Warm and windy Thursday, then getting colder to end the week

One round of showers moved through Northeast Michigan round midday as a warmer air mass is moving in. Out ahead of an incoming cold front, we’ll get another round of showers during the predawn hours early Thursday. The main low pressure system affecting our area is centered near the Minnesota-Iowa border. The cold front extends through Iowa and into northern Missouri. Behind this cold front, temperatures will become significantly colder Friday.

High temperatures Wednesday got up to 59 degrees in Alpena and 69 degrees in Chicago, but contrast that with 41 degrees in Duluth, Minnesota. First, warm temperatures are here to stay through midday Thursday. Then that colder air over Minnesota will spill into Michigan going into Thursday night and Friday.

Thursday, winds out of the west-southwest will become gusty. Winds will increase to more than 20 mph in the late-morning to midday hours and remain strong through the afternoon. Some wind gusts could get close to 30 mph. Winds will then ease heading into Thursday night.

Thursday: Clearing, warm and windy. Predawn temperatures will be near 50 degrees. Highs will warm to 60 degrees midday. Temperatures will be in the middle 50s during the mid-afternoon. Evening temperatures will cool from the middle 40s to the upper 30s.

Friday: Mostly sunny and cooler. Early-morning temperatures will begin in the upper 20s. Afternoon highs will be near 40 degrees. Evening temperatures will drop to the 20s.

Saturday: Sunny, a cool morning followed by a warm afternoon. Predawn temperatures will drop to the middle teens. Temperatures will rise to the lower 30s during the late-morning. Afternoon highs will get up to about 45 degrees. Evening temperatures will go into the 30s.