Showers Now, Nice Weekend Later...

Good Morning!

What a wonderful thing this morning to wake to the sound of vehicles on WET pavement!  We finally received some of that good, needed rain around here.  While it wasn't a ton, and certainly not enough to break the drought mode we are deeply locked into, it did help, if only briefly.  Let's pop the hood and see what's going on...

TEMPERATURES:  We'll see temperatures remain more seasonable in the area as an upper wave moves through.  That's what was responsible for the showers in the area this morning.  Conditions here weren't quite right for strong thunderstorms, like those that rocked Chicago and northern Illinois before tracking into northern Indiana last night.  Temperatures should move between 81 to 89 degrees over the next several days.  Monday is shaping up to be the warmest day of the next several, so north zone counties should plan on between 85-89 for Monday, south zone counties should go with 87-92.  No return trips to the oven in the offing for the next few days that I can see.

RAIN:  Lookie here!  The National Weather Service is predicting some actual rainfall over the next five days, even though I think this morning is the lion's share of that.  Still, we'll take what we get!  Here's the forecast map for your viewing pleasure:

5 Day Precipitation Forecast

The NWS is forecasting from a half-inch to 1.5 inches, getting heavier as you move east.  I'm thinking that's maybe just a touch aggressive, so I will shave about two-tenths off those numbers and go with .30 to just over an inch and-a-quarter.  The east/west distribution looks good.  All I can say about the rain, to borrow a phrase..."COME ON DOWN!"

SEVERE WEATHER:  Nothing much on the horizon for the next three days according to the Storm Prediction Center.  Just the "general" risk of thunderstorms today, then we are quiet after that, as Michigan sits in a wide swath of no predicted storms for Friday and Saturday.  That and the more seasonable conditions are good news for the weekend events around the area.  Pleasant conditions and clear skies look to be on tap for the weekend.  Here's the Day 1 map from the SPC...

Day 1 Severe Weather Outlook

Plenty of clouds still in the area at this hour according to the satellite imagery...

Visible Satellite Image

And here's the forecast for Jackson County:

For today, clouds and showers taper off but possibly return in the afternoon, a few peeks of sun should appear midday, but still mainly cloudy, highs around 82, winds NE 7-13 MPH.

Tonight, continued cloudy with a chance of scattered showers and possibly a buried thunderstorm, lows near 63, winds NE 4-9 MPH.

Friday, clearing skies and becoming sunny and seasonably pleasant, high 81, winds NNE 3-8 MPH.

Friday night, starry skies with maybe a couple of passing clouds, nighttime lows near 59, winds N calm to 5 MPH.

Saturday, mostly sunny, a couple of clouds float by, a bit warmer, high 83.

Sunday, periods of clouds and sunshine, warmer still, high 85.

Monday, partly sunny skies, warmer, a chance of an isolated or widely scattered shower, high 87.

Tuesday, more clouds than sunshine, an isolated or widely scattered shower can't be ruled out, warm, high 85.

There's a look at your forecast for the next six days, I do hop that you have a great Thursday!  Blessings!