DETROIT – Right on schedule, southwest winds started increasing Thursday morning and, by the afternoon, temperatures responded and it became a mild day.
But don’t get used to these 60s, because a strong cold front will move through the area Thursday night.
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The front has so little moisture to work with that not only will there be no showers ahead of it, but there won’t be much cloud cover, either. Anyone heading to the Red Wings game at Joe Louis Arena Thursday evening doesn't have a thing to worry about.
The forecast after midnight behind the front is a different story for some of us. Once the front passes, the wind will shift around to the northwest and then to the north. That eventual north component will tap into the early-season Lake Huron moisture and generate some lake effect clouds, with a rogue shower or two even possible in the Thumb. Lows Thursday night should drop into the low 40s (5-6 degrees Celsius for my daily Canadian readers). Wind should settle down into the 10 to 15 mph range overnight.
Friday’s north wind will still generate some lake effect clouds and move them south across the eastern part of our area, although those clouds should tend to break up by mid to late afternoon. Anyone farther west should see mostly sunshine throughout the day. Whatever sun we get will be purely cosmetic, as colder air streaming in will counterbalance the sunshine. Highs should reach only the upper 40s to near 50 degrees (9-10 degrees Celsius). North winds at 10 to 15 mph will add some briskness to the air.
Friday’s sunrise is at 7:19 a.m., and Friday’s sunset is at 5:15 p.m.
There will be clear skies Friday night, and it will be the coldest night of the young season so far. Temps in our urban heat island will likely drop to around 30 degrees (minus-1 degree Celsius), while our typically colder suburban western and northern zones could conceivably plunge into the mid- to upper 20s (minus-2 to minus-3 degrees Celsius). If you haven’t gotten a frost yet, this likely will be your night.
Sunshine will dominate both Saturday and Sunday, with clear skies both nights. Highs Saturday will be in the mid- to upper 40s (8-9 degrees Celsius), and in the low 50s (11-12 degrees Celsius) on Sunday. It’ll be classic football weather in East Lansing for the Spartans’ game against Rutgers. Overnight lows Saturday night will be in the low 30s (0-1 degrees Celsius).
Our dry spell continues next week, with partly cloudy skies on Monday and highs in the low 50s (11-12 degrees Celsius).
It will become mostly cloudy Monday night, with lows near 40 degrees (4-5 degrees Celsius).
Tuesday will be mostly cloudy as a weak upper-level system brushes the Great Lakes region. Right now, I don’t think we’ll see any rain from it. Highs will be in the low 50s (11-12 degrees Celsius). It will be mostly cloudy Tuesday night, with lows in the low 40s (5 degrees Celsius).
Wednesday will be mostly cloudy to start, then become partly cloudy. Highs will be in the mid-50s (12-13 degrees Celsius). It will be mostly clear Wednesday night, with lows in the low 40s (5-6 degrees Celsius).
It will be mostly sunny on Thursday, with highs in the mid-50s (13 degrees Celsius).
Friday will be partly cloudy and breezy, with highs in the mid-50s (13 degrees Celsius).
Our average high next week is around 50 degrees (10 degrees Celsius) so, as you can see, temps will be above average next week. It appears that our next strong cold front will approach Friday night. If my long-range models are correct, we’ll have a windy and very cold weekend next week.
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