Is Michigan Entering a 6-Week Deep Freeze?

Bundle up, Michigan.

It doesn't look like we're going to warm back up anytime soon.

SEE ALSO: Just How Cold Can It Get in Michigan?

Mere days into the new year, and it appears we've just begun a cold snap that's going to be quite persistent - maybe even lasting several weeks before we see temperatures rise above the freezing mark again.

How Long Is It Going to Stay Below Freezing in Michigan?

As any meteorologist will tell you, weather is far from being an exact science. However, those who study short- and long-range climate trends believe it may be the middle of February before we get a spell of warmer than normal temps in the Mitten State.

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For instance, forecasters with AccuWeather are currently projecting the entire month of January to remain below freezing in Lansing. They don't expect Michigan's capital city to see temperatures return to the mid-to-upper 30s until around Valentine's Day - and even that brief respite may not last long before another plunge.

Similar temperatures are forecast for Grand Rapids, Flint and Detroit, with even colder weather the further north in Michigan you go.

Extended forecasts from the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center appear to be in agreement with AccuWeather's assessment of the cold snap, at least through the month of January.

High temperatures in Lower Michigan are typically in the lower 30s this time of year according to weather records, but it ebbs and flows.

There are usually peaks and valleys in the temps every few days, with some days above and some days below normal. This cold snap could be notable for a tight grip on the state for six weeks or more.

But What About Snow?

If temperatures between now and mid-February hold to trend, pretty much any precipitation that falls would likely be snow. No major winter weather systems are currently in the forecast, however.