Metro Detroit weather: Snow to impact the Friday morning commute

DETROIT – It’s been a reasonably quiet day, with just some flurries and light snow showers around, and, as expected, temperatures held relatively steady in the low 30s (-1 to 0 degrees Celsius).

The non-accumulating flakes may linger into the evening, but real snow will move in between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m. Friday morning. This will not be long-duration snow, perhaps just two-to-three hours, but it’ll probably accumulate around an inch, so this is not good timing with the Friday morning rush hour.

Some of us, mainly south of 8 Mile Road, have the chance for the snow to change to drizzle or light rain, which, of course, would keep your snow accumulation much less.

Temperatures tonight will initially fall into the mid-20s (-4 to -3 degrees Celsius) but then rise into the low 30s (0 degrees Celsius) by dawn. A south wind overnight will increase to 10 to 15 mph.

This evening’s sunset is at 6 p.m. (our first 6 p.m. or later sunset since last November!), and Friday morning’s sunrise is at 7:35 a.m.

Friday

The snow that starts our Friday will either taper off during the morning or change to some drizzle or light rain, especially for our southern communities. Some additional (but transient) snow showers may accompany the first of two cold fronts Friday afternoon. Highs Friday should reach the upper 30s to near 40 degrees (4 degrees Celsius) but don’t get used to it.

Also of note is that Friday will be a windy day. Sustained wind will blow from the south at 10 to 20 mph, with gusts between 30 and 35 mph possible.

The second of the two cold fronts will cross the area overnight Friday night, with some scattered snow showers possible. But not all cold fronts are created equal, and these two sure aren’t. This second front is an Arctic front, the front edge of yet another Arctic air mass that will be with us all weekend. Lows Friday night will drop back into the mid-teens (-8 degrees Celsius).

Weekend forecast

Saturday still looks dry with partial sunshine. Highs, however, only barely reach the low 20s (-6 degrees Celsius), with the wind chill likely hovering around zero (-18 degrees Celsius) Saturday afternoon. Bundle up if you (or the kids) are going out to play in the snow!

Mostly cloudy Saturday night, with lows generally between zero and 5 degrees (-18 to -15 degrees Celsius).

Mostly cloudy on Sunday, with some light snow showers possible. Highs near 20 degrees (-7 degrees Celsius). Fortunately, the wind looks much lighter on Sunday, so afternoon wind chills should be between 5 and 10 degrees (-12 to -15 degrees Celsius).


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