DETROIT (WWJ) - After a blast of arctic air sent wind chills into the single digits earlier this week, Metro Detroiters are being greeted with warmer weather -- and also the potential for wet snow, rain and even a wintery mix on on Friday.
AccuWeather meteorologists said they've been keeping an eye on a brewing storm that is expected to lift into the Midwest at the start of the weekend. The air will warm up as it flips from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, but moisture from the South will bring widespread precipitation.
Southeast Michigan will be right on the northern cusp of that system, where colder air will create the potential for inches of snowfall.
"Right now, the wintry mix zone, which includes wet snow and sleet, looks like it will set up just to the north and west of downtown Chicago and just north of center city Detroit on Friday," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Courtney Travis said.
A wintry mix -- which includes rain, freezing rain and ice pellets -- or wet snow is forecasted to affect the northern and western suburbs of Detroit, but experts said any wintery mix could "creep" southward or northward by several miles.
"The storm is being closely monitored for a thin swath of accumulating snow with a general 1-3 inches on the northern flank," meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said.
According to the National Weather Service, snow is expected to fall mainly north of Flint/I-69 with the potential for a mix of rain and snow between Flint and Pontiac/M-59.
Residents in Flint, Sandusky and Flint could see accumulating snowfall in excess of 4" or more.
Northern Macomb County, most of Oakland County and all of Livingston County could see 1 to 2 inches of snow.
Experts warned locally higher amounts of snow could be possible.
A second storm could also potentially impact Metro Detroit on Saturday as it brings unsettled weather to the region. Forecasters say there is a chance of showers in the morning hours on Saturday, with another period of rainfall on Sunday as highs remain in the 40s.
However, meteorologists are still waiting to see what Mother Nature will do as a wedge of dry air in the middle part of the atmosphere could prevent any precipitation in Detroit.
Stay tuned for the latest AccuWeather forecast with WWJ Traffic and Weather together on the :08s.