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T’Storms and severe weather possible this week

Posted at 6:11 PM, Apr 05, 2015
and last updated 2015-04-05 18:17:51-04

GRAND RAPIDS, MI. — While Spring is upon us and we are now in to severe weather season, a more active pattern will unfold for Michigan. A stationery front draped over southern/lower Michigan most of this week will be the focal point for occasional showers and thunderstorms. It is possible that some of these storms could be severe, especially on Thursday. See Day five of the outlook here from the Storm Prediction Center.

The front will meander back and forth from southern Michigan in to northern Indiana. It appears that as the front drops over the Michigan/Indiana border on Tuesday and Wednesday, light rain showers will develop on Tuesday and our temperatures both days may generally be held in the 40s with an east to northeast wind. Our forecast models show that same front lifting northward through most of West Michigan on Thursday and Friday. If this verifies, we’ll get into the warm sector, see temperatures into the 60s both days, but likely experience a few rounds of showers and thunderstorms as well. As it stands, Thursday and possibly Friday would be our best chances for severe weather, so make sure to stay up on later forecasts.

The image attached to this story is a surface map from the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center valid for Monday morning. Note the stationery front over southern lower Michigan. That front will stay in place and dominate our weather for much of this week. Click here to see more surface maps through the week.

It certainly is worth mentioning that Saturday April 11, 1965 marks the 50th anniversary of the Palm Sunday tornado outbreak here in the Great Lakes. Get the complete story with actual photos from the National Weather Service here. For those of us that live (or lived) in Comstock Park and Alpine Township, the National Weather Service is looking for photos or video of the F4 tornado that ripped through that area. A public forum, panel discussion, and commemorative night is planned at Kenowa Hills Highs School auditorium Saturday April 11, 2015 at 7:00 PM. All are welcome.

Get the complete West Michigan forecast at www.fox17online.com/weather.