Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Grand Rapids, MI
Issued by NWS Grand Rapids, MI
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247 FXUS63 KGRR 210430 AFDGRR Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI 1130 PM EST Thu Nov 20 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Showers possible near cold front tonight - Dry and mild through the weekend - Rain changing to snow mid week, colder && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 228 PM EST Thu Nov 20 2025 - Showers possible near cold front tonight Local radar shows light echos indicative of drizzle/fog moving north across the cwa. 12z soundings match previous forecast soundings in showing abundant low level moisture trapped beneath an inversion near 840 mb. Short range models point toward this inversion remaining in place overnight, resulting in areas of fog and drizzle. A cold front will drop south across Lower MI after midnight and there may be enough convergence along the front to squeeze out a brief shower. Otherwise, RH progs suggest the low cloud deck will begin to thin around 12z from north to south. - Dry and mild through the weekend Ridging will build into the cwa Friday and keep any precipitation from the low pressure system moving across the Ohio Valley south of the cwa. We`ll see some sunshine develop from north to south as the day progresses. Another weak cold front will move across the cwa Saturday night but moisture is lacking and there isn`t any cold air behind it. Riding will quickly build in from the west and temperatures will rise; Highs in the lower 50s are expected Sunday through Tuesday. - Rain changing to snow mid week, colder Models are showing some phasing between the northern and southern streams early next week, such that a southern Rockies low rides northward along a cold front moving east across the upper MS Valley. Models show a compact short wave associated with the low and showers (80 percent) are expected to develop late Monday and continue into Tuesday. All of it will be rain. However, colder air will wrap into the system as a strong short wave drops south into the Great Lakes and any lingering rain showers will mix with and turn to snow. This transition is a bit quicker than models suggested yesterday. H8 temperatures fall from +4c Tuesday night to -8c by Wednesday evening. ECMWF ensembles show the middle of next week as the transition to a colder pattern continuing into December. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SATURDAY/... Issued at 1130 PM EST Thu Nov 20 2025 Widespread IFR to LIFR is present at all of the terminals in the form of lower clouds and visibilities to start off the 06z set of forecasts. This is a slight improvement from earlier as the drizzle does not look as heavy as earlier. We do expect it to continue as is for a few hours. Then, conditions will start to improve from NW to SE across the area as a front moves through and drier air follows. The IFR will slowly lift by mid to late morning, then VFR conditions should develop this afternoon and continue into tonight. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...None. MARINE...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...04 AVIATION...NJJ