Sunny, Summery, Hot...Maybe A Storm...

Good Morning!


I hope all of you dads out there had a great Father's Day!  We were able to get the races in on the scheduled days here in Michigan at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.  Now that the races have moved on until August, and I am back in town, we are in the regular routine again.  Clear skies today, and for the next couple from the looks of it, but things are heating up again temperature-wise.  Let's have a closer look.


TEMPERATURES: A very warm day today with temperatures climbing into the middle 80's for the afternoon.  After that, we visit and remain in the 90's for awhile, as computer models show us under a heat dome, with high pressure is centered in the southeastern part of the US.  It's a typical summer pattern, a strong high parking down in the southeast, spreading out and warming things, you also get showers and thunderstorms on the edges of the high, as well as in other parts of the nation where systems can move about more freely.  We'll stay at 85 or better until near the end of the week, when we cool down a little as a front moves through.  The cool-off stays with us for a couple of days, then we warm right back up, as the heat dome rebuilds.


RAIN:  The showers that delayed the Sunday race at MIS were welcome, though it annoyed the NASCAR fans.  While helpful, it was nowhere near enough to green things back up for us, and we are still way behind on rain totals for the month and the season in this part of Michigan.  Things aren't forecast to get much better around here rain-wise either, as the 5 Day Outlook from the National Weather Service has us below a quarter inch of rain again for the next five days.  Here's that map for you:

5 Day Precipitation Forecast

That being said, scattered showers and thunderstorms are a possibility in the area as the afternoon progresses, more on that below. After today, it looks like Thursday is the next best chance at picking up some badly needed rain.


SEVERE WEATHER:  The Storm Prediction Center has us in a "general" risk for thunderstorms, but there is a "slight" risk area for the northern half of the Lower Peninsula and pretty much all of the Upper Peninsula today.  A strong thunderstorm complex is moving out of Wisconsin into Michigan now, currently over the lake, so I would not at all be surprised to see severe weather warnings pop up for counties in the northern part of Lower Michigan later this morning.  Here in South Central Michigan, any storms we get could become strong, with a small chance at severe. Here's a look at the forecast maps from the SPC, valid as always at 8AM EDT each day:

SPC Day 1 Severe Outlook

SPC Day 2 Severe Outlook

SPC Day 3 Severe Outlook

Here's a look at the Grand Rapids NEXRAD radar showing those strong storms moving through well to the north of us, and the visible satellite showing them as well.

Grand Rapids (GRR) NEXRAD Radar 

Visible Satellite Image

Here's your forecast for Jackson and surrounding communities including Parma and Grass Lake.


For today, mainly sunny and warm with a few passing clouds, breezy, a chance at an isolated pop-up shower or rogue thunderstorm this evening, high 85, winds SW 8-16 MPH.


Tonight, mostly starry skies with some clouds floating by, mild, nighttime lows only roll back to about 68 with winds SW 6-12 MPH.


Tomorrow, mostly clear skies, hot and summery, high of 91, winds SW 5-10 MPH.


Tomorrow night, continued clear and mild, low 68, increasing SW winds 7-13 MPH.


Wednesday, a mix of clouds and sunshine, still hot, high 90.


Thursday, mostly cloudy skies, perhaps a few peeks of sunshine, a chance at scattered showers and thunderstorms later in the day, high 85.


Friday, variably cloudy, perhaps the chance of an isolated shower or lonely thunderstorm, a bit cooler with a high of 81.


Saturday, continued periods of clouds and sunshine with the chance at a shower or storm, high 82.


There's a look at your forecast for the next six days, I do hope you have a wonderful Monday.  Blessings!