


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Grand Rapids, MI
Issued by NWS Grand Rapids, MI
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230 FXUS63 KGRR 160520 AFDGRR Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI 120 AM EDT Mon Jun 16 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Quiet start to the week...Dry through Monday Night - Showers and storms mid week...severe weather possible - Hot weather looking likely next weekend && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 338 PM EDT Sun Jun 15 2025 - Quiet start to the week...Dry through Monday Night A quiet start to the week is expected weather wise as surface high pressure hangs on into Monday. Generally partly cloudy skies are expected with some high clouds moving through tonight and cumulus development expected on Monday. Lows tonight will dip into the 50s again in most areas...warming into the 80s on Monday. Southwest