Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Gaylord, MI
Issued by NWS Gaylord, MI
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756 FXUS63 KAPX 300731 AFDAPX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Gaylord MI 331 AM EDT Thu Jul 30 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... -Mainly dry weather persists today besides a few isolated showers across the U.P. -High pressure supports sunny and dry weather throughout the entire forecast period. Only chance of measurable precipitation remains on Friday with scattered showers producing limited amounts of QPF. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 331 AM EDT Thu Jul 30 2026 Pattern Synopsis: Broad split flow-pattern continues to encompass North America today with multiple waves over Canada and broad midlevel ridging over the mid to southern U.S. Subsidence aloft will support surface high pressure today with mostly sunny skies besides a few isolated showers across Eastern Upper supported by weak low level troughing. The only main chance of precipitation for the entirety of the forecast period remains on Friday as a wave currently over central Saskatchewan progresses eastward. An attached and disheveled surface low lifts across Hudson Bay and provides enough moisture to support light showers with a few embedded thunderstorms to the Great Lakes Region Friday and Saturday Aforementioned midlevel troughing behind the frontal passage will return below-normal temperatures this weekend followed by highs building back to climatological normals this Monday. Broad ridging will return surface high pressure and overall quiet weather through the remainder of the forecast period. Forecast Details: Today: Some low-level Cu will be observed this morning across interior areas of the CWA but will dissipate by late morning/midday with typical daytime heating processes. While most locations remain mostly sunny and dry due to surface high pressure centered over Southern Lake Michigan, a few isolated showers progress across the Upper Peninsula this afternoon. Areas that do observe rainfall are attempting to overcome the dry low levels, leading to a general trace to a few hundredths expected. Temperatures remain pretty much on par for late July across Northern Michigan with highs building to the low to mid 80s combined with light west to northwest flow. Cloud cover will begin to increase in the afternoon/evening from the northwest as the approaching wave returns showers this Friday. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday: Only real chance of measurable precipitation remains on Friday night as a weak frontal boundary sweeps across the Great Lakes Region. Latest guidance depicts forcing and instability becoming disheveled with time. The first wave of showers arrives overnight Thursday into Friday morning with light amounts of QPF. The main wave of showers and storms is expected during the afternoon and evening hours. Latest model runs keep totals across the majority of the CWA between a few hundredths and a quarter inch. However, embedded convection with PWATs over an inch will likely deliver localized totals of 1.0 to 1.5 or more, especially around the M-32 corridor. The frontal boundary will stall just downstream of the CWA as it heads toward the east coast. Additional rainfall will linger into Saturday, but little to no QPF is expected after 12Z Saturday. Post frontal temperatures have a Canadian air mass influence Saturday and Sunday Monday through Wednesday Outlook: Board 500mb ridging re-develops next week, supporting subsidence aloft and overall benign weather. Temperatures return back to climatological normals for late July/early August with highs in the low to mid 80s through the end of the forecast period. Long-range ensembles depict broad midlevel troughing over Canada deepening and returning waves of energy to the Great Lakes Region just beyond the end of the forecast period. Chances of precipitation will likely return to the long-term forecast beyond the middle of next week. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z FRIDAY/... Issued at 1149 PM EDT Wed Jul 29 2026 VFR aside from some patchy fog possible tonight, primarily at MBL. Winds generally light AOB 10 kts during the day Thursday with lake breeze development most prominent at APN. Low chances for an isolated shower/storm at CIU late Thursday afternoon/ evening, but confidence too low to include in the TAF at this time. && .APX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...None. MARINE...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...SJC AVIATION...MJG