Spring Sunshine Aplenty!

Good Morning!


I'm a little grumpy with myself regarding the forecast yesterday.  Looks like I have to take ownership of a busted forecast, which, in hindsight was avoidable.  I didn't call for those cellular thunderstorms that popped up like popcorn yesterday afternoon, even though I did debate tossing a chance of a thunderstorm into the forecast.  Had I done so, I probably would have used my usual "lonely" or "roaming" thunderstorm language.  In any event, they fired, and dropped intense rain in short bursts. A little more than the stray shower or two I did mention.  Sorry about that.  Let's get to a deeper dive into what looks to be a nice forecast for the next several days...


TEMPERATURES:  A surface low just is just moving offshore in New England, allowing the trough that is keeping things in the low to mid 60's here to move east too.  As that moves away and creates a little bit of space, a bit of an upper air ridge forms, bringing in a warmer southwesterly air flow, and temperatures then climb into the 70's for the next several days.  Nighttime lows look to hold in the high 40's to mid 50's range.


RAIN:  Not much.  Outside of a 35-45% chance at some scattered showers Saturday afternoon, there's just not much else to talk about.  The National Weather Service hasn't really changed their idea of how wet we get for the next five days, here's a look at that map...

Three-tenths of an inch is about as good as it gets anywhere in Michigan, and that's way off to the northwest of us.


SEVERE WEATHER:  The Storm Prediction Center doesn't have us getting anything here in the South Central Michigan Weather Zone for the next three days.  In fact, the only thing Michigan has to be concerned with is a general risk of thunderstorms in the western part of the state on day two.  Here's a look at the maps for days one and two, with a pretty quiet look for the whole country:

Day One, the only "slight" risk is in far southern Texas and that's it!

Day Two, no "slight" anywhere in the US, with a "general" risk confined to West Michigan.

Here's a look at the current visible satellite and Grand Rapids NEXRAD radar images, showing a whole bunch of...nothing.

And here's the forecast for Jackson and surrounding communities including Michigan Center and Grass Lake.
   
Today, clear and pleasant, perhaps a few scattered clouds here and there, high of 66, winds NNW 5-10 MPH.


Tonight, mainly starry skies with some passing clouds, a little chilly, nighttime low of 37 with winds NW calm to 5 MPH.


Friday, sunny skies, warmer, high of 70, winds swinging NW to SW, increasing to 5-10 MPH.


Friday night, clear, but clouds start to roll in late, low of 49, SW winds 5-8 MPH.


Saturday, periods of clouds and sunshine, breezy and nice, a lonely shower is possible during the afternoon, high 74, winds SW 7-14 MPH.


Sunday, a mix of clouds and sunshine, high 70.


Monday, clear, high of 73.


Tuesday, bright blue skies with abundant sunshine, high 75.


That's a look at your local forecast for the next six days, I hope you have a wonderful Thursday!  Blessings.