Cold and blustery Thursday; Light snow showers tonight through Friday midday

High temperatures today reached the middle 20s over Northeast Michigan. Winds out of the northwest will keep cold temperatures in play. The high reached 23 degrees in Marquette, and highs will be in the lower 20s around here tomorrow. Warmer temperatures in the 30s will stay to our south until the wind direction becomes more favorable for warmer temperatures to move in.

A storm system affecting southern Michigan will move toward the Northeast. Snow showers will ride up along the Lake Huron shoreline tonight. After that, blustery winds from the northwest will generate lake effect snow tomorrow. Most of the lake effect snow will come off Lake Michigan, but a band could set up off of Lake Huron onto the US-23 stretch between Alpena and Rogers City.

Low temperatures overnight will cool to about 11 degrees. Highs Thursday afternoon will reach only about 21 degrees and gusty winds will come from the northwest, sustained close to 20 mph. The greatest chances of snow showers will be in the afternoon and evening.

Cold temperatures combined with strong breezes will create wind chill values likely to drop below zero. The map below shows expected wind chills early Thursday — it’s going to feel very chilly.

Thursday and Friday — Most areas of Northeast Michigan will get just 1 to 3 inches of snow. Higher amounts will be possible for areas between Alpena and Rogers City given how lake effect snow usually sets up with northwest winds over Lake Huron.

Lake effect snow showers will be around much of Northern Lower Michigan for both Thursday and Friday. Winds will be gusty on Thursday and highs will only get into the lower 20s. A few snow showers are possible Friday morning and afternoon, drier conditions are expected to move in Friday evening. Saturday will look nicer with partly cloudy skies and highs in the upper 20s. Temperatures will keep getting warmer early next week. For the rest of Northeast Michigan’s weather forecast, watch the latest weather video by clicking the weather tab at the top of the page.