DETROIT – A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for Metro Detroit until 11 p.m. Tuesday -- this includes Genesee, Lapeer, Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, Sanilac, St. Clair, Washtenaw and Wayne counties.
LIVE WEATHER RADAR: Tracking potentially severe storms in Metro Detroit
Welcome to Tuesday, Motown.
Here we go. We are on track for late afternoon and evening thunderstorms capable of producing flooding rains and damaging wind to say the least.
It feels like summer with higher temperatures and humidity. As dew point temperatures spike and surge past the uncomfortable range and delve into oppressive, the atmosphere is unstable. Combine that with an approaching cold front and we get the likelihood of stormy weather.
Across most of southeast Michigan, we have a slight chance of strong to severe storms with heavy rain, frequent lightning and damaging wind up to 60 mph or more. Severe storms are already moving through the northern and central lower peninsula and popping off severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings. When these impactful storms reach Southeast Michigan, an isolated tornado is not out of the realm of possibilities.
The line of stormy weather extends across central and southern Lake Michigan, northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. These are the storms to watch closely as the move into the Motor City area.
Prepare for power outages by charging all mobile devices and making sure all weather radios and flashlights have fresh batteries. Safe driving will be a must, especially for anyone traveling home late from work. Running errands and going to and from activities that are not essential can be put on the back burner.
Timing
Between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., the leading edge of showers and thunderstorms arrives in areas closer to Flint and the Thumb: Genesee, Lapeer and Sanilac counties.
By 6 p.m. the angry thunderstorms line reaches our west zone and the rest of our north zone from Livingston County to western Oakland County, the rest of Lapeer County and St. Clair County.
Between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., the tri-county area (Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties) get hit. This includes the city of Detroit.
As the sun sets, these storms may lose their source of energy and have a chance of gradually weakening. If so, they will still be potent.
Between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. the immediate Detroit area will still be getting pounded as Lenawee and Monroe counties are the last two counties to be impacted.
Afterward
After the initial line of nasty, dangerous weather, a secondary line of showers and storms will race across the region before midnight.
The rest of Tuesday night will be cooler and become partly cloudy. It remains breezy as westerly winds drop temperatures to the low and mid 50s overnight.
Wednesday will be partly to mostly sunny and warm. Highs will be in the upper 70s. There’s a chance of an isolated afternoon shower with some instability still present. Most communities will be dry all day. It will be breezy with wind speeds between 9 and 18 mph.
Thursday will be partly sunny and not as warm. An isolated shower is possible, again, in the afternoon with temperatures near 75 degrees.
Friday will look and feel great with mostly sunny skies. It will be warm and comfortable with highs in the middle and upper 70s.
Saturday and Sunday become warm and breezy. Highs will be in the low 80s. For now, rain is possible, but this could change.
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