WEST MICHIGAN — A typical mostly cloudy December day is anticipated to wrap up the weekend here. Temperatures start off in the lower 30s and end up in the middle 30s this afternoon so not a whole lot of movement is anticipated on the thermometer with clouds lingering across the region.
Flurries and light snow showers have been occurring along the lakeshore especially from Holland to South Haven this morning but nothing more than a dusting / light coating is in the forecast for some select locations. A flurry or two cannot be dismissed in Grand Rapids as we go along but that would be the extent of it.
Tonight we maintain partly to mostly cloudy skies and this will keep temps from nosediving through the 20s for many of us. Look for an overnight low in the upper 20s in Grand Rapids.
A rather strong cold front presses through West Michigan from the northwest early Monday morning making us feel quite chilly to start the new workweek. High temps will be around 30 degrees but with northwest winds at 10-20 mph gusting higher at times, we will have wind chills in the teens for many hours. Some lake-effect flurries / light snow showers will be out there but nothing much more than a dusting appears to be in the cards.
With thin spots in the clouds Monday night, the mercury looks to dip into the low 20s by daybreak Tuesday morning. High and mid-level clouds are likely to be prevalent Tuesday causing a dimmed appearance to any sunshine. Overall, we can classify Tuesday as mostly cloudy. Max temperatures are to be cold in the upper 20s.
A strong disturbance will miss us well down to the south on Wednesday but the northern fringes of it can help maintain mostly cloudy skies as well as chilly readings while perhaps offering up a few flurries. This strong disturbance will evolve into a major east coast snowstorm late Wednesday into Thursday.
Here in West Michigan we keep the quiet weather going into Thursday and Friday with some moderation in the numbers occurring at that time. Mostly cloudy skies on Thursday and highs in the low to mid 30s will be followed by a bit of sunshine and highs in the upper 30s to near 40 degrees on Friday.
The next weak weather system to affect us looks to arrive at some point next Saturday with a chance for a few rain and snow showers. As it stands right now, the snow drought looks to continue through the next seven to ten days with little chance of a "big snow" anytime soon.
In fact temperatures are likely to show an above normal theme in week two of the forecast as shown here by the Climate Prediction Center.
