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KEY MESSAGES

- Clipper system to bring another round of snow and mixed precipitation to parts of northern MI this weekend.

- An active pattern remains in place next week with periods of wintry precipitation possible at times.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 135 PM EDT Fri Mar 20 2026

Pattern Synopsis/Forecast: Early this afternoon, downstream troughing situated over the eastern seaboard with expansive ridging upstream over the western third of the CONUS. This morning's clipper now well off to the east with attention turning to energy making headway into the British Columbia/Pacific Northwest. Upstream ridging flattens with time early this weekend with that upstream energy set to ride near the international border into the Great Lakes this weekend. Into next week, a relatively active pattern remains in place with several additional chances for precipitation through the end of the forecast period.

Forecast Details:

Temperatures continue to warm above freezing area-wide today, of course taking longest to moderate across the eastern U.P. (ANJ still at 31 as of 1:30 PM) while those across southern reaches of the forecast area propel through the 40s. Lows tonight set to drop back below freezing area-wide, bottoming out in the 20s for most.

Focus turns to the weekend as our next clipper system crosses northern MI. Initial precip chances look to arrive as early as late Saturday morning/midday, especially across the eastern U.P. and tip of the mitt. More likely than not this initial warm advection wing of precip falls as primarily wet/dense snow with some localized 1-4" not out of the question across parts of the eastern U.P. through early Saturday evening. This system sags south into northern lower Saturday night into Sunday with increasing precip chances farther south with time, albeit with increasing uncertainty regarding precip type. Latest trends support a rain/snow, perhaps freezing rain, mix across the U.P. and Straits, with this perhaps sneaking into the tip of the mitt and far northeast lower. Primarily rain anticipated south of these areas with temperatures late Saturday night into Sunday at least a couple of degrees above freezing. Overall, not a widespread impact event, but there's enough there to be monitored over the next couple of forecast cycles for potential localized impacts due to snow/ice across the eastern U.P., Straits, and perhaps down into the tip of the mitt and parts of northeast lower.

This wave largely exits through the day Sunday with below normal temperatures expected Sunday night - Monday. Lows Sunday night favored in the teens and low 20s across the area -- coldest in the U.P. where some localized single digits readings are possible. Monday's highs ranging from the upper 20s far north to the upper 30s near Saginaw Bay.

Additional chances for unsettled weather return as early as Tuesday next week and continue at times through the remainder of the forecast period as longer range trends favor several additional waves/clipper systems traversing the northern tier of the CONUS.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SUNDAY/

Issued at 727 PM EDT Fri Mar 20 2026

Some LIFR cigs/visbys tonight with potential for FG/BR with winds generally vrb at or below 5kts. Precipitation likely to start as SN for CIU/PLN and probably at APN...eventually transitioning to RASN and all RA by 18-20z, esp for points south of Mackinac Bridge. Most intense precip likely between 15-21z...could remain all SN at CIU all day with LIFR visbys at times...not impossible this spreads southward to PLN. Activity could be more spotty for MBL/TVC in the afternoon and could see skies try to SCT out here behind a nebulous warm front; more likely to remain rain here. Prevailing IFR to low MVFR cigs/visbys expected, but could be LIFR under heaviest activity (esp heaviest snow...more likely for CIU). Winds Saturday AM generally SE around 5-10kts; winds will turn more to S and increase to around 10kts with potential for 25+kt gusts, esp for TVC, MBL.

APX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

MI...None. MARINE...None.