Fabulous Weekend!

Good Morning!

Lunch turned into a working lunch of sorts, so I wasn't able to get a detailed forecast up for you.  I am sorry.  I promise you I will figure out how to get this done right eventually.  I appreciate all of you readers sticking with me!

The trough that brought us the rain and cooler weather early Friday is off to our east now, and clear autumn skies are with us.  Let's take a deeper dive and see what's cooking!

TEMPERATURES:  We'll see seasonably mild weather, temperatures in the mid to upper 70's for the weekend...GOOORGEOUS football weather!  It surely was beautiful for high school football last night, and the same will hold true for college football today.  We stay fairly mild until our next weather-maker arrives on Tuesday with some showers (more on that below), and then much cooler with a chance of some scattered showers each day for the rest of the week.

RAIN:  Nothing in sight for the weekend, all you'll need is a sweater or hoodie if you're out and about in the evening.  Crystal clear skies for college football games today.  Monday afternoon we'll start to see some clouds roll in, and these will thicken, a few scattered showers will be running loose in the area through the day Tuesday.  Here's what the National Weather Service is thinking regarding precipitation the next five days...

5 Day Precipitation Forecast

This map shows that we won't get tons of rain, as we get the lion's share of that out of here Wednesday, but an upper trough does keep the chances of rain around 30% right through the rest of the week.  From the perch today, no one gets washed out, if anything, we'll probably see something similar to what we had Friday.  A few hours of rain, followed by clearing and some sunshine.

SEVERE WEATHER:  Not in this neck of the woods.  The Storm Prediction Center doesn't have severe storms anywhere in the mix for the next three days.  Just a quiet fall pattern in place.

Look at this visible satellite image, just a few clouds in the northern Lower Peninsula.  Otherwise, SUNSHINE!

Visible Satellite Image

Here's your forecast for Jackson County.

Today, sunny, mild, high 73, winds NW 3-6 MPH.

Tonight, starry skies, very cool, lows roll back to 44, winds variable, calm to 3 MPH.

Sunday, clear skies, warmer, high 77 winds SW 5-10 MPH.

Sunday night, moonlit and marvelous, not as cool, low 47, winds SW 3-6 MPH.

Monday, clear skies to start, clouds start building in as the day progresses, chance of a widely spaced shower, high 75.

Tuesday, cloudy skies, scattered to numerous showers, sharply cooler, high 63.

Wednesday, a mix of clouds and sunshine, an isolated shower can't be ruled out, high 60.

Thursday, partly to mainly cloudy skies, still the chance of a shower or two, high 63.

Friday, overcast skies, scattered showers throughout the day are expected, high 62.

That's your six day forecast, I hope you have a great Saturday!  Enjoy some football!  Blessings.

Quick Look For Friday

Good Morning!

A sick little girl needed tending to, so no graphic forecast today, but...I have looked at some data.

The NAM forecast model had it right with a speedier departure of rain.  Most places are seeing rain taper off now, and sunshine with cooler conditions on the back side of the cold front. 

Forecast for today, clearing out by lunchtime, bringing mostly sunny skies, high 72, winds NW 5-10 MPH.

Tonight, mostly clear skies, a few passing clouds, lows near 40, NNW winds 3-8 MPH.

I plan on having a full forecast discussion when I get a lunchbreak from the day job.

Have a good day!

Some Thoughts On Today and Tomorrow...

Hello There!

Just a quick update since I have time over my lunch to look at some weather data.  It looks like the NAM and GFS have sped up the precipitation a little bit for tomorrow.  Modeling still indicates that a line of showers connected with the approaching cold front should move into the area after 11PM as I forecast earlier today.  Now they suggest that the rain should be pretty well gone by evening rush tomorrow, making for a cool and dry night to watch football.  I'll lock that in and possibly do some slight forecast tweaking later, after one more model run has occurred.

Summer Heads Out, Falling Rain & Temperatures Roll In...

Good Morning!

One last day of summer-like conditions on tap today in South Central Michigan, then some changes are on the way.  We'll see fall weather make it's presence known in a resounding fashion over the next several days.  Let's pop the hood and see what's running in there...

TEMPERATURES:  The mercury climbs into the upper 70's with a couple of 80's scattered in the mix for variety today.  After that, for this evening, clouds increase, winds change to more northwest than southwest, and some shower activity moves in (more on that below), then we see temperatures only making it into the lower 70's.  By this time next week we see conditions even cooler, topping out in the lower 60's for daytime highs, and nighttime lows that give some thought to dropping below 40!

RAIN:  Some rain is in the offing to go with the cooler temperatures around the area.  That being said, JV football around the area tonight should be dry, albeit cloudy.  Rain chances go up throughout the evening and rain should start falling sometime after 11PM.  That rain will stay with us through lunchtime tomorrow, then start clearing mid-afternoon.  Most high school football stadiums should be drying out in time for Friday Night Varsity football, but keep your umbrella with you in case a few straggling showers hang around your game of choice.  Here's what the National Weather Service thinks of the five day rain chances:

5 Day Precipitation Forecast

This is further evidence that the computer forecast models seem to have the rain picture in hand, with decent agreement between the GFS and NAM models with the exception of timing (typical), most areas come in under an inch, though some places may see a touch more than that.

SEVERE WEATHER:  It's getting to be that time of year when we can start winding down the severe weather in this part of the world and start thinking about coping with winter storms down the line here.  That being said, don't get caught out...remember the Super Tuesday Tornado Outbreak four years ago in November!  Spring and Fall have the best chance at severe weather, as the atmosphere trades cool, dry, and stable, for moist, warm, and unstable, or vice-versa.  The Storm Prediction Center says there's no severe weather expected anywhere in the USA for the next 72 hours, and no general thunderstorm activity is forecast for Michigan or the Midwest.

A little different look around the area today.  I have used this look before so you can see the bigger picture, and that's appropriate for us now examining today's forecast data.  This is the visible satellite image with NEXRAD radar composite overlay, so you can see what's headed this way the next 18-36 hours...

Visible Satellite Image with NEXRAD Radar Composite Overlay

The cold front is off to the west in Wisconsin, and tracking this way.  Mr. Surface Low is north of the border in Canada, dragging the frontal boundary along with him as he moves east.

Here's the forecast for Jackson and surrounding communities including Leoni Township and Spring Arbor...

Today, partly sunny to start, then increasing clouds, high 82, winds SW then turning NNW 4-8 MPH.

Tonight, periods of scattered to numerous showers as a cold front comes in, lows near 52, winds NW 4-8 MPH.

Friday, showers early, these will start to taper off mid-afternoon with clearing behind the rain, high of 71.  Winds NNW 4-9 MPH.

Friday night, continued clearing skies, showers should be gone in most areas, lows near 41, winds N 4-8 MPH.

Saturday, sunny and autumn-like, great college football weather!  High 72.

Sunday, clear and comfortable, a bit warmer with daytime highs near 75.

Monday, sunny to start, clouds thicken during the day as another frontal system advances this way, a scattered shower is possible late, high 73.

Tuesday, scattered to numerous showers, cooler, high only 62.

Wednesday, periods of clouds and sunshine, much cooler, a scattered shower or two can't be ruled out, high 60.

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

Quick Look For Thursday!

Good Morning!

Blended Sunshine today, then fall returns!  Here's my forecast for today...

Forecast discussion on the way!