Scattered Showers And Cooler...

Good Morning!


A cloudy start to the day here in South Central Michigan, with just a couple of sprinkles throughout the area.  More substantial rain is out over Lake Michigan and in the northern half of the Lower Peninsula right now.  The shower activity over the lake looks to track into the blog area and wet things in a widely scattered fashion.  Let's take a look under the hood and see what's going on!


TEMPERATURES:  We'll see temperatures stay cooler today, barely making it into the 80's before the day is over under mainly cloudy skies, though some partial clearing will occur south to north.  For the weekend, temperatures warm back up into the mid 80's with a lot of clouds and some peeks of sun mixed in.  It looks like we'll hold that pattern through the weekend, then see readings start to creep back up toward the middle or even upper 80's.


RAIN:  Cloudy skies today should bring in a few widely scattered showers this afternoon and evening, we'll have to mention the chance of a buried thunderstorm as well, especially in the south zone of the blog (more on that below).  After today and tonight, the weekend actually looks fairly dry.  Here's the five day precipitation forecast from the National Weather Service:

5 Day Precipitation Forecast

And it looks like my instinct from yesterday was right.  I said I was inclined to dial back the rainfall totals, the NWS has done that here in this forecast, now we're back down to around a quarter-inch or so for the next five days.


SEVERE WEATHER:  A couple of things to keep an eye on as the day progresses today, the Storm Prediction Center has part of the south zone of the blog under a "slight" risk for severe weather.  Southeastern Calhoun, southern Jackson, Branch, Hillsdale, Lenawee, if you're in those areas, you've got a crack at wind and hail today.  Thankfully no tornado threat in the forecast.  After that, no severe weather forecast for the rest of this 72 hour window.  Here's the map for today...

There's a few scattered showers off to the southwest visible on the Grand Rapids NEXRAD radar, and the satellite shows plenty of cloudiness...

Grand Rapids NEXRAD Radar

Visible Satellite Image

Here's the forecast for Jackson and vicinity:


For today, mostly cloudy skies, and occasional break for sun, expect a few widely scattered showers and perhaps a roaming thunderstorm today, mild, high temperature 81, northerly winds 3-7 MPH.


Tonight, cloudy skies continue with a few breaks for stars, a chance of a lingering shower, lows near 58, winds N 3-8 MPH.


Saturday, cloudy to start, giving way to sunny skies, breezy and mild, highs near 83, winds N 5-10 MPH.


Saturday night, mainly starry skies, possibly a passing cloud or two, breezy and unseasonably cool, lows all the way down near 53, winds N 5-10 MPH.


Sunday, mostly sunny skies, continued breezy, warmer, high 85.


Monday, a mix of clouds and sunshine, chance of a widely scattered shower late, high 84.


Tuesday, cloudy and mild, still the chance of a scattered shower in the afternoon, high 85.


Wednesday, periods of clouds and sunshine, a chance of a widely scattered or scattered shower is still in the picture, high 82.


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