Northern Michigan Recreation Weather

I’m hoping to get this weekend done with the preview(tonight) and the forecast and podcast tomorrow. I’ll try to remain consistent as we get into the spring break season. No promises, but I remain hopeful.

For the forecast itself, this weekend looks a lot like the last weekend with high pressure over the region. There are some very small chances for snow, but it looks like that we will again miss out on most of it. The only caveat to that is if this next system moves through like this system is, then the TVC area could end up with lake effect snow again. The added snow would probably be welcomed at the Cherry Capital Winter Wonderfest. Temperatures over the weekend look like they would be mid 20s for highs and mid teens for lows, which is right around normal.

I have been watching this situation over the last several days, and I see that it hasn’t changed much. For the most part that despite the fact that there will be a storm on the East Coast, we will have snow in Northern Michigan. It will all be lake effect snow, and it looks like it will be mostly near Traverse City, if the winds stay out of the north or north-northwest. So we will get some snow over the holiday weekend, the amounts will vary greatly and will be wind direction dependent.

The start of the Christmas weekend will be a mess. The question is what kind. This is a preview, but I’ll try to be a little more specific with this. I’ll try and do a podcast tomorrow. The main thing is that the weather will cause some problems this weekend.

The first problem will be on the 24th and go into the 25th. The low will move up from the Central Plains and head to Wisconsin. The cold air that we have in place will bring us snow first and then change to rain or freezing rain.

Then as we get into the Christmas day the low continues to spin in Wisconsin.  The one thing we have going for us is that the cold air wraps around and the rain will change back to snow for Christmas day and the rest of the weekend. Sunday could be a problem with lake effect snow as many could be traveling home. However, don’t worry we will have a white Christmas and there will be snow for the snow mobiling. Thursday and Friday will be a bit messy, but a good solid base will form and then more snow on top.

The snow from last week’s storm has been compacting which will allow the base to be setup well.

Thanksgiving day will be rainy as the low moves over us. Overnight, the rain changes to snow. The snow will continue  off and on during Friday as the low moves out a bit. Tracking snow? maybe for Friday, but not Saturday, with the sunny sky. Sunday, this looks like a mix of rain and snow. The temperatures will be at or below 40 degrees.

After two great weekends of weather, it is looking like the weather will turn wet for this upcoming weekend. So it makes it look like there will be a damp start to firearm deer season on the 15th. Temperatures are still looking warm ranging in the mid 40s to lower 50s. So no tracking snow this weekend. In fact, it doesn’t look that great for this month. Where last year, the snow got started early, the snow this year is looking like it will be hard to get any snow until December.

The short of it is…that the weekend is looking pretty nice. Once the warm front is through Northern Michigan on Saturday, the rest of the weekend looks pretty dry, and warm.

Friday, the high builds into the region and the highs will be in the mid 40s as the warm air doesn’t get here until Saturday. That’s when the warm front moves through bring with it the chance of rain.  High pressure builds back in and dries out the region so that the highs get into the lower to mid 50s for Saturday and Sunday.

Using a screen grab and some graphic editing, I got the NWS Weather story graphic down to what was needed. If you have been watching this blog for a while you will notice the large reduction in temperature from Friday through Sunday. If you thought a good cold front is coming through, then you are right. So as it has been for most of this fall so far, cool, damp weather is expected through the weekend.

The first three graphics are what you want to focus on. The front comes through Friday. Then a second blast of cold air on Saturday. Sunday as things subside, then it will still be cool. As I was talking to a local hunter, the rain just doesn’t want to quit. Makes for a lousy day of sitting in a tree stand. So far this fall the time to get away from that has been on the weekdays.

Probably won’t get a chance to do the podcast until Thursday night if my schedule holds.

Winter may try to make an appearance as snow is expected to mix in with the rain. At this point, it will take some time for the temperatures to cool enough for the rain to change completely to snow. So for now the forecast is for the rain to mix with snow during Saturday night and Sunday night However, if you look at the high to the west, that is a big pool of coo air. The forecast looks like snow will mix with rain on Monday during the day. It remains to be seen if enough cold air will get into the region for the snow to make an appearance on Sunday during the day. High temperatures both days are in the 40s, so it might be possible.

If you followed the weather for Northern Michigan this last week, then you know that we had an area of low pressure that moved over the region and brought rain and high winds. While the rain is possible again, the wind probably won’t as the low this weekend will move over from the southwest instead of the northwest. With the low moving over the region, temperatures will be in the mid 50s. The color will be getting better, but this won’t help the color tour. The hunting will be chilly and damp, but in the woods, the wind shouldn’t be a factor for the arrows flying. I’ll have more on Thursday with the podcast.

I do this for my hunting friends. It is looking damp for next weekend. Low pressure approaches the region on Friday, bringing showers and warming things up. Saturday, the temperatures cool as the cold front moves through with more showers. Sunday, the low is still over the region. more showers. The temperatures maybe a little warmer than Saturday. So for the first weekend of Bow Season, it look damp and cool.