Yesterday we reached 85° in Otsego after a morning low of 55°. We have increasing chances of storms today and tomorrow with temperatures in the mid-80s on both days. I bought a new inverter generator last week figuring this will be a stormy spring and early summer. This one has a push-button start so I don’t have to wear myself out with the pull cord on the old one.
SPC Outlook
Day One
Day Two
Day Three
NWS Forecast
Weather History
1975: A tornado injured one person as it destroyed two mobile homes at Byron Center in Kent County.
1977: The last half of May is unusually warm. Record high temperatures in the upper 80s and lower 90s are set across Lower Michigan from the 16th to the 28th. This helps make it the warmest May on record at Grand Rapids.
On May 20, 1996, lightning within a thunderstorm that went through Richfield Township at 2:53 pm caused one injury.
1970: Nesbyen, Norway reached 96 degrees on this day, becoming the warmest temperature recorded in Norway.
2001: Large hail driven by strong thunderstorm winds raked Denver International and front-range airports. Wind gusting to 54 mph along with hail as large as 2 inches in diameter punched at least 14 thousand holes and cracks in the flat roofs of several buildings at Denver International Airport. Also, 93 planes and hundreds of cars were damaged. About 100 flights had to be canceled stranding 1500 travelers. The Airport was completely shut down for about 20 minutes. The storm also damaged ground avoidance radar used to track planes on the ground to prevent collisions. Damage was estimated at 10 million dollars not counting the cost to the 93 airliners. The storm moved south and struck Watkins Colorado with hail as large as 2 1/2 inches in diameter and winds gusting to 60 mph.
Hazardous Weather Outlook
Marginally severe storms with potential for damaging wind gusts and hail are expected from mid afternoon through late tonight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday There is a slight risk for severe weather mainly late Tuesday night into early Wednesday.
Forecast Discussion
- Marginal Risk for Severe Thunderstorms Today A fairly complex mesoscale pattern will evolve across our area today as a warm front just south of our area early this morning moves slowly north. Meanwhile well off to our west convection across eastern IA early this morning will continue moving ene. A consensus blend of latest CAMs and 00Z HREF suggest that this convection will reach our west to northwestern fcst area by mid to late morning. Severe wx is unlikely with this first round of rain and embedded convection given limited instability and fairly weak shear as well as unfavorable timing. However this complex of rain and convection may inhibit the warm front from moving much further north then perhaps the I-96 corridor. Our main risk for marginally severe wx then comes for this afternoon and evening as instability builds in the warm sector. SB/MU cape values should reach around 1500 j/kg near to south of I-96 by mid to late aftn with potential for convective development with relatively strong updrafts by then as suggested by the 00Z HREF. Localized damaging wind gusts are the primary svr wx threat from mid aftn through the evening as fcst soundings show potential for dry adiabatic low level lapse rates and dcapes to reach 1000 j/kg. Localized large hail is also possible looking at fcst soundings and we also can`t rule out potential for an isolated weak spinup in the vicinity of the warm front where enhanced updraft helicity is expected. A diurnally driven gradual decrease in convection is fcst late this evening and overnight. - Warm and Humid Tuesday It will be warm and quite humid Tuesday and most of the day will be dry. We do expect some scattered showers and thunderstorms to begin to develop from mid to late afternoon coincident with the peak in diurnally driven instability (sb/mu capes potentially reaching close to 2k j/kg). However convective potential is somewhat mitigated by the lack of a stronger focusing mechanism for convective development to occur. An upper shortwave moving in from the wsw could focus some convective initiation from mid to late afternoon before we get back into some mid to upper level nva. - Severe Weather Risk Tuesday Night A QLCS emanating from the upstream SPC Day2 ENH risk area is expected to make a run at wrn Lwr MI on Tuesday night with the main threat being damaging wind gusts. The severe weather risk should gradually wane overnight as this feature eventually loses steam with eastward extent due to declining instability. Some question as to the areal extent of convection on Wednesday since the sfc boundary may slip south of the area, but best pops will be focused south and east of GRR and especially near JXN. It`s possible much of the area dries out with stable low level westerly flow becoming established. - Dry and Pleasant Late Week Period A period of dry and pleasant weather looks likely for the end of the week as sfc ridging takes over and a drier air mass with dew pts in the 40s arrives. Also an amplifying upper level ridge is shown to be overhead by Friday. Pops appear to ramp up again over the holiday weekend as the ridge moves east and warm front returns, although confidence regarding the timing and coverage of convective events is low at this time
Took our first swim today before the storms moved in…
Severe Thunderstorm Watch until 10p
ALLEGAN BARRY CALHOUN CLINTON EATON GRATIOT INGHAM IONIA ISABELLA JACKSON KALAMAZOO KENT MECOSTA MONTCALM MUSKEGON NEWAYGO OCEANA OTTAWA VAN BUREN
Michigan weather is so underrated. We’ve had summer weather for a long time now, and it’s only mid May.
Saw some big hail reports in East Michigan yesterday.
Too funny! Pathetic!
The hot sun is beginning to dry up a bit here. Could use some rain, but hopefully before the upcoming holiday weekend. Temps look favorable for weekend, though.
The overnight low here in MBY was 52 and at the current time it is cloudy and 56.
Slim
The official H/L yesterday at Grand Rapids was 85/56 there was no rainfall the sun was out 91% of the time. The highest wind gust was 21 MPH out of the W. For today the average H/L is 71/50 the record high of 92 was set in 1977 and the record low of 30 was set in 2002. The most rainfall of 3.39” fell in 1996 last year the H/L was 67/46.
Slim