COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Residents of Branch County and across Southern Michigan are finally set to trade their heavy coats for lighter layers as a significant warming trend is forecast to break the areas brutal cold snap next week.
After weeks of sub-freezing temperatures and biting wind chills, a dramatic shift in the jet stream will usher in unseasonably warm air starting this weekend.
Highs are expected to climb into the mid-40s by Monday, with some areas in the southern border counties potentially flirting with the 50-degree mark by Tuesday and Wednesday.
Meteorologists at the National Weather Service indicate that this multi-day “thaw” will peak mid-week, with Coldwater and surrounding Southern Michigan communities likely seeing temperatures 15 to 20 degrees above seasonal averages. While the sunshine will be a welcome relief, the rapid warmup combined with projected rain showers Wednesday could lead to a quick melt of the existing snowpack.
Local officials continue to monitor river levels for potential ice jams, but for most residents, the week ahead offers a much-needed reprieve from the harshest grip of winter.
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