Southeast Michigan's 1st major snowfall arrives this weekend: Here's what to expect

Our first big snow event of the season arrives this weekend

Many spots get between 4-6" although some will be less

(FOX 2) - Winter finally shows its hand this weekend, and Southeast Michigan is about to get a full-on introduction to the season. 

So get ready...and make sure that snow blower is working.

First Southeast Michigan snowfall 

As far as weather on Friday, it's mostly going to behave. Cold, partly cloudy, and quiet, with a high near 34. It’s the kind of day when you know something bigger is lurking, but it’s not here yet. 

Friday night drops to around 22 degrees with calm skies, setting the stage for what’s coming.

Big picture view:

Saturday starts off manageable, but it won’t stay that way. Light, spotty snow noses in around 1 p.m., just as temperatures sit near 33. This lines up perfectly — or terribly, depending on your perspective — with the Michigan–Ohio State game in Ann Arbor. 

Kickoff at noon means tailgaters will be bundled up, and the early part of the game should squeak by with just a few flakes. But once the final whistle blows? That’s when things get interesting. 

If you’re heading out there, you might want to enjoy the game and then hit the road fairly quickly.

The main push of this storm barrels in around 8 p.m., and it doesn’t mess around. Heavy snow arrives Saturday night and continues straight through the pre-dawn hours of Sunday. 

Temperatures drop to around 29 degrees overnight — cold enough for good accumulation, but not so cold that a whisper of warmer air couldn’t sneak in and tweak totals. 

If that milder air noses in, it will be most noticeable from downtown Detroit downriver, where a little wet snow may mix in. That’s the one zone that could come in on the lower end of the totals.

For the rest of the region, the expectation right now is a solid, widespread 4 to 7 inches of snow. A plowable storm, a shovel-in-hand storm, a "where did I put my gloves again?" storm.

Sunday holds onto the leftovers. Flurries linger through the day, and winds crank up to 20 or 25 mph — enough to blow snow around and keep roads slick even after the steady stuff has ended. 

Temperatures stay wintry, and the sky never fully commits to clearing.

By the time this wraps up, Southeast Michigan will have officially flipped the switch. Winter’s here, and it’s making an entrance you won’t miss.