4Warn Weather – After the unseasonably warm temperatures we’ve seen from September and into October, we’re looking ahead to the winter forecast, and this looks to be a little interesting, especially if you’re a fan of winter weather!
As of right now, we’re forecasting La Niña conditions to set up, and stick around through the end of 2025, and start of 2026.
La Niña is characterized by unusually cold ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific, compared to El Niño, which is characterized by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific.
During a La Niña winter, temperatures are warmer than normal in the Southeast United States and cooler than normal in the Northwest United States.
In terms of precipitation during a La Niña winter, with the jetr stream going from the upper midwest through the Ohio Valley and off the eastern seaboard, this places the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes in a wetter than average setup, along with the pacific northwest, while drier than average conditions are forecast from the Southwestern United States, through the Gulf States and down into Florida.
For Metro Detroit, this means that:
- Temperatures: Near or slightly below average temperatures are forecast
- Precipitation: Near or above average precipitation is forecast
- Storm Track: With the jet stream diving into the United States, this puts Metro Detroit on the north side of the potential “storm track”, which would possibly put us in a favorable zone for colder temperatures, and would potentially indicate more winter weather than not.
- Impacts: All of this together means that this could be a busier-than-average winter across Southeastern Michigan, so the time to prepare is right now, before our first winter season rolls around.
Climate Records for Detroit Metro Airport, Detroit, MI:
- November Average Snowfall: 1.9″
- December Average Snowfall: 8.9″
- January Average Snowfall: 14.0″
- February Average Snowfall: 12.5″
- March Average Snowfall: 6.2″
- April Average Snowfall: 1.5″
First Snowfall of the Season for Metro Detroit:
| Detroit | Measurable Snowfall (0.1 inch) | 1 inch or greater | 3 inches or greater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Date | November 16 | November 30 | December 26 |
| Earliest Date | October 12, 2006 | October 19, 1989 | November 2, 1966 |
| Latest Date of First Occurrence | December 29, 1998 | February 17, 1919 | - |
Last Snowfall of the Season for Metro Detroit:
| Detroit | Measurable Snowfall (0.1 inch) | 1 inch or greater | 3 inches or greater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Date | April 7 | March 24 | February 27 |
| Earliest Date of Last Occurrence | February 25, 1878 | January 22, 1966 | - |
| Latest Date | May 22, 1883 | May 22, 1883 | May 9, 1923 |