areaTime to vote for Best Outdoor Dining in Flint and Thumb regionMidland, Bay City and Saginaw areaVote for Best Outdoor Dining in Bay City, Saginaw and Midland regionNorthern Lower PeninsulaTime to vote for Best Outdoor Dining in Michigan’s Northern Lower PeninsulaUpper PeninsulaVote for the Best Outdoor Dining in the Upper PeninsulaFollow our Michigan’s Best adventures on social media:@mlivemibest on Twitter@mlivemibest on InstagramFacebook at MLiveMIBest.

Two pinpoint spots stand out as having the most lightning in the Saginaw Valley area last year. A zoomed in look at the Saginaw Valley area and the Thumb shows the highest lightning pulse totals in the tip of the Thumb. The highest number of lightning pulses occurred over Meade Township and Dwight Township, near Kinde. Meade Township had 71 lightning pulses in 2020, while Dwight Township had 64 pulses. You can zoom in on the map to see where your location stands on 2020 lightning.

We’ll still have some snow showers to deal with tonight, although they should gradually diminish after midnight. Becoming partly cloudy for part of our Saturday night, with lows near 20 degrees (-7 degrees Celsius). Temperatures slowly falling through the 30s…probably into the low 30s by late afternoon (0 degrees Celsius). Mostly sunny on Tuesday, with highs near 30 degrees (-12 degrees Celsius). Mostly cloudy and breezy with scattered snow showers possible on Friday, with highs in the low 30s (0 degrees Celsius).

BAY CITY, Mich. – A man who was helping clean a chute at a sugar beet processing plant in Michigan’s Thumb region fell about 120 feet (37 meters) to his death, authorities said. Bay County Sheriff’s deputies who were called Tuesday night to the Michigan Sugar Co. plant near Bay City about a fatal accident found the 53-year-old plant worker dead, police said. Bay County’s chief medical examiner pronounced the man dead at the scene, said Sheriff’s Lt. James Chlebowski. The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been contacted about the worker's death, he said. Michigan Sugar Co. said in a statement that it is cooperating with authorities investigating the worker’s death, and added that “the thoughts and prayers of everyone at Michigan Sugar Company are with the family of this employee.”

Highs in the mid to upper 30s (3 degrees Celsius), with west winds becoming southwest at 10 to 15 mph. Rain develops Friday night (but Friday evening will be dry), with very mild lows near 40 degrees (5 degrees Celsius). Highs Saturday could touch 50 degrees (10 degrees Celsius). Rain mixes with then changes to snow Saturday night, with lows in the mid 30s (1 degrees Celsius). Steady temperatures in the mid 30s (1 degrees Celsius).

Things look pretty quiet for the next five days, but then comes this weekend -- I’ll address that in a moment. Highs in the mid 30s (2 degrees Celsius), and possibly a tad warmer if we get any afternoon peeks of sun. Mostly sunny on Thursday -- this is the pick day of the week -- with highs in the mid 40s (8 degrees Celsius). Highs may still reach the upper 40s (9 degrees Celsius) in the mild air mass ahead of the front. Steady temperatures in the mid 30s (2 degrees Celsius).

Across many parts of Michigan, snowmobilers and ski enthusiasts are starting to get a little antsy. These were in scattered locations, like the Thumb in the Lower Peninsula, and then far along the northern reaches of the Upper Peninsula in places like the Keweenaw Peninsula and sections between L’anse and Marquette. “If you live in Southwest Lower MI, you will have to travel quite a distance to find some snow on the ground,” NWS meteorologists said. True to form for that, our October and November temperatures in Michigan have been warmer than normal. There's a decent chance of temperatures being a little... Posted by US National Weather Service Gaylord Michigan on Friday, December 4, 2020

(AP) – A Big Boy restaurant in Michigan’s Thumb region has lost its name after the owners refused to stop indoor dining as part of statewide restrictions to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Customers were greeted with Sandusky Diner instead of Sandusky Big Boy, the name for 35 years. Big Boy restaurants are known by their statue of a boy in checkered overalls holding a burger over his head. The Sandusky location, was one of four eateries cited for violating the state’s order against indoor dining. “We had already decided we weren’t going to do that,” Tank told The Associated Press.

