Detroit, MI – The Great Lakes region may see a significant early-season winter weather setup during the Thanksgiving travel window, as new federal outlooks show a 40–50% or higher probability of above-normal precipitation across much of the region from November 23 through November 29. Combined with marginal to cold temperatures, the pattern raises the likelihood of snow, mixed precipitation, and lake-enhanced bands during the busiest travel stretch of the season.
According to the Climate Prediction Center’s 8–14 Day Outlook, the Upper Great Lakes show the strongest signal for wintry weather. Northern Michigan, northern Wisconsin, and northern Minnesota sit directly under the center of the moisture corridor, with temperatures supportive of accumulating snow. Cities such as Marquette, Duluth, Traverse City, and the U.P. communities could see periods of steady snow late in the holiday week.
The Lower Great Lakes, including lower Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and western Pennsylvania, sit in a slightly warmer but still moisture-rich zone. Detroit, Cleveland, Columbus, Fort Wayne, and Chicago all face a meaningful threat of rain or snow depending on storm timing. Overnight cooling may shift precipitation to a mix or wet snow, especially in lake-adjacent areas.
The region’s famous lake-effect corridors—including western Michigan, northeast Ohio, northwest Pennsylvania, and western New York’s border region—could see additional bursts of snow if colder air spills in behind any passing storm system. Even short-duration lake-effect bands can create rapid changes in visibility along I-90, I-94, and other major routes.
Holiday travel volume across major hubs such as Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, and Minneapolis is expected to surge. Any snow or mixed precipitation may trigger delays on interstates and at major airports.
Forecasters anticipate sharper system-by-system details early next week as short-range model guidance begins identifying storm tracks affecting the Great Lakes region.
