DETROIT (WXYZ) — Cooler air has moved into southeast Michigan and will likely be sticking around for the first half of the month.
Aside from four days in December, Detroit reached high temperatures in the 40s, 50s, and even 60s a few times. Towards the end of the month, high temperatures were 10-15° above average.
But the upper-level pattern has changed allowing cooler air to move into the Great Lakes, bringing temperatures back near averages. Detroit's average high temperature is 33 degrees for the start of the month and the average low temperature is 21 degrees. Forecasted high temperatures through January 8th are in the mid to upper 30s, with Thursday being an exception with a high of only 31°, meaning highs will still be running above average. Low temperatures will be in the mid to upper 20°, also a few degrees above average.
January is the coldest month of the year for Detroit. With our coldest average temperatures happening towards the end of the month, average high 32° and low 18°.
This is an El Nino winter; which climatologically means southeast Michigan has a better chance of being warmer than average and drier than average. Both of which have been observed thus far.
