WEST MICHIGAN — The warmest temperature of 2021 happened this past Tuesday when sunny skies got us to 43°. This weekend, temperatures will be even warmer than Tuesday, with us peaking in the upper 40s/lower 50s on Sunday.
Sunshine will be key to us getting into the middle 40s today, but we won't need much, if any to push into the 50s Sunday. The sunshine will be more likely during the afternoon and evening hours today, after a cloudy and foggy morning. Even if we do not get a ton of sunshine, temperatures will still be warmer than normal in the lower 40s.
The push of even warmer air Sunday will be thanks in part to a strong low pressure traveling to our northwest. This will bring upper 40s and lower 50s into the area by the early afternoon, before it's cold front works in during the evening. Due to the close proximity of the low, a few rain showers and mostly cloudy skies are expected to accompany the mild air. Winds will also be strong, with gusts up to 35 mph at times.
If we do hit 50° Sunday, it would be the first time we have seen 50°+ this year. This, surprisingly, is about three weeks late. The first 50° day happens, on average, around February 8. In 2020, it happened on February 2.
Regardless of if we do make it to or above 50° this weekend, the "spring-like" feel will be with us as we wrap up February and head into March! The milder trend looks to continue for at least the first week or two of March.
