Michigan
Clipper system aims toward northern Michigan. How much will it snow this weekend?
Protecting your dog from the cold weather: Winter safety tips
Learn about the dangers of keeping dogs outside in cold weather and essential tips to keep them safe and comfortable during winter.
- A winter storm is expected to hit Michigan this weekend, bringing heavy snow, rain, and potentially dangerous road conditions.
- Areas from the Mackinac Straits to Sault Ste. Marie could see the most snow, with accumulations of 6-10 inches possible.
- West Michigan, Lansing, and Detroit are expected to see a mix of rain and snow, with less accumulation than northern areas.
While it’s been warm this week and snow and ice have been melting, don’t put your shovel away just yet — Michigan winter is bringing another snowstorm this weekend.
Portions of northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula will be coated in snow this weekend. The National Weather Service is predicting a mix of snow and rain in some areas, and warning of dangerous road conditions amid heavy, blowing snow and low visibility to the north.
Areas from the Mackinac Straits to Sault Ste. Marie could see 6-10 inches of snow this weekend, the Gaylord NWS office said.
“A clipper system moving across the Great Lakes region this Friday will deliver widespread accumulating snowfall mainly north of M-32,” the Gaylord NWS said on X.
Here’s what the NWS is saying about the forecast.
How much will it snow in northern Michigan?
Northern Michigan is expected to get a mix of snow and rain Thursday and snow Friday as a clipper system moves in from Canada, the NWS Gaylord office said.
A winter storm watch for some areas is set for 3 a.m. Friday until 1 a.m. Saturday. Snowfall between 5-10 inches and up to 30-mph wind gusts will make roads hazardous, with low visibility, the NWS said.
Snow accumulation could reach 6 inches or more Thursday night into Friday night in the Mackinac Straits area and north, the weather service says. Expect less snowfall in the regions farther south. Highs could be in the teens, 20s and 30s across the area. Lows are set for the 20s and teens overnights.
The heaviest accumulation is expected to be from north of Harbor Springs across northern Michigan toward Rogers City with 6-8 inches possible.
How much will it snow in the Upper Peninsula?
The Marquette area will see snow Thursday and a mix of freezing rain. A storm will bring moderate to heavy snow in the northern and eastern Upper Peninsula Friday, the Marquette NWS office said. Expect highs in the up to the low 40s, dropping to 20s, teens and single digits overnights.
“A storm system could bring in moderate/heavy snow over northern and eastern portions of the U.P. late (Thursday) into Fri,” the weather service said.
The National Weather Service’s snowfall prediction website shows a wide swath of the Upper Peninsula — particularly from Munising east to Sault Ste. Marie, could see 10 inches of snow this weekend. Some areas inland from Munising could see nearly 11 inches.
Areas near Negaunee and Ishpeming also could see nearly 11 inches, the NWS said.
In Sault Ste. Marie, there is a winter storm watch, with a forecast for a mix of rain and snow Thursday, to be followed by heavy snow and blowing snow Friday, the NWS Gaylord office said. Snow accumulation could be up to 9 inches this weekend.
Will it snow in west Michigan?
West Michigan could see a mix of rain and snow Thursday and Friday, the Grand Rapids NWS office said. Expect highs in the reaching the 40s before a cooling trend, with overnight lows in the 20s and teens. Conditions are set to be dry with sun and clouds this weekend.
“Windy conditions and a chance of rain and snow are expected through Saturday morning. We then cool down for the weekend before warming up early next week. Rain then returns to the forecast for Tuesday,” the NWS said.
Will it snow in Lansing?
The Lansing area is expected to see rain Thursday, and a mix of snow and rain Friday, the Grand Rapids NWS office said.
Conditions should be dry with a mix of sun and clouds this weekend. Expect highs in the 20s, 30s and 40s dropping to the 20s and teens overnights.
Will it snow in Detroit this weekend?
Detroit is set for a mix of rain and snow Thursday, followed by dry, cloudy skies over the weekend, the NWS office in White Lake said.
“Localized pockets that see higher precipitation rates will experience mainly snow, with minor accumulations possible,” the weather service said.
Highs will reach the low 50s Friday before dropping back down to the 20s and 30s over the weekend. Overnight lows could be in the 20s and teens.
Will it snow in Port Huron and the thumb?
Port Huron is set for snow and a mix of rain and snow Thursday and Friday, the Detroit/Pontiac NWS office said. The weekend will see dry conditions with sun and clouds. Thursday could see about half an inch of snow accumulation.
Expect highs to reach the 40s before dropping, and 20s and teens overnight this weekend.
In Port Austin in the thumb, Thursday and Friday will see a mix of rain and snow, the Detroit/Pontiac NWS office said.
Snow accumulation could be around 2 inches Friday. Expect highs in the up to the 40s, dropping to the 20s and teens overnights. The weekend will be dry with a mix of sun and clouds.
Will it snow in southwest Michigan?
In southwest Michigan, including Sturgis and Coldwater, Thursday could see rain or rain, and snow overnight, and Friday night will bring a chance of snow, the Northern Indiana NWS office said.
The region will be dry otherwise with a mix of sun and clouds this weekend. Expect highs reaching the low 50s Friday. Lows will drop to the 20s and teens overnights.
Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@freepress.com.