DETROIT – We have a much chillier start to the day as lows have fallen below the freezing mark across town. It will be cooler and calmer today with highs close to average, in the low 50s. Sunshine will mix with clouds by the afternoon. Widespread light rain moves across the region by daybreak on Friday. We turn breezy and the rain rolls out just before lunchtime, but a cold front arrives late Friday-early Saturday ushering in an arctic airmass that settles in through the weekend.
First Taste of Winter
More rain will likely move in late Saturday night before transitioning to snow on Sunday. High temperatures will only be in the 30s on Sunday and Monday with lows in the low 20s each morning early next week. Scattered lake effect snow showers are also likely Monday. Will we get measurable snow? That is looking likely. “Measurable” is considered a tenth of an inch. Could some areas see enough snow to shovel? It’s possible, but not likely to be widespread. This is especially because the ground is not frozen yet, so we will see a lot of melting affecting accumulation. We will have a much better grasp at possible weekend snowfall totals throughout the day on Friday. However, temperatures are plummeting over the weekend. Snow or not... with wind chills falling between 10-20 degrees by Monday morning, it will certainly feel like winter.
First Snowfall of the Season Climatology for Metro Detroit (DTW)
| Measurable (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 | December 29, 1998 | February 17, 1919 |