Accumulating snow possible with weather change just before Thanksgiving

We are finally going to have a major weather pattern change, and it comes just before Thanksgiving. With much colder air will come some accumulating lake-effect snow.

A strong cold front is going to sweep across Michigan Tuesday night. At the time we step out the door Wednesday we will know instantly it’s a whole different weather feel- a much colder feel.

The precipitation prior to the Tuesday night cold front will all be in the form of rain, and light off and on rain at that.

Wednesday is when areas of lake-effect snow will develop. Remember- lake-effect snow is relatively isolated. This isn’t a snow that everyone will see accumulations. Right now the early estimate is a west-southwest wind in the cold air. This usually means three areas of accumulating lake-effect snow. The first area is the southwest corner of Lower Michigan, especially around the Grand Rapids area, the Kalamazoo area and the Muskegon area. The second area is over northwest Lower Michigan from Traverse City to Gaylord to the Mackinac Bridge. Finally the northern part of the Upper Peninsula will also get in on the lake-effect snow.

Here’s an early look at the precipitation areas from Wednesday into Thanksgiving.

Precipitation areas in six-hour increments from 7 a.m. Wednesday to 7 p.m. Thanksgiving.NOAA

There shouldn’t be any weather-related travel issues for eastern Lower Michigan including the Detroit area, Ann Arbor, Flint, Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and the Thumb.

Temperatures will turn quite cold compared to what we’ve been feeling lately. Here are the high temperatures for Wednesday and Thanksgiving.

High temperature forecast for Wednesday, November 22.NOAA

High temperature forecast for Thanksgiving.NOAA

In the snow areas I’m talking about it will be cold enough for snow to stick on the roads.

Looking at this pattern this far in advance, I’d say it’s a one inch to four inch snow from Wednesday afternoon to Thanksgiving morning.

Here’s the best early estimate of where and how much snow may fall.

Early snowfall forecast for Wednesday and Thanksgiving.NOAA

So it’s not a heavy snow, but it will be our first snow-on-some-roads type of snow.

If you are thinking about driving in the above mentioned snowbelts Wednesday, maybe go see your family earlier by driving Tuesday.

There shouldn’t be any winter driving issues Tuesday.