Detroit, MI – The first true blast of December winter is hitting southeast Michigan, with 1–4 inches of snow and a slick morning commute already underway. Across metro Detroit, snow has mixed with light rain in spots, making for slushy, icy roads, particularly along I-75 and M-59 where visibility drops under a mile at times.
Meteorologists with the National Weather Service in Detroit/Pontiac warn that untreated roadways could refreeze rapidly as colder air moves in later today. Drivers should plan for longer travel times, especially through early afternoon when wet pavement transitions to patchy ice.
By midday, temperatures will fall back into the lower 30s, and any lingering rain will turn to light snow before tapering off. Another inch of accumulation is possible through the afternoon, followed by clearing skies and a biting northwest wind. Thursday looks quieter but much colder, with highs near 29°F and lows in the teens.
Looking ahead, Friday brings a brief lull before a new system reintroduces snow chances Saturday, accompanied by gusts up to 30 mph and wind chills near zero by early Sunday. The coldest air of the season is poised to settle across Michigan and the upper Midwest by the December 12–17 window, part of a broader Arctic outbreak stretching from the Great Lakes to the Ohio Valley.
Five-Day Outlook for Detroit, MI
- Thursday: Partly sunny, high 29°F, low 18°F, breezy.
- Friday: Chance of snow, high 29°F, low 17°F, 30% chance.
- Saturday: Cloudy, snow likely, high 25°F, low 11°F, 40% chance.
- Sunday: Mostly sunny, high 19°F, low 8°F, frigid air.
- Monday: Mostly cloudy, high 27°F, cold trend continues.
