Mid-Week Forecast 3/26

Yesterday we had a high temperature of 43° and a low of 23.5° with partly cloudy skies.

We will continue our gradual warmup for the remainder of the week with highs in the mid-40s today, mid-50s tomorrow, and mid-60s Friday and Saturday.  Rain chances increase for Friday and Saturday.

First Week Of April Outlook

April Outlook

Weather History

1934: A record snowstorm began across southeast Lower Michigan with around a foot of snow falling at Jackson, Lansing and Battle Creek. Snow totals dropped off quickly to the northwest with Grand Rapids getting only about an inch.

1993: Dense fog caused a fatal airplane crash at Ludington. The pilot was trying to land in near zero visibility and collided with trees and terrain on his second approach to the airport. The pilot was seriously injured and his wife, the only passenger, was killed.

On March 26, 1968, an F2 tornado hit Monroe County causing approximately $250,000 in property damage.

Also on March 26, 2007, the temperature soared to 81 degrees in Detroit breaking a record for the date. Flint and Saginaw both hit 76 degrees. On the next day, Detroit once again hit 81 degrees to set a record. Detroit has only reached 80 degrees or higher 12 times in the month of March, twice in March 2007.

Forecast Discussion

- Gradual Moderating Trend Through Saturday

Seasonably cool wx will continue today due to nw flow cool air
advection and with the upper level trough still in place over the
eastern Great Lakes region. High temps today will reach the lower
to middle 40s.

Temps will undergo a gradual moderating trend late this week into
the weekend however as a significant wx pattern change occurs as a
ridge begins to build in from the west and we get into a south to
sw flow waa regime. High temps Thursday will reach the low to mid
50s and should reach the 60s across our southern fcst area Friday
and Saturday.

- Chance of Showers Thursday - Saturday; Storms Possible Sunday

There is a small chance of rain showers late in the week as we
transition to a sw flow waa regime. However we expect dry wx to
prevail the vast majority of the time Thursday through Friday. A
relatively better chance for showers exists beginning Saturday as
persistent south to sw flow results in increasing moisture across
our area along with forcing from a quasi stationary frontal
boundary over our northern fcst area.

A low pressure system moving ene across our region Sunday will
bring the relatively best chance for rain as well as potential for
some convection. Convective potential remains largely contingent
on how much instability will develop.

At this time instability over our area is expected to be
relatively weak but sufficient enough for a few storms mainly over
our southern fcst area. An overall medium range guidance consensus
continues to favor areas south of us for a relatively much better
chance for convective development due to more favorable timing and
where stronger instability is likely to develop.

Pcpn will likely transition to brief period of a light wintry mix
and then light snow before ending on the back side of this system
Sunday night into Monday morning.

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