WEST MICHIGAN — We’ve been talking for the past few days about a surge of tropical moisture from the remnants of Hurricane Patricia moving in to Michigan this week. While most of Tuesday will be dry, rain is expected to develop across our southern counties late Tuesday afternoon/early evening. That rain will spread northward through the area by mid evening. Rain will continue overnight and through a good portion of Wednesday.
Conditions will turn breezy Tuesday with an easterly wind at around 10 to 20 mph. The breezes will stay up through Wednesday, but Wednesday evening/night will increase to about 15 to 25 mph. By Thursday, these winds are expected to ramp up further out of the southwest/west at around 20 to 30 mph with gusts of 40 to 50. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the National Weather Service issue a WIND ADVISORY during this time from (Wednesday P.M. through Thursday).
Temperatures Tuesday and Wednesday will make 60 or better, but will likely start falling Wednesday afternoon once the front slides through and we get behind the system. By Thursday, lake-effect and lake-enhanced rain showers are likely most of the day as a strong upper level low pressure system rotates through the Great Lakes. In fact, it may be cold enough Wednesday night and Thursday for some wet snow flakes or light snow showers to mix in at times.
Winds will finally relax later on Thursday and we should clear our skies for some sunshine Friday. The image attached to this story is our computer forecast model from 6:00 A.M. Wednesday. Clearly, a wet morning commute is anticipated. Below is a snapshot form the same forecast model estimating rain totals from this event through Wednesday at 6:00 P.M.. The bulk of the rain will be ending and many locations should end up with a prolonged, steady rain with totals between .75″ and 1.25″.
Below you’ll also see a snapshot valid on Thursday at 6:00 P.M. from our forecast model of wind speeds at gusts at that time. The bigger numbers in white are the two-minute sustained wind speed, while the “G” number above each city represents the possible gust speed. The arrow represents the direction from which the wind is coming from.
It also looks as if we have shower chances on Halloween. Make sure to stay up on later forecasts since things could change this far out. Also, don’t forget to move the clocks back ONE HOUR this weekend as we return to Eastern Standard Time. Get more weather info at www.fox17online.com/weather.
