Michigan Weather Warmup Won’t Last

For those who don't like cold winters, the past few weeks in Michigan have been tough. While much of November was above normal when it came to temperatures throughout Michigan, early December has been a different story. It's been brutally cold and actually colder than normal for this time of year. That's quite a break from the weather pattern we've been seeing for most of this year in Michigan and throughout the U.S. Now, after a cold spell with arctic temperatures, Michigan is experiencing a warmup, but it won't last for long.

After lows in the teens and windchills well below zero for much of Michigan, the state is experiencing a warmup. According to the experts a Weather.com, Monday is projected to hit nearly 50 in Detroit, Lansing, Grand Rapids and other areas of the state. But, it won't last for long. Looking at the forecast for the next 10 days, cold temperatures are back on Tuesday with highs in the upper 30s. That trend continues through the rest of the week and into the weekend, but by early next week, temperatures are expected to be in the 40s again, so there will be some relief for those who don't like the cold weather.

So, why have the past few weeks been so brutally cold? The area has been experiencing part of an arctic blast, which much of the country has also been experiencing. An arctic blast is when "very cold air in the Arctic is trapped inside a high-altitude swirl of winds called the polar vortex, which is surrounded by a lower-altitude band called the polar jet stream," according to the experts at Scientific American. "If the polar vortex gets disrupted, however, the jet stream can become wavy and carry frigid air much farther south than usual in an Arctic blast." So, when that happens, the arctic blast often bring snow, ice and extra cold temperatures. According to the crew at First Coast News, an arctic blast, which they say was "coined by the media," means "a rapid southward push of cold air from the poles, extending beyond its usual reach. The phenomenon is linked to the current phase of the polar vortex or Arctic low within the Arctic Oscillation (AO)."

By the way, if you find yourself traveling to an area with a lot of snow this holiday season, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration U.S. Department of Commerce says to delay travel, if possible, until the storm passes. They also suggest enabling wireless emergency alerts on your phone, driving defensively and remaining calm.