Mostly cloudy skies and mild November temperatures will set the stage Friday evening as an expected crowd of more than 100,000 gather for the 22nd annual Detroit Tree Lighting at Campus Martius Park. Temperatures will hold in the lower 50s early this evening before slowly slipping into the 40s during the event, with no major precipitation expected.
After a cloudy start to the day, a weak cold front will move through Southeast Michigan Friday, shifting winds and opening the door to cooler air Friday night and Saturday. Conditions will stay dry for most of Southeast Michigan, with just a slight chance of a sprinkle north of Detroit early Friday morning.
Friday night festivities
The tree lighting runs from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Downtown Detroit. Clouds will decrease during the evening, and the evening stays comfortable by November standards:
- 4 p.m.: around 50 degrees and mostly cloudy
- 6 p.m.: mid-40s and dry
- 9 p.m.: lower-40s with decreasing clouds
Winds will be light, but jackets and gloves will help once temperatures fall into the 40s after dark.
Turning cooler Saturday
Daytime highs will dip into the mid-40s on Saturday, with some sunshine returning in the afternoon as a drier and cooler air mass settles in. Overnight lows drop into the upper 20s to near 30° by Saturday night.
Sunday brings another shift — winds turn southerly, allowing warmer air to return. Highs will bounce back into the low to mid-50s under mostly sunny skies, offering a mild finish to the weekend.
Next week
The new workweek brings increased travel and gatherings leading into Thanksgiving. Monday is partly sunny with highs near the lower 50s, but rain becomes likely late Monday night into Tuesday.
Tuesday looks wet at times, especially earlier in the day, with highs in the upper 40s to low 50s. Travelers hitting the road or heading to the airport early should be prepared for periods of rain and slower commutes.
Conditions dry out Wednesday, but colder air follows. Highs return to the 40s with mostly cloudy skies.
Thanksgiving and parade forecast
Thanksgiving Day will be chilly for parade-goers downtown. The 99th America’s Thanksgiving Parade steps off Thursday morning with temperatures in the 30s, climbing only into the upper 30s to near 40 degrees by afternoon. Skies will be partly sunny and dry, making it seasonably cold but manageable for anyone bundled up along Woodward Avenue.
Share your weather photos with Local 4 at MIPics. Be sure to also snap photos at the Detroit Tree Lighting.