Dry and warm stretch through midweek

Some tranquil December weather has settled into Northeast Michigan. High temperatures Monday reached 35 degrees in Alpena, 34 degrees in Cheboygan, Michigan and 36 degrees in Saginaw, Michigan. All those values are typical for early-December. Winds out of the southwest will bring warmer temperatures Tuesday and the warming trend will continue Wednesday.

High temperatures Tuesday will reach close to 38 degrees. The warmth will last through midweek with highs near 43 degrees Wednesday and Thursday. Highs look to get up to the lower 40s Friday and Saturday, but the warmth late-week will depend on the track of an approaching storm system from the south.

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy. Predawn temperatures will drop to the lower 20s. Temperatures will climb to nearly 30 degrees in the late-morning. Afternoon highs will be near 38 degrees. Evening temperatures will remain warm (by December standards), in the middle 30s.

Wednesday: Mostly cloudy and warmer. The day will begin with early-morning temperatures already in the lower 30s. Late-morning temperatures will rise to the upper 30s. Afternoon highs will be around 43 degrees. Evening temperatures will be in the upper/middle 30s.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy, remains warm. Early-morning temperatures will be close to 30 degrees. Late-morning temperatures will be in the upper 30s. Afternoon highs will reach about 43 degrees. Evening temperatures will be in the middle 30s.

During the second of the week, a storm system will strengthen near the Texas panhandle on Thursday. It will move toward the northeast — but the track of the storm’s center could end up anywhere within the shaded region. Friday, the storm system could be located anywhere between the Nebraska-Iowa border and the Missouri-Illinois border. By Saturday, the possible scenarios for the center of the storm could end up anywhere between the western side of Lake Superior and the shoreline of Lake Erie. Exactly where this storm system tracks will determine the chances of rain and snow in Northeast Michigan for Friday and Saturday.