WEST MICHIGAN -- We've all been waiting for it...a big warm up! We need it! It's been a long, drawn-out snowy winter...not to mention a polar vortex, ice storm, and several decent snowfalls. This week, it all changes. Temps are expected to warm drastically, but it will be short-lived.
High pressure building into the Great Lakes Monday and Tuesday this week will deliver dry and quiet conditions, but once the high moves east of Michigan, we get on the return flow with southerly winds (that become strong) and temperatures will move into the 40s, 50s, and eventually into the 60s! The last time we had a temperature of 60 degrees was October 14, 2018. See our FutureTrack model below with the image valid at 6 A.M. Wednesday.
The warm up will come with increasing wind and rain chances Wednesday and Thursday. In fact, we may see a little freezing rain/drizzle Tuesday night/Wednesday morning along/north of I-96 before changing to all rain as temperatures warm. Another strong low pressure system will also help to move our temperatures upward as it tracks into the Great Lakes from the central/southern Plains. See image below valid for 4 P.M. Wednesday.
Look at the upper level pattern over this week. The colors on the map correspond to the air masses. Warmer colors/tones = warmer surface temperatures. Below is a snapshot of our upper level pattern valid on Monday morning. Note the cooler tones still over the Great Lakes and a "trough" in the Jetstream as denoted by those thin, gray lines.
By Wednesday evening (below), the colors are changing, temperatures are warming, and a low pressure system is off to our south/west carrying wind and rain! Note the warmer tones over our area (as well as the entire eastern half of the nation) of green and yellow.
Let me reiterate...this warm up will be brief, but nonetheless very much welcomed. By Friday temperatures will crash into the 40s, followed by 30s next weekend. We'll continue to track this system and these warmer temperatures in case anything changes. Get all the forecast details at www.fox17online.com/weather. Have a pleasant week. Chief Meteorologist Kevin Craig.
