DETROIT – Storms will roll in late tonight, giving us possible severe weather as we approach daybreak on Wednesday. Then another round of storms Friday will end our rain chances until the middle of next week.
Strong Storms Tonight
We're already monitoring storms on the other side of Lake Michigan which will likely hold together for several hours, bringing a severe threat to us late tonight. These have popped earlier than anticipated, so its possible some of these may reach our West and North Zones shortly after midnight, but the majority of these storms will affect us in the later overnight hours. Despite the warmer more humid air in place this afternoon, our atmosphere is essentially "capped" meaning storms will have a very difficult time (but not impossible) forming until the overnight. So be aware there is a very small chance at an afternoon or evening storm, prior to the main event.
The strongest storms will be the first to arrive in parts of our West and North Zones. They should weaken as they move to the southeast. Nevertheless, the entire area should be prepared for a severe storm, although the chances are higher in the Slight Risk (yellow, category 2) area shown above. The largest threat will be damaging, straight line winds exceeding 60 mph and large hail. Like we say during every severe thunderstorm, a tornado cannot be ruled out, but looking at the wind field the chances are very slim.
Stay Alert!
Because this will be happening while most folks are sleeping, be sure you have a way to get warnings overnight. And be sure that method will actually get you out of bed! Remember:
- Outdoor sirens were not designed to be heard indoors
- Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) that go directly to your cellphone DO NOT include Severe Thunderstorm Warnings
We couldn't do our Severe Weather Alert Radio Days this year because of COVID-19, but our partners at Midland Radio want you to know that radios are still available at Meijer and other area stores. If you've been thinking about getting one, you have time to do it before the storms arrive. If you have a radio, make sure it's plugged in and the batteries are charged. It doesn't NEED to be programmed for it to work, but if you ONLY want warnings for your county, here's how you can program it yourself: https://midlandusa.com/support/weather-radio-help/
Another Round
Any overnight storms should be weakened considerably by sunrise, and be gone before lunch on Thursday. The remainder of the day will be warm and dry. Friday brings another round of thunderstorms before a cool, dry and bright weekend.