4Warn Weather – Southeast Michigan is experiencing a rare stretch of January warmth as rain, gusty winds, and near-record temperatures move in Thursday night into Friday.
Record warmth forecast
High temperatures are expected to surge into the mid to upper 50s, with some locations possibly nearing 60 degrees, which is 20 to 25 degrees above normal for January.
If reached, those values would challenge record highs across Southeast Michigan. Friday’s record high for Detroit is 55 degrees, which was set on Jan. 9, 1949. The record for Flint is 54 degrees, set in 1939.
Rain showers will spread into Metro Detroit Thursday evening and continue overnight as a warm front lifts through.
Unlike a typical winter night, temperatures will rise rather than fall, climbing into the 40s and 50s by early Friday morning.
A few isolated thunder rumbles are possible overnight, though strong storms are not expected.
Strong south to southwest winds will also increase overnight into Friday, with gusts up to 40 mph possible, especially Friday morning and again behind the passing cold front.
The combination of rain and gusty winds may lead to ponding on roads, reduced visibility at times, and difficult travel for high-profile vehicles, particularly during the Friday morning commute.
Friday will be the warmest day of the stretch, but the timing of the warmth will be unusual.
Temperatures are expected to peak before noon, then hold steady or gradually fall during the afternoon and evening as a cold front sweeps through the region.
This weekend
Behind that front, conditions will trend cooler and breezy heading into the weekend.
Rain may linger into Saturday before mixing with or changing to snow, especially later Saturday into Sunday.
The snow showers on Sunday could produce light accumulations in some areas and the potential for brief bursts of heavier snow.
While this warm spell may feel more like March than January, it is a temporary pattern that has kept Arctic air locked well north of the Great Lakes.
Colder air will return this weekend, reminding Michiganders that winter is far from over.
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