Up North weekend forecast: Rainy, windy start with a dry finish

Some rain showers and strong winds are going to be around at the very start of this weekend, but things will take a turn for the better. Colder temperatures are going to settle in, as well as drier conditions, for most of the weekend.

We’re going to see some rain showers move through the U.P. and northern Lower Michigan early Friday morning as a strong cold front makes its way across the state. Along with the rain and dropping temperatures with this front, gusty winds are going to be around for the first half of Friday.

Winds are going to be in the 10-15 mph range, shifting to be out of the northwest, with gusts up to 30 mph across the northern half of Michigan. Temperatures in the U.P. are going to start off in the low to mid 30s, and in the upper 30s to low 40s in northern Lower Michigan.

Temperatures during the day on Friday are going to remain pretty similar to the a.m. hours, with the possibility of even seeing a decrease in temperatures throughout the day. Low to mid 30s are expected across Northern Michigan Friday afternoon, with some areas holding onto the upper 30s. Skies are going to stay mostly cloudy into the afternoon, with some clearing to partly cloudy skies is expected by the late afternoon. Winds are also going to decrease by Friday afternoon, with the strong wind gusts ending and winds dropping to 5-10 mph. Some lake effect snow across the eastern U.P. is possible Friday morning and early afternoon, but not much is expected.

Partly cloudy skies are going to stick around into Friday night, with calmer winds and no precipitation expected. Low temperatures are going to drop into the upper 20s to low 30s across Northern Michigan, with areas closer to the Great Lakes shorelines remaining in the mid 30s overnight.

The dry trend continues into Saturday, with temperatures in the low to mid 40s in Northern Michigan. Besides the weather staying dry throughout the day, the forecast is looking promising for some decent sun time. Mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies are going to be overhead, making it a pleasant November day.

Saturday night is also looking calm. Partly cloudy to mostly cloudy skies are expected, with low temperatures dropping into the mid to upper 20s in the U.P. and northern Lower Michigan. Areas by the lakeshores may hold onto the 30s overnight.

The cloud cover is going to be a bit thicker on Sunday, with mostly cloudy skies across the eastern U.P. and northern Lower Michigan and partly cloudy skies in the western half of the Upper Peninsula. Things should clear out a bit by the late afternoon, giving everyone partly cloudy skies. High temperatures are going to get into the upper 30s to low 40s in the U.P., with low to mid 40s in the Northern Lower.

Despite a rocky start, this weekend is shaping up to be a nice one across Northern Michigan. If you have outdoor activities planned, precipitation isn’t going to be something to worry about, just make sure to dress warmly if you’re going out to the deer stand or have late fall yardwork to finish.