Bitterly cold air is flowing into Southeast Michigan. Potentially dangerous wind chills are expected through at least midday Wednesday.
The arctic air is prompting a Cold Weather Advisory for all of Southeast Michigan from midnight Monday (morning) until noon Wednesday. Wind chills as low as -25 degrees will be possible at times in Southeast Michigan during this timeframe.
The Cold Weather Advisory replaces the National Weather Service’s formerly used Wind Chill Advisory.
Wind chill values of -20 degrees can cause frostbite to exposed skin within 30 minutes.
Due to the arrival of this extreme cold, a 4Warn Weather Alert has also been declared for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
How to stay safe
Precautions should be taken to stay safe. Dress warmly with multiple layers, gloves, and a hat. People should try to limit time outdoors and bring pets indoors. Consider putting emergency supplies in the vehicle, including a flashlight, phone charger, portable power bank, first aid kit, blankets, snacks, and a bottle or jug of water (which will need to be used or replaced frequently to prevent freezing).
Sunday Night
Sunday night will be mostly cloudy with periods of breaks in the clouds overnight. Lows will range from 0 to 5. Wind chills will be as low as -10 degrees in Metro Detroit and -20 degrees in the Thumb. Westerly winds will be 8 to 15 mph with gusts up to 20 mph.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day & Inauguration Day
It will be partly cloudy to mostly cloudy and bitterly cold on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. A few lake-effect snow showers will develop in the afternoon and last into the evening. Monday’s temperatures will be in the single digits for most of the day. Highs will be around 10 degrees, but wind chills will stay below zero. Dress for wind chills of -20 to -5 degrees in Southeast Michigan. Winds will be out of the west-southwest at 10 to 18 mph and gusts up to 25 mph.
While lows will be -5 to 0 degrees, wind chills from Monday night into Tuesday morning could plummet to -25 degrees (or 25 degrees below zero) in some Southeast Michigan communities.
Tuesday
Expect a mix of sunshine and clouds on Tuesday with highs only in the single digits. Lows will be around -5 (5 below zero). Metro Detroit’s record low for the date is -21 degrees, which occurred on Jan. 21, 1984. The average high is 32 degrees, and the average low is 18 degrees.
Wednesday
Following an extremely cold morning, Wednesday will see some improvement as a warm front crosses the region. Temperatures will top out in the teens. Skies will be partly to mostly cloudy. Lows will fall to around 10 degrees.
Late Week
The milder air will continue to flow into Southeast Michigan for the end of the week.
Thursday and Friday will see highs in the mid 20s and lows in the teens in Metro Detroit, but snow showers are possible on Thursday.
It will be mostly cloudy with highs in the upper 20s and lower 30s next weekend (both Saturday and Sunday). There is a chance of temperatures above freezing, which would be the first time in a week.