Detroit kicks off the holiday season Friday evening with the 22nd Detroit Tree Lighting at Campus Martius Park, and the weather will cooperate. Comfortable temperatures and dry skies will welcome large crowds downtown before a colder weekend settles in across Southeast Michigan.
The event, which runs until 9 p.m., will feature live performances, ice skating and outdoor vendors. After starting off with temperatures in the lower-50s, temperatures will gradually cool into the lower-40s by the time families head home. Light winds and dry weather will complement the pleasant temperatures. People should still bring coats and gloves.
Overnight, temperatures will fall into the upper-20s to lower-30s by Saturday morning. Many communities north and west of Detroit.
Saturday
Saturday will be the chilliest day of the weekend with highs only reaching the mid-40s in Metro Detroit and lower-40s across northern suburbs and the Thumb. Sunshine returns, making it a good day to hang lights, clean up the yard or finish outdoor decorating. However, shoppers and anyone heading to the hair salon or barbershop early in the morning should expect cold air, as wind chills will make it feel even colder at sunrise.
Sunday
Sunday brings a milder change with partly cloudy skies across Southeast Michigan and highs returning to the lower-50s in most areas. The mild conditions will make it one of the most comfortable days to travel, run errands or pick up groceries ahead of the holiday. Traffic at grocery stores is likely to pick up Sunday, and drivers should expect more backups on major shopping corridors such as Ford, Telegraph and Hall roads and Woodward and Gratiot avenues.
Monday and Tuesday
Monday also remains dry with highs in the upper-40s to lower-50s, though clouds will increase through the day. Rain arrives late Monday night and continues into Tuesday morning, potentially creating travel delays on the roads and at local airports. Widespread clouds and wet runways may cause slower departures in Detroit as well as connecting flights into Chicago, Cleveland and Minneapolis.
Wednesday
Conditions improve Wednesday with dry weather locally and highs in the 40s, offering one of the best travel windows of the week both regionally and nationally.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day will be dry for America’s Thanksgiving Parade in Downtown Detroit, but much colder. Morning temperatures will start in the upper-20s to lower-30s, rising only into the upper-30s to near 40 degrees during the afternoon. The chilly air means parade-goers should plan for winter layers, especially for children watching from the sidewalks along Woodward Avenue. Wind chills will make it feel several degrees colder during the early morning hours.
Black Friday
Black Friday brings another round of cold air with highs only in the mid- to upper-30s. Shoppers waiting outside stores before sunrise will need hats, gloves and heavy coats, especially in the suburbs where temperatures will drop into the 20s.
National weather may also influence travel plans during the holiday week. The same weather system that brings rain to Southeast Michigan on Tuesday will stretch across the Midwest and Northeast, causing potential delays in cities such as Chicago, Pittsburgh, Boston and New York. Farther south, showers and thunderstorms could affect airports in Dallas, Atlanta and Houston. Out west, snow in the Rockies and mountain passes may slow travelers returning home after Thanksgiving weekend, especially on Saturday and Sunday.
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