Yesterday we reached a high of 40° after a morning low of 29°. Today we are giving you the Thanksgiving forecast for those of you who are traveling.
NWS Gaylord
If you are headed over the river and through the woods to grandma’s house and back this Thanksgiving weekend, be aware that some parts of northern Michigan, particularly the eastern UP and northwest Lower Michigan, could see several inches of new snow through the weekend under intense, long-lasting lake effect snow bands. This could lead to rapidly changing conditions over narrow areas, and not everyone will get dramatically high amounts of snow this weekend. Be sure you have blankets, spare food and water, and a fully charged phone in case you get stranded!
Winter will arrive for Thanksgiving, bringing strong northwest flow back to the region, along with an extended period of lake effect snow. Right now, the main show appears to start Thanksgiving night and last through the weekend, with more intense periods at times as disturbances pass through the region. Be sure to monitor the forecast going forward, especially if you have travel plans this weekend!
NWS Marquette
Light lake effect snow continues over the northwest snow belts today and today before intensifying Thursday night to this weekend. Watch out for slick roads and be sure to stay up to date on the latest forecasts!
NWS Detroit
Most will see dry conditions prevail through tonight and into Thursday morning. Across far southeast Michigan, mainly south of I-94, there remains a low probability (20-30%) that light rain-snow will materialize. No accumulating snow is expected. Attention then turns to a colder end of the week with periodic lake-effect snow showers.
NWS Grand Rapids
After Thanksgiving, lake-effect snow will intensify going into Friday. Slick and snowy roads and quick changes in visibility and road conditions will likely begin on Friday in Lower Michigan. Through the long holiday weekend, multiple inches of snow accumulation is a good bet in areas downwind of Lake Michigan that are favored when winds are from the west-northwest. This includes (but is not limited to) Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Muskegon, Holland, and South Haven. Remember your winter driving skills and get your winter preparedness supplies into your vehicle.
Weather History
1930: What a difference a week makes. After record highs in the 70s only a week before, temperatures plunge to record low levels with high temperatures only around 15 degrees during the day.
1989: Severe weather strikes Lower Michigan with downburst winds and tornadoes. A tornado caused a quarter million dollars of damage as it cut a six-mile path south of Portland in Ionia County. Another tornado caused minor damage over a three-mile path south of Durand in Shiawassee County.
On November 27, 1995, a snowstorm hit the Saginaw Valley and continued into the early morning hours of November 28. The storm left Saginaw with 11.1 inches of snow, on top of an already cold and snowy month. Saginaw received 23.0 inches of snow! This made November 1995 the snowiest November in Saginaw history and also the 16th snowiest month of all time in Saginaw. Remarkably, November 1995 is the only November to appear in the top 20 monthly snowfalls for Saginaw, Flint, or Detroit.
Also on November 27, 1989, an F1 tornado hit Shiawassee County at 6:45 PM. Talk about a late tornado for the year!
NWS Forecast GRR
Forecast Discussion
- Tranquil weather through tonight into Thursday Tranquil wx will continue today with partly sunny skies and seasonable temps. A consensus blend of latest high res short range guidance continues to show that pcpn associated with the low pressure system which will eventually move across the TN valley region will stay south to southeast of our area later today through tonight. Fairly quiet wx will continue for the Thanksgiving holiday. A few light lake effect snow showers will begin to develop as h8 temps fall to around -9 to -10 C in the afternoon yielding delta t/s in the upper teens with brisk wnw flow. Only a few tenths of an inch of snow accumulation are expected with no significant impacts to travel through Thursday afternoon. - Cold northwest flow regime with lake effect snows into next week High confidence in the overall pattern through next week with persistent upper troughing across eastern Canada extending into the NE CONUS. Cyclonic flow and occasional shortwave troughs progressing through the mean flow will result in lake effect snow showers of various intensity from Friday through early next week. Looking at inversion heights in the GFS soundings, it appears the best chance for heavier lake effect snow showers will be on Friday and again late Sunday into Monday with inversion heights above the DGZ as shortwave troughs move through. The 850 mb temperatures are about minus 12C on Friday and similarly cold into Monday. Low to medium confidence in the details of a clipper bringing some light synoptic and/or lake enhanced snows on Tuesday into Wednesday, but it now appears more likely the cold northwest flow regime persists through the week as the polar jet remains over or just south of the Great Lakes.
Snow in November! Who knew?
https://www.tropicaltidbits.com/analysis/models/?model=gfs®ion=us&pkg=asnow&runtime=2024112712&fh=240
Let it snow, let it snow, let it SNOW!!!
Some records for Thanksgiving Day in SW Michigan. Grand Rapids the warmest high 65 on 11/26/1896 the coldest high 15 on 11/27/1930. The coldest low 7 on 11/28/1929 the warmest low 56 on 11/26/1896 the wettest 1.58” on 11/28/1968 the most snowfall 6.8” on 11/22/1945 the most on the ground 8” on 11/25/2004. Lansing the warmest 64 on 11/26/1896 the coldest high 15 on 11/27/1930 the coldest low 0 on 11/25/1880. The wettest 1.30” on 11/23/1950 the most snowfall 7.8” on 11/24/1949 the most on the ground 8” om 11/27/1975. At Muskegon the warmest high 63 on 11/26/2008 and 11/22/2012… Read more »
Yesterday’s official H/L at GR was 40/31 there was 0.02” of rainfall. The highest wind gust was 33 MPH from the W. The sun was out 61% of the time. For today the average H/L is 42/29 the record high of 65 was is 1909,1990 the coldest high of 15 was in 1930 the record low of 5 was in 1977 the warmest low of 58 was in 1990. The wettest was of 2.94” was in 1990 the most snow was 3.8” in 1952 the most on the ground was 7” in 1950.
Slim