Why Shovel When it Will Be Nearly 60 Degrees Tuesday?

The week got off to a slick, sloppy start in southeast Michigan, but those who don't relish shoveling snow and scraping ice are in luck: Temperatures are expected to approach 60 degrees Tuesday.

The area, including Farmington and Farmington Hills, will have swung from being under a winter weather advisory Sunday to experiencing springlike temperatures and rain showers over the course of just two days, according to the National Weather Service.

The mix of snow and freezing rain that began Sunday and lasted overnight into Monday morning forced Farmington public and private schools to close. However, the high Monday was expected to hit 47 degrees, according to the NWS.

The forecasting agency said temperatures will continue increasing to a high of 57 degrees, with rain showers, Tuesday. But, the warm-up will be temporary: The high Wednesday will be 47 degrees, with a mix of rain and snow, and the top temperature will plummet to a mere 24 degrees by Thursday, the NWS predicts.

The wild weather makes life confusing enough for commuters and parents of school-age children, but imagine how Michigan's rodent weather prognosticator Woody feels. She will have to predict whether the state will experience an early spring Saturday during a Groundhog Day ceremony at the Howell Nature Center. Last year, she forecast an early spring.

[Do you think Woody will predict an early spring? Leave a comment!]