Detroit, Michigan – A colder, storm-heavy pattern is building across Michigan as December begins, prompting a December Snow Alert while winter in Detroit turns sharply more active. While it’s too early to determine exactly how many inches of snow could fall, one thing is certain: Michigan is positioned for an above-average amount as both lake-effect and synoptic storms ramp up.
According to the Climate Prediction Center, below-normal temperatures and above-normal precipitation are favored across the Great Lakes through December. According to the National Weather Service in Detroit/Pontiac, this setup supports multiple early-winter storm windows, with stronger systems capable of spreading accumulating snow from Metro Detroit to the Thumb, while persistent lake-effect bands target West Michigan through mid-month.
According to MDOT, travel hazards will likely rise along I-75, I-94, I-96, and the Lodge and Southfield freeways. Rapid drops in visibility, black ice on bridges, and bursts of heavy snow during frontal passages may disrupt both the morning and evening commute. Drivers should charge devices, keep winter kits stocked, and allow extra time when temperatures tumble.
Holiday events across Metro Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Flint may face timing adjustments if clippers or broader low-pressure systems track close enough to deepen snowfall across Southeast Michigan. Residents should dress in layers, protect exposed pipes during cold snaps, and prepare for brief outages if wetter snow or gusty winds load tree limbs.
Exact totals remain uncertain, but long-range trends continue to favor a colder, storm-supportive pattern — raising confidence that Michigan is headed for a snowy December and improving the chance of a White Christmas for much of the state.
