DETROIT – As promised, a steamy air mass surged back into southeast Michigan, and we are starting our Thursday with temperatures in the low to mid 70s (22 to 24 degrees Celsius).
We’ll have plenty of sunshine today, with scattered thunderstorms popping up between 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. More of us likely won’t see rain than do, but any storm that does fire up could become severe.
As I explained yesterday, just because all of us are in the slight risk category for severe weather today, that does not guarantee that you will get one. The POTENTIAL is there, so remain alert and check our app’s live radar frequently if you have outdoor plans this afternoon.
It will be a scorching hot day, with highs in the low 90s (33 degrees Celsius), and the humidity making it feel like at least mid 90s (34 to 35 degrees Celsius).
At least we’ll have a breeze today, with gusty southwest winds at 10 to 20 mph. This stronger gradient wind, as we call it, means that there will be no lake breezes to potentially ignite any thunderstorms, although the outflow from any storms that do fire up can always trigger additional storms.
Today’s sunrise is at 6:54 a.m., and today’s sunset is at 8:15 p.m.
Most of Thursday night should be quiet, but a few showers or thunderstorms are possible late at night. If we get any storms, they will not be severe. Lows near 70 degrees (21 degrees Celsius).
Friday brings scattered showers and possible thunderstorms in the morning and early afternoon (not severe). Thunderstorm coverage should increase by late afternoon / evening, and some of these storms could be severe. At the very minimum, there will be torrential downpours with any storm. Since we’ll have more cloud cover, highs should be limited to the mid 80s (29 degrees Celsius), although it’ll still be humid.
Showers and storm chances continue overnight Friday night, with lows in the upper 60s (20 degrees Celsius).
Weekend update
There still may be some scattered showers or thunderstorms around when we wake up Saturday, but a cold front crossing the area will sweep them out, and skies should become mostly sunny during the afternoon. Highs near 80 degrees (27 degrees Celsius) -- mid 70s (24 to 25 degrees Celsius) in the Thumb -- and you’ll notice the drier air coming in as the day progresses!
Mostly clear Saturday night, with super comfy lows in the mid 50s (13 degrees Celsius). Ahhhhhh … relief!
Mostly sunny on Sunday -- what a great second half to the weekend, with highs in the mid 70s (24 to 25 degrees Celsius), and possibly only near 70 degrees (21 degrees Celsius) in the Thumb.
Will Hurricane Laura affect us?
Nope. As Laura tracks through Arkansas, it will begin a sharp turn to the right and then move eastward across the Tennessee Valley through Virginia and out into the Atlantic. We will not tap into the system’s moisture.