DETROIT – The updated Drought Monitor came out Thursday, and most of us continue in the Moderate Drought or Abnormally Dry categories.
Fortunately, some rain is on the way. Unfortunately, it’ll impact some of our weekend.
But first, today looks spectacular, with mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies, and highs in the low 80s (28 degrees Celsius). Humidity will be very comfortable, and wind will blow from the north-northeast at 5 to 10 mph. This is great news for all of you playing in the charity golf event at Fellows Creek Golf Course in Canton Township, raising much-needed dollars for the Armed Forces Hospitality Centers at four Michigan airports. I’ll see you there and, of course, we will practice very rigid safety measures and social distancing.
Today's sunrise is at 6:26 a.m., and today's sunset is at 8:53 p.m.
Partly cloudy Friday night, with lows in the low 60s (16 to 17 degrees Celsius). North-northeast wind at 2 to 5 mph.
After a partly cloudy start on Saturday, clouds increase by afternoon. Some models suggest that a few raindrops could make it across the state line before the end of the afternoon, but the farther north you are in the area, the better your chance of having a dry daytime. Highs in the low to mid 80s (28 to 29 degrees Celsius).
Rain increases Saturday night, with lows in the mid to upper 60s (19 to 20 degrees Celsius).
Rain is likely on Sunday, with highs in the upper 70s (26 degrees Celsius). Some models -- not all, but some -- suggest that we could get over an inch of rain. While we don’t want that on a weekend, boy do we need it.
Rain chances continue Sunday night into Monday, with lows Sunday night in the mid 60s (17 to 18 degrees Celsius), and highs Monday in the upper 70s (26 degrees Celsius).
The rest of next week
We probably will still have some lingering showers in the area on Tuesday, with highs in the mid 70s (25 degrees Celsius).
After Tuesday, we finish the week in grand shape, with either mostly sunny or partly cloudy skies, and highs rising from the upper 70s (26 degrees Celsius) on Wednesday, to near 80 degrees (27 degrees Celsius) on Thursday, to the low 80s (28 degrees Celsius) on Friday.
Next weekend’s weather is highly uncertain. The ECMWF model keeps us dry, while the GFS model introduces rain chances. We’ll just have to wait a few days and see how this shakes out. But it does look potentially warm, with highs in the mid 80s (29 to 30 degrees Celsius).
Hurricane Isaias
Isaias was upgraded to hurricane status at midnight by the National Hurricane Center. It will likely continue strengthening as it tracks across the Bahamas through Saturday -- possibly reaching Category 2 status with 100 mph sustained winds over the northern Bahamas.
The storm will then curve northward and weaken back to Category 1 status, and appears to have a track that will take it just offshore Florida’s east coast, near the North Carolina outer banks by Monday evening, and off of Cape Cod by Tuesday evening.
Tropical storm force winds (39-73 mph) should affect parts of Florida beginning Saturday night and continuing through Sunday. However, if the storm edges just a bit farther to the west, then hurricane force wind or wind gusts could impact eastern Florida.