Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Detroit/Pontiac, MI
Issued by NWS Detroit/Pontiac, MI
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192 FXUS63 KDTX 020001 AFDDTX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Detroit/Pontiac MI 801 PM EDT Sat Jun 1 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Showers move in this evening and continue overnight and Sunday morning. Rainfall totals generally range between 0.25" to 0.75". - A warming trend continues Sunday and Monday with highs in the lower 80s expected Monday afternoon. - Unsettled weather returns Tuesday and lasts through mid-week with periods of showers and thunderstorms. && .AVIATION... VFR rain showers are spreading across terminals to start this TAF period with ceilings mostly above 5 kft. Observations show MVFR ceilings trailing the lead wave of light showers reaching western portions of Michigan and northern Indiana. These ceilings will spread across terminals by 07Z or shortly before a rain showers continue. Slight uptick in heavier shower activity late tonight will bring potential for MVFR VSBYs as well. The influx of low level moisture will hold the lower stratus and possibly support some fog/drizzle through the morning hours as surface low pressure moves through southeast Michigan. Conditions will gradually improve tomorrow afternoon into the evening. For DTW/D21 Convection...There has been no thunderstorms observed in Michigan with the arrival of rainfall thus far. The lack of instability should greatly limit the thunder potential through tonight. DTW THRESHOLD PROBABILITIES... * Low for thunderstorms tonight. * High for ceilings at or below 5,000 feet tonight and tomorrow morning. && .PREV DISCUSSION... Issued at 313 PM EDT Sat Jun 1 2024 DISCUSSION... A plume of showers extends from the Gulf coast to the upper Midwest this afternoon as a southern stream short wave circulation phases with the larger northern stream/Canadian mid level trough/low. Model analysis fields indicate a broad moisture axis/theta-e ridge extending south to north along and ahead of the associated surface pressure system tapping plentiful Gulf moisture. Model fields match up well with afternoon hourly mesoanalyses that measure 1.5 inch PW reaching up to the Chicago area at forecast issuance. The foundation of moisture transport is responsible for the sizable footprint of showers with localized enhancement in and around the southern stream mid level circulation projected to move across southern Lower Mi tonight. So far, the absence of thunderstorms is a notable aspect of the pattern commensurate with mesoanalysis of sub 6 C/km 700-500 mb lapse rate and surface based CAPE hovering around 500 J/kg. Some recovery of instability is likely south of the Ohio valley this afternoon but remains an issue northward across Lower Mi through the evening. Some elevated/nocturnal recovery is possible across the area late tonight as moisture transport remains strong enough to be a destabilizing factor into Sunday morning. This, along with forcing tied to the mid level circulation, otherwise contribute to widespread showers while keeping a stray rumble of thunder possible. A model trend materializing for Sunday is slower exit timing on the surface pressure system from SE Mi in the afternoon. Hi-res and regional models are latching on to this idea as a source for redevelopment or maintenance of scattered showers, especially during peak heating similar to the response in the MO/IL/IA area today. Larger scale forcing does increasingly become an opposing factor mainly in terms of mid level subsidence in the downstream vicinity of the short wave ridge. Opted to hold on to a low end chance POP toward the eastern border region, very dependent on daytime heating, considering upstream observations today. The influence of the inbound mid level ridge and surface high pressure gain traction Sunday night for dry weather Sunday night and Monday. Mixed high clouds are the dominant sky cover Monday which allows afternoon temperatures a chance to reach the lower 80s under the broader long wave ridge to zonal flow transition. Today`s models then show a reasonable consensus on continuing a pattern change toward mid week. Pacific upper jet energy digging into the west coast initiates Plains height falls Tuesday into an impressive affecting the Great Lakes by Wednesday. MARINE... A slow moving low pressure system will move across southern Lake Michigan this evening, then will advance toward southern Lake Huron on Sunday before weakening. This system will drive an area of rain across the lakes tonight through Sunday morning. As the low pressure system weakens, high pressure will develop across the region Sunday night into Monday. Winds will generally remain light given the weak gradient across the eastern lakes. An approaching warm front will bring a chance of showers and thunderstorms to the region on Tuesday. Southeast wind gusts approaching 20 knots are possible as the gradient increases ahead of this front. The warm front will then be followed by a strong cold front on Wednesday, sustaining the chances for thunderstorms. HYDROLOGY... Showers and a stray thunderstorm in the Midwest and Ohio valley today are on schedule to move across Lower Michigan tonight and Sunday. The activity is fueled by Gulf moisture feeding into low pressure and a weakening front moving across the region. Rainfall amounts between 0.25" to 0.75" are expected, although localized higher amounts around 1 inch are not out of the question. Brief and minor flooding of prone urban and low-lying areas, ponding of water on roadways, and rises in area rivers are possible in this scenario until the pattern becomes scattered and exits eastward Sunday afternoon. && .DTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...None. Lake Huron...None. Lake St Clair...None. Michigan waters of Lake Erie...None. && $$ AVIATION.....AA DISCUSSION...BT MARINE.......SC HYDROLOGY....BT You can obtain your latest National Weather Service forecasts online at www.weather.gov/detroit.