Seasonable Summer Weekend...

Good Morning!


What a refreshing way to start the day!  Cool temperatures in the 60's at all reporting stations, low humidity and clearing skies.  You can't ask for much better.  Oh, and by the way - how about some good, needed, beneficial rain?  Jackson picked up 1.1 inches of rain through midnight, Lansing picked up nearly a half inch at .41 inches.  Rain stays away now for awhile, and warm summer weather builds back in before the weekend is over.  Let's get in here and pop the hood to see what's cooking...


TEMPERATURES:  We'll see a pleasant, refreshing day today, picture perfect to get out and enjoy, perhaps by heading into Ann Arbor for the Arts Fair downtown.  Temperatures will gradually climb back into the lower 90's before the weekend is done.  The computer models are suggesting the warmer weather I alluded to in yesterday's forecast will be here almost a day sooner than initially expected, Sunday now as opposed to Monday.  After the Sunday/Monday temperature spike, we should see readings settle back into low to mid 80's territory for the balance of this week.  The intense heat that has tormented us twice this summer looks to stay put in the Plains for now, and they can keep it!


RAIN:  Call me crazy, but it was great to look at the radars in my various weather monitoring programs and my smartphone and see some big green blobs that were sure to pass over us!  The rain we picked up is likely not enough to reverse the damage from the extreme conditions this summer, but it was a good soaker that will partly refill rivers and creeks, and soak into the ground to darken the brown that has replaced the green in a lot of areas.  Sprinklers have a fighting chance to catch up, now that we've gotten some moisture.  The bad news, no more rain until next week.  Here's the National Weather Service's forecast for the next five days regarding rain...

5 Day Precipitation Forecast

You can see a much drier look for Michigan as a whole with this forecast map from the NWS.  Computer modeling right now is suggesting Tuesday as the next quality chance for any rain to fall in south central Michigan.  That being said, it is summertime, and with the warmth coming in the next few days, as a forecaster, you generally need leave the window open at least a little bit for a pop-up shower or lonely thunderstorm due to afternoon heating, and forecast models have a hard time picking those up.


SEVERE WEATHER:  In two words: Go Fish.  The Storm Prediction Center has no severe weather expected for Michigan the next three days, and just a couple of patches of low end 5% risk areas down in the Deep South and up through Appalachia and into the Carolinas tomorrow, and the Upper Midwest on Sunday.


Grand Rapids NEXRAD is clear and snoring, and the visible satellite shows the clouds and rain departing to the southeast...

Visible Satellite Image

And here's the forecast for Jackson County:


For today, sunny and beautiful, high 83, winds NNE 5-10 MPH.


Tonight, mainly starry skies, perhaps a stray cloud or two, lows roll all the way back to 55, winds NNE 3-8 MPH.


Saturday, a couple of passing clouds, but continued mostly clear and warmer, high 85, winds turn SW 3-7 MPH.


Saturday night, some scattered clouds about, but still lots of stars, milder than Friday night, lows drop only to 64, winds SW 3-7 MPH.


Sunday, a mix of clouds and sunshine, warmer and more humid, high of 90.


Monday, partly cloudy skies with a chance of an isolated or widely scattered shower, high 88. 


Tuesday, continued partly cloudy, an isolated or widely scattered shower or storm still can't be ruled out, not as warm, high 85.


Wednesday, clearing skies and seasonably warm, humidity drops as well to make it more comfortable, high temperature 83.


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