430
FXUS63 KDTX 172330
AFDDTX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Detroit/Pontiac MI
730 PM EDT Fri May 17 2024

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Lingering widely scattered thunderstorms will dissipate early this
  evening.

- An Air Quality Alert is in effect for portions of Southeast
  Michigan Saturday, including Metro Detroit.

- Very warm and muggy conditions will be in-place this weekend with
  additional opportunities for thunderstorms Sunday and again early
  next week.

&&

.AVIATION...

Lingering showers/thunderstorms, primarily in the FNT/PTK corridor,
will slowly diminish in the 01z-02z timeframe. At this time, this
activity is not expected to reach I-94. With notable low level
moisture in place and light/variable winds, fog will be a concern
overnight and will be a bit more aggressive with this forecast and
monitor initial formation later this evening. Will at least bring a
tempo 1/2-3/4sm vsby into PTK south overnight with some degree of
fog/ifr-lifr stratus holding into early Saturday morning. Once this
clears, VFR conditions are expected into Saturday evening.

For DTW/D21 Convection...A small cluster of strong thunderstorms
between FNT/PTK should dissipate before arriving at DTW early this
evening. In the event a remnant storm cell does survive and encroach
on Metro Airport, it would be around 02z and should be very isolated
in nature. That said, localized wind gusts to 30-40 mph would not be
out of the question in such a scenario.

DTW THRESHOLD PROBABILITIES...


* Low for a thunderstorm early this evening (through 01z).

* Low for ceilings and visibilities to drop below 200ft or 1/2SM
  tonight.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION...
Issued at 328 PM EDT Fri May 17 2024

DISCUSSION...

Partial clearing after morning showers has allowed for areas of
sufficient insolation which converts building instability to surface-
based CAPE. Diurnal convective development has initiated in isolated
to widely-scattered fashion with surface dewpoints near 60F. Severe
threat remains quite low given 0-6 km bulk shear values AOB 25
knots, therefore expect mostly short-lived pulse-like thunderstorms.
Latest CAMs suggest a slight increase in coverage with the arrival
of a low-amplitude shortwave aloft. Varying storm motions possible
as a weak low pressure system/triple-point stalls over Midland.
Multiple boundaries within the vicinity offer several additional
point-sources for lift, augmented by MUCAPEs of 750-1250 J/kg.
Steepest lapse rates should be located within the 500-400 mb level,
exceeding 8 C/km for part of the afternoon while the lower layer
settles closer to moist adiabatic. Some pea-sized hail and few gusts
to 40 mph are the main threats today. Storms wane after 9 PM as the
mid-levels warm slightly and surface-based activity is cut-off by
the development of a nocturnal inversion. A couple lingering showers
are possible early tonight before the surface pattern gets washed
out.

Weak ridging ensues Saturday with anticyclonic flow noted above 700
mb. Dewpoints remain elevated (near 60F), but forecast soundings
reveal thermodynamic profiles that are a bit too warm to facilitate
convective updrafts. High temperatures warm to near 80F for most
areas while light southeast winds draw slightly cooler air to the
coastal communities off the lakes. Clouds thin heading into the
afternoon hours as a subsidence inversion develops between 800 and
700 mb.

Flow veers southwesterly Sunday as a deep closed low drifts into
northwestern Ontario. An attendant cold front extending well south
of the surface reflection washes out over Lake Michigan midday as
the warm advection arm traces back to northern Texas. Locally,
temperatures top out well above normal as highs peak in the low to
mid 80s marked by 850 mb temps of 14-15C. Note that some model
variance remains between the ensemble and deterministic solutions as
it pertains to thermodynamics. Additional differences noted in QPF
magnitude/extent, but most solutions do agree that some convective
storms should arise during the PM hours. Dewpoints in the lower 60s
and steep low-level lapse-rates should activate surface parcels as
shortwave perturbations embedded within the periphery of the leading
height fall gradient arrive. Agreed with NBM PoP increase to Slight
Chance across most of the forecast area. Low-end potential exists
for additional storms Sunday night as a more robust CVA response
streams through the drying mid-levels.

An unsettled pattern continues early next week as the synoptic ridge
becomes stationary over The Appalachians and the northern stream jet
remains active just off to the west. Several shortwaves will eject
eastward out of stalled longwave trough Monday and Tuesday with
additional ThetaE intrusions. Strong to severe storms would be most
probable Tuesday as dewpoints peak in the mid 60s and 0-6 km bulk
shear approaches 30 knots. The upper level configuration unlocks
Wednesday as an energetic low drops into the Pacific Northwest from
the Gulf of Alaska triggering ridge amplification over the
Intermountain West. This kicks the jet eastward Wednesday along with
a cold front which could initiate some preceding convection locally,
depending on timing and southern stream wave interactions. Post-
frontal conditions should be noticeably cooler for the back half of
next week with a return to near-normal readings.

MARINE...

Scattered showers potentially producing thunderstorms will move over
Lake Huron and Lake Erie this afternoon as a weak low pressure
center and frontal boundary move across the region. Gentle southerly
winds over Lake Huron will back to become more easterly this
evening, decreasing down to about 5 knots. These calm winds and
moist conditions will lead to some patchy fog overnight. Fog over
the lake will hang around for a bit longer than over land, lasting
into the early afternoon. Benign and predominantly southerly winds
persist through the weekend with a weak cold front moving through on
Sunday. Potential for more unsettled conditions Monday night into
Tuesday as a stronger system moves into the area. This system will
bring moderate southerly winds as well as showers and thunderstorms.

&&

.DTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MI...None.
Lake Huron...None.
Lake St Clair...None.
Michigan waters of Lake Erie...None.
&&

$$

AVIATION.....DG
DISCUSSION...KGK
MARINE.......BC


You can obtain your latest National Weather Service forecasts online
at www.weather.gov/detroit.