For the southeast part of Lower Michigan, rain and snow this morning will change to all snow by late afternoon. Snow forecast map shows the gradually tapering snow as you go west from the Detroit area and the Thumb. North winds will make heavy lake effect snow at the south end of Lake Michigan. The entire length of the Lake Erie shoreline up to 30 miles south of Lake Erie will have heavy snow. In Michigan, if you don’t want to drive on the snowy roads of southeast Michigan, travel before mid-afternoon today or wait until Wednesday.

What to know today 🌅🌨️ Winter weather advisory in Metro Detroit: 2-4 inches of snow expectedSeveral inches of snow are expected Monday into Tuesday in southeastern Michigan. ⚠️ Beware of COVID-19 scams as vaccine approaches FDA approvalAP: The coronavirus vaccine inching toward approval in the U.S. is desperately anticipated by weary Americans longing for a path back to normal life. Homeland Security investigators are working with Pfizer, Moderna and dozens of other drug companies racing to complete and distribute the vaccine and treatments for the virus. The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan has risen to 350,021 as of Saturday, including 9,036 deaths, state officials report. Officials say 70 of those deaths were identified after reviewing records, meaning they did not occur between Friday and Saturday.

SANDUSKY, MI - The corporate branch of Big Boy Restaurants is getting involved after a Big Boy franchise located in Michigan’s Thumb region defied a statewide order requiring restaurants to close indoor dining spaces for three weeks due to coronavirus. In a statement, Big Boy said it was taking legal action to stop the franchise from operating under its name while it remains out of compliance. Big Boy Restaurant Group LLC is headquartered in Warren. “Big Boy has and always will be dedicated to the health and safety of our customers and staff,” the statement reads. “The actions of a franchisee in Sandusky, Michigan are not representative of Big Boy as a brand, our operations, or standards.”How the process will play out is up in the air at the moment, Tank said.

SANDUSKY, MI - A Big Boy restaurant franchise in Michigan’s Thumb region started a GoFundMe page Monday, Nov. 23, to support its refusal to close dine-in service, despite a cease-and-desist order from the Sanilac County Health Department. Troy Tank, part owner of the restaurant located about 90 miles north of Detroit, said the GoFundMe is to help the restaurant pay potential fines and legal fees for its decision to remain open. “I just felt like our back was up against the wall and we needed to do something about it,” Tank said. The GoFundMe “freedom fund” attracted $840 in donations as of 4:30 p.m. Monday out of a $10,000 goal. Tank said the donations will go toward potential legal fees and fines, with any leftovers going to other restaurants or organizations fighting restrictions.

Some customers left without power after a wind storm swept across mid-Michigan and the Thumb region over the weekend may not see their lights come back on for a few more days. The Consumers Energy outage map shows more than 9,000 mid-Michigan customers remain impacted Monday, Nov. 16 as well as thousands more in the Thumb area after strong winds gusts downed trees and power lines. Some of the hardest-hit outages areas include Midland County with 1,574 customers without power, 1,768 in Genesee County, and 1,403 customers in Arenac County. Related: Wind gusts near 50 MPH down trees, leave tens of thousands without power across mid-Michigan and Thumb areaIn the Thumb area, DTE Energy is reporting large outages in Sanilac County in and around Sandusky, Peck, Forester Township, Port Sanilac, and Croswell. Scattered power outages are also being reported in Huron County as well as Lapeer County and St. Clair County along the Interstate 69 corridor.

The one exception will be in the Thumb, where Lake Huron moisture will give you more cloud cover and some scattered showers. The third ingredient is cloud cover, and that’s the question mark. Enough high resolution models bring in some of this cloud cover – which acts as a blanket and holds some heat in - that I think many of us won’t see frost. Our Urban Heat Island has the lowest risk, as temps there will only drop into the upper 30s (4 degrees Celsius). Next weekMonday looks great, with mostly sunny skies and highs near 60 degrees (15 to 16 degrees Celsius).

The smoke will limit highs to the upper 60s (20 degrees Celsius) many of us / mid 60s (18 to 19 degrees Celsius) in the Thumb. Partly cloudy Thursday night, with lows in the mid 40s (7 to 8 degrees Celsius). Partly cloudy and much cooler on Friday, with highs in the mid 60s (18 degrees Celsius). Mostly sunny with light wind on Saturday, and highs in the mid 60s (18 degrees Celsius) will feel very pleasant in the abundant sunshine that we’ll have. Sunday also looks mostly sunny, with highs approaching 70 degrees (21 degrees Celsius).

CASEVILLE, Mich. – A 14-year-old deer hunter who possibly fell asleep in a farm field was killed when he was run over by a corn harvester in Michigan’s Thumb region, police said. Emergency workers were called about 9 a.m. Saturday to the cornfield in a rural area near the Huron County city of Caseville after a farm worker spotted the boy soon after accidentally driving over him, according to the county sheriff’s office. The boy from the nearby city of Elkton had been dropped off earlier for deer hunting at the field and might have fallen asleep, the sheriff’s office said. The farm worker wasn’t aware that anyone was in the field. The boy’s identity wasn’t immediately released by authorities and an autopsy was expected to be performed in the coming days.

Temperatures today will range from near 60 degrees (16 degrees Celsius) in the Thumb, to the mid 60s (18 degrees Celsius) across the central part of the area, to the upper 70s (26 degrees Celsius) near the state line. Highs will range from the mid 60s (18 degrees Celsius) in the Thumb to the upper 70s (26 degrees Celsius) near the state line. With a bit of luck, perhaps we hold onto the dry weather into early Saturday evening before rain showers move in. Overnight lows near 60 degrees (15 to 16 degrees Celsius). Highs in the mid 70s (25 degrees Celsius).

Partly cloudy for our Hump Day, with highs in the mid 70s (23 degrees Celsius). Mostly clear Thursday night, with lows near 60 degrees (15 degrees Celsius). Weekend OutlookSaturday will be a terrific summer day, with mostly sunny skies and highs in the mid 80s (29 to 30 degrees Celsius). Mostly clear Saturday night, with lows in the mid 60s (18 degrees Celsius) as higher humidity air starts oozing in. Partly cloudy and noticeably more humid on Sunday, with highs in the mid 80s (30 degrees Celsius).

Two massive fires in the late 1800s caused significant damage in the Thumb -- and around Michigan.

DETROIT The snow began lightly this morning, picked up right on schedule, and its really coming down now across parts of the area. Early snow reports suggest that a widespread three-to-four inches has fallen, with very little accumulation southeast of a line from Trenton to Dundee to Morenci. These bands will be much more efficient snow-producers than our usual mid-winter Lake Huron snow bands, and some areas that remain under the most persistent bands could receive between one and two feet of snow. Keep in mind that these will be narrow stripes of the heaviest snow, and amount will be much less either side of where those snow bands set up. There is a light snowmaker moving in late, late Wednesday into early Thursday which may slow down that Thursday morning drive.

DETROIT - The weather in Metro Detroit on Friday feels a little more like early fall. This is some pretty spectacular weather we hope you all get to enjoy. The rest of us will enjoy a nice sun and cloud balance with temperatures in the mid- to upper 70s. It will be a very pleasant evening to go for an outdoor dinner or relax on the patio. SundaySunday will be similar to Saturday, but a few degrees warmer after a pleasant morning in the 50s.

A Lakeshore Flood Advisory is in effect for those on the shoreline of Lake Huron on Thursday. Waves could be 4-8 feet on Lake Huron causing some shoreline issues and possible flooding. That also means parts of the Thumb in our North Zone will be closer to 70 degrees today rather than 80 degrees. A Lakeshore Flood Advisory indicates that onshore winds will generate waves and high water level capable of lakeshore flooding and beach erosion, along with damage to property near or on the water.

DETROIT – Saturday's rain and wind are gone, leaving us with a dry Sunday and highs near 50…not bad for those of you planning on tailgating before or after the Lions game, or heading to the Cider Mill today. Partly cloudy tonight, with low in the mid-30s. Highs in the low 50s. Tuesday also looks dry, then the weather pattern takes a decided turn toward warmer and wetter. Halloween looks quite mild right now (highs in the low 60s!)