We reached 81° yesterday with a low of 60° this morning at 5:30 am. We had a trace of rain with a few sprinkles passing through in the afternoon.
We continue with our dry spring with .39 of an inch of rain so far this month. Our spring total is 3.54 inches (March to current). Last year we had 11.12 inches during the same period so this year is about 1/3rd of what we had last year. We continue in a moderate drought, the CPC will update later today along with the June climate outlook.
At this point, we are looking at perhaps a 10% chance of rain tomorrow and tomorrow night with increasing chances coming from Sunday into next work week when the weather pattern may become more active. Of course, we have heard this all before so it may be time to pray to the rain gods for a little help. We need a meandering low pressure to move in with lots of gulf moisture to have a couple of days of steady light rain.
Predominantly dry weather is expected across Southwest and West-Central Michigan through Friday evening. It will be very warm, and a little bit more humid through late week, with high temperatures rising well into the 80s Thursday through Sunday. It will be cooler near Lake Michigan, where water temperatures are still around 50 degrees. Swimming in the water this cold may cause hypothermia unless you are a polar bear.
This dry spring hasn’t helped our allergy sufferers – tree pollen is off the charts:
Forecast Discussion
- Mainly dry through Saturday We look to be mainly dry and warm through Saturday. It is not to say we have no chance for precipitation, but we are within the mean ridge position through this time. There will be a small chance for showers this morning as a weak wave is traveling north in the southerly flow. Best chances for precipitation are clearly in the northwest and northern CWA early this morning. There is a weak wave seen in 500mb progs moving through the area Friday night into Saturday. Thinking we may stay dry as the ECMWF ensembles are not showing much in the way of rain. The GFS seems to have a constant wet bias throughout the forecast and this time frame is no different. - Chances for showers/storms increase Sunday-Tuesday Better chances for showers and storms exist from Sunday into Wednesday actually as synoptic scale fronts are actually moving into and through the area. The first is on Sunday when a front presses into the area from the north. The front stalls and becomes a warm front Sunday night into Monday. We then move into the warm sector for a time before the cold front sweeps through Tuesday night into Wednesday. The synoptic scale forcing present into a moist airmass should result in rainfall for much of the area. ECMWF ensembles are showing rain during this time frame. The ECMWF ensemble mean at Grand Rapids from Sunday through Wednesday is between 0.50 and 1.00 of rain. This would be much needed rain if it occurs given the ongoing drought. - Continued warm through Tuesday We will remain warm into early next week. No real chance in 850mb temperatures through that time, running between +13C and +17C. highs from around 80 to well into the 80s the next 5 to 6 days. Normal highs this time of year are in the lower 70s. Highs on Friday in the mid to upper 80s will be 15 degrees or so above normal.
Channel 6 says it’s 88 at their station right now. That’s hot for mid May!
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
has declared Friday, May 21st…to be an Action Day for elevated
levels of ozone. Pollutants are expected to be in the unhealthy for
sensitive groups range.
The Action Day is in effect for the following Michigan counties…
Muskegon, Ottawa, Kent, Allegan, and Van Buren.
Summer is here…..
Wow. Seems a bit early to be starting that already. It is hot though. Topped 100 degrees at work today. Sick of it already!
Grass is cut pool is open but a little cold yet time to sit back and have a ice cold Sprite my work is done for the day enjoy this beautiful Thursday loving it a nice brezz has kicked up ahhhh May by far Michigans best INDY
84 here already with a dew point of 60. Feels hot and humid. Just shut the house up and turned on the A/C.
Looks like Grand Rapids has been upgraded to a severe drought. This heatwave will definitely not help.
Hard to believe how brown everything is turning for the middle of May. Looks more like mid July when everything is turning crispy.
Two years that come to mind when one talks about drought are 1987 and 1988. At this time we have a long ways to go before this year gets that dry. In the summer of 1988 trees had leaves that dried up on them and both summers had both hot days and some cool nights. If it gets that dry you will know it as there was no green grass in non watered areas and even some of the deep rooted weeds became brown.
Slim
Here NW of GR there was a light rain shower yesterday and I recorded 0.02″ The overnight low here at my house was 63 and at this time with cloudy skies it it 69 here. The record highs for the next several days are in the low 90’s Highs of 85 or above would be in the top 10 on most days. So enjoy this nice taste of summer.
Slim
Probably no records but definitely mid 80’s not out of the question for a few days maybe this will warm lake Michigan up so we can swim next holiday weekend woo woo …INDY
At the Lansing airport, only 0.33″ for this month, just 1.67″ in April, and just 1.61″ in March. Only 7.33″ since January 1st. The drought is getting really bad.
A summer heat wave in mid May! What could be better?
“Highs from around 80 to well into the 80s the next 5 to 6 days. Normal highs this time of year are in the lower 70s. Highs on Friday in the mid to upper 80s will be 15 degrees or so above normal.”
Least we can turn the furnace off now woo woo 8 months of running the furnace is longggg enough around west Michigan!! INDY
I’ve barely ran mine the past several weeks. It probably won’t be until the end of October before I have to again. Enjoy!
Not on common for the furnace to kick on in September that’s only 3 months away Summers are to short around here darn!!! INDY
LOL be sure to tell me when you turn on your furnace in September. By the way, September 20th is 4 months away.
Like I said not on common!! INDY
Looking forward to the mid 70’s next week thank goodness the heat doesn’t stick around maybe I will put the fan in the window this weekend…INDY
Welcome back to the blog LOL
Lol ok…INDY