Snow and 70s are forecast within the next 7 days. Today will be the snowy day (rain drops may mix it) with highs in the mid to upper-30s. If any accumulations occur, they should be minor and limited to elevated and grassy surfaces with roadways just becoming wet. Quite a bit of the snow will be melting on contact, so more snow will fall from the sky than what actually sticks. The main possible impact would be if any roads are wet enough to freeze as temperatures drop below freezing at night. This probably won’t be a widespread major issue, but something to keep in mind. Daytime snow is difficult to keep around this time of year, while snow at night has a better chance of sticking for a little bit longer.
On Tuesday, we’ll continue with the Mostly Cloudy sky setting as temperatures continue to run below the normal upper-50s for this time of year. Mid-40s are expected with a stray rain or snow shower possible, but not nearly as much of a concern as Monday. Slightly warmer air gradually builds in with each day being just a bit warmer than the previous, so Wednesday ends up closer to 50 degrees. Rain looks to arrive late in the day and last into Wednesday night, but should be out of the way for the daytime on Thursday. Thursday will be more typical for this time of year with highs in the upper-50s to maybe lower-60s.
Now it becomes fun! The upper-level pattern is favorable for warmer than normal temperatures Friday and this weekend, which is the exact opposite of the cold pattern we’ve seen that is bringing us snow today. This should mean 60s and 70s for highs no problem…except there is a problem. A warm front. Yes, warm air is fighting but the cold air is resistant, so we end up with an airmass battle. This can mean 50s north and 70s south over a relatively short distance across mid-MI. To illustrate what I am talking about, take a look at the following map. This is not a forecast, but rather an example of what this large temperature difference could look like. The exact location of the warm front, which is difficult to pinpoint, will determine what exactly temperatures end up being. The map is courtesy of pivotal weather.
Another thing to consider when it comes to this warm front battle is Showers and Thunderstorms. The warm front can act as a source of lift and result in Thunderstorms over the area. The best chance for storms at this time appears to be Friday, but are also possible on both Saturday and Sunday depending on the exact positioning of the front. As a result, while 60s and 70s are fighting back into the forecast for this upcoming weekend, you will want to keep in mind that a few different rounds of Showers and Thunderstorms will be possible. That being said, dry time is likely as well. Here is how we have the 7-day forecast laid out right now. Near 70 degree temperatures are currently favored for Saturday and Sunday:
Shepherd Maple Syrup Festival:
April 22nd-24th is the annual Maple Syrup Festival in Shepherd, located in Isabella County. That is this Friday through Sunday! The good news is that temperatures look warm as you can see in the 7-day forecast above. The not so good news is that Showers and Thunderstorms will be possible, although some dry time is probable as well. As discussed previously, Friday currently looks like the best chance for Showers and Thunderstorms, but that doesn’t mean there can’t be rain on Saturday or Sunday. If you are running the event or are planning on attending, we would recommend staying up to date on the forecast since there may be some storms in the area at times. Our forecasts are always up to date on our Facebook Page “Mid-Mitten Weather View” and we plan to post forecasts specific to the maple syrup festival later this week. You can also send us a message on Facebook or email us at midmittenwv@gmail.com and we would be happy to serve you specifically with important and relevant weather information for the festival. Why guess the weather when you can have access to our service for free?!
Mid-Mitten Weather View’s Mission is to serve people by providing timely information to help keep them safe and make decisions based on the weather. We are a combined group of degreed meteorologists who have graduated from CMU and current student forecasters from the University. We look forward to catching you back here next week for another weekly 7-Day forecast update.
-Weather Report by CMU Student Forecaster Isaac Cleland
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