Honestly, if you live anywhere near Woodward or the Lodge, you already know the drill. It is January 18, 2026, and Southeast Michigan is back in the freezer. We just finished digging out from that mid-week mess where Novi and White Lake got smacked with six inches, and now the metro detroit snow alert is back on our phones. It’s not a "run for the bread and milk" kind of blizzard, but it’s definitely a "don't trust the overpasses" kind of weekend.
The current situation is a bit of a slow burn. As of early Sunday morning, it’s about 11°F outside, but with that southwest wind kicking at 10 mph, it feels more like -2°F. If you’re heading out to a late breakfast or hitting the gym, you've probably noticed the sky is mostly cloudy and just... gray. Typical Detroit.
What’s Actually Coming Down
There’s a lot of chatter about whether we’re getting buried again. The short answer? No, but Monday morning is going to be a total pain. Meteorologists at the National Weather Service in White Lake are tracking occasional snow showers through the rest of the weekend. We aren't looking at those massive 8-inch drifts today. Instead, it’s that fine, powdery lake-enhanced stuff.
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By Sunday night, the intensity picks up. We’re expecting a more widespread 1 to 3 inches of accumulation across the metro area. But here is the kicker: Monday is bringing the wind. We are talking gusts between 30 and 40 mph. When you mix fresh, light snow with 40 mph gusts, you get snow squalls. Those are the dangerous little bursts where visibility just disappears for ten minutes while you're doing 70 on I-94.
The Temperature Cliff
It's cold. Like, "my face hurts" cold. Today’s high is only 19°F, which is basically the warmest it's going to be for a while. By Monday night, we are sliding into some seriously dangerous territory.
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We are looking at wind chills between -5°F and -15°F. That’s the kind of weather where MDOT (Michigan Department of Transportation) starts worrying about salt effectiveness. When it gets this cold, the liquid brine they put on the roads doesn't always work the way it should. The snow just stays dry and blows across the blacktop, creating "black ice" patches that look like wet pavement but definitely aren't.
A Quick Breakdown of the Week Ahead
- Sunday (Today): Light snow showers, high of 19°F. The "alert" is mostly about the evening accumulation.
- Monday (MLK Day): Scattered snow showers, but the wind is the story. Squalls possible. High of 17°F.
- Tuesday: The deep freeze. High of 18°F, but those morning wind chills will be brutal.
- Wednesday: Another round of light snow is likely. It’s just a non-stop cycle right now.
Why the "Alert" Matters Now
People often ignore a metro detroit snow alert if the forecast only says two inches. That is a mistake this time. Because we had such a heavy hit on January 14th and 15th—where Eastpointe and Richmond saw over 5 inches—the side streets are already a mess. Many residential roads in Oakland and Macomb counties are still packed with ice.
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Adding another couple of inches on top of a frozen base is a recipe for a "slip and slide" commute. Christina Burkhart and the 4Warn Weather team have been pointing out that even a dusting can be high-impact when the ground is already this cold. The salt trucks can only do so much when the mercury stays in the teens.
Pro-Tips for Dealing With the Mess
Basically, don't be that person clearing their windshield with a credit card at 7 a. Sorta kidding, but seriously—give yourself twenty minutes.
- Check the tire pressure. These 20-degree drops in temperature make your "low pressure" light pop on like clockwork.
- Watch the squalls. If you’re driving and the world turns white, don't slam the brakes. Just let off the gas and keep it straight.
- Layer up for the wind. Tuesday morning is going to be the coldest part of the week. If you're waiting for a bus or walking the dog, cover your skin. -15°F wind chill is no joke for frostbite.
We’ve seen worse, sure. But this specific stretch of January is all about the "compounding effect." It’s the combination of lingering ice from Wednesday, new snow tonight, and the bitter arctic air moving in for Tuesday. Stay warm, keep the tank at least half full, and maybe just stay in and watch the game if you can.
The next thing you might want to do is check the local school closing lists for Monday night, especially if your district is prone to "ice days" when the wind chill hits those double-digit negatives.