The wind chill factor in Metro Detroit may reach dangerous levels on Saturday, Sunday and Monday when another surge of arctic air arrives and stays for the week.
The National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook Friday morning for southeastern Michigan, saying light snow is coming to the area tonight and another surge of arctic air will arrive on Saturday and stay through Thursday.
Wind chill readings for Saturday night, Sunday morning, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day morning are expected to reach from -9 in the city of Detroit to -12 in Troy and -14 and -15 in more rural areas of Metro Detroit, NWS officials said on Friday.
“The closer you get to downtown the less the wind chill will be. It’s that urban effect. The city traps some of the heat,” said meteorologist Trent Frey from the weather service’s White Lake Township office.
“The lower numbers will more likely be for more rural areas at night. Either way, it’s dangerously cold. If you can limit time outside it will be best,” Frey said.
Snowfall on Friday is expected to be an inch or less during the day but some areas may see more than 2 inches from lake effects from Lake Michigan.
During the day on Friday, temperatures will reach a high near 18 and the wind chill will drop as low as -2. Snow is likely to fall before 1 a.m. Saturday with a low around 14.
On Saturday the daytime high may be near 18, but at night temps will fall near 3 degrees. The forecast for Sunday/New Year’s Eve will be sunny will a high near 11 and a low around 1 in the evening. New Year’s Day on Monday will be partly sunny with a high near 13.
The cold snap is likely to be the nation’s most extreme since February 2015, according to the weather service. It’s producing dangerously low temperatures and wind chills over much of the central and eastern United States.
In southeast Michigan, temperatures are 20 degrees lower than normal, which is about 33 degrees for highs and 21 degrees for lows. Instead, the area is dealing with highs in the low-to-mid teens and lows around zero degrees.
JChambers@detroitnews.com