Thanksgiving 2022 weather: Forecasts for Michigan, national travelers

What to expect if you’re traveling from, staying in SE Michigan

Roasted meat with garnish and cowberry pie on festive table Thanksgiving (Copyright 2022 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.)

DETROIT – Over the river and through Detroit Metro airport, no matter how or where you travel for Thanksgiving, the weather is key to a stress-free trip. 

And not just the weather here in Michigan: A snowstorm hundreds of miles away can cause a ripple effect of airline delays and other issues right here in the Great Lakes State. 

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Each day this week I’ll be breaking down the forecast for the next day’s travel and beyond. Let’s start here in Michigan.  

Michigan Thanksgiving forecast

Five out of the last 10 years of Thanksgivings in Detroit have had some sort of precipitation -- six, if you count the trace of rain in 2016. 

But not this year! 

Thanksgiving day is looking dry at this point in Southeast Michigan. A chance of rain will arrive the next day, between 2 a.m.-3 a.m. Friday. 

Now, if you’re hitting the road Tuesday ahead of Thanksgiving, it will be a cold start to the day. Temps will be in the 20s then will warm to the mid-40s in the afternoon. Roads will be mostly dry all over the state. 

However, keep in mind the amount of snow the western and northern parts of Michigan saw last week and over the weekend. If you’re traveling to any of these areas, there will likely still be some snow and ice on side streets and driveways that are yet to be plowed or shoveled.

Forecast for national travel

At this point, there are no major systems impacting the U.S. this week. 

There is a storm that will move into the Pacific Northwest on Tuesday, bringing low elevation rain and mountain snow. That storm is expected to strengthen as it moves over the Southern Plains, and could cause some severe thunderstorms in Mississippi and the Gulf Coast on Thanksgiving Day. 

Otherwise, the majority of the country is in pretty good shape! 

Look for an article on Wednesday about historic Thanksgiving storms and the impact here in Michigan.

Remember to download the free 4Warn weather app -- it’s easily one of the best in the nation. Just search your app store under WDIV and it’s right there available for both iPhones and Androids! Or click the appropriate link below.


About the Author

Emmy-award winning Meteorologist Kim Adams rejoined the 4Warn Weather Team in August 2022. You can watch her on the 4, 5, 6, 10 & 11 p.m. newscasts. You can also find her on your cell phone, tablet, computer (by downloading the 4Warn Weather app), Click on Detroit, and Local 4+.

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