DETROIT – Rain chances are plentiful until the weekend, which will bring some fairly noticeable changes. We’re also keeping our eyes on the strongest hurricane of the season as it heads toward the Gulf Coast.
Multiple storm shots
Not only do we have thunderstorm chances the next few days, there’s a good chance that any that do show up could become severe.
Thursday will bring the strongest storms. Our risk level is slight (category 2) for the entire area.
On Wednesday, we’ll have a slight risk in the North Zone, with the rest of us at marginal (category 1) risk. Having said that, our confidence in timing is pretty low. Models have not handled Tuesday’s storms well, at all.
The frontal boundary that is wavering back and forth through our area will keep any Michigan thunderstorms well west of us Tuesday evening. But as the front moves back to the north, thunderstorms will be possible during the morning Wednesday, with the stronger ones in the North Zone.
That front continues northward Thursday, so we’ll have more heat and humidity for storms to work with, but the trigger for those appears lacking. We’ll be watching near the lake shores especially, plus some storms forming near Saginaw and moving south.
Friday brings a good chance of widespread soaking rains that will last into Saturday morning. Then, the front departs for good, leaving some big changes behind.
Weekend reversal
Our last weekend in August will be a refreshing change from the workweek. Temperatures will fall back to normal Saturday, while remaining in the mid-70s for highs Sunday. Morning lows will return to the 50s, as well, with drier air invading.
Beyond that, we might gain a few degrees, but there’s no significant warmup ahead.
Laura strengthens
Laura will likely become the strongest hurricane of the season and our first major hurricane. The latest forecast has it making landfall as a category 3 storm, with sustained winds of 115 mph.
It will likely come ashore in the predawn hours of Thursday near the Texas-Louisiana state line. It will eventually cut across the Tennessee valley as it makes its inland trek, so that should keep the center of Laura’s remnants well to our south.
Track the radar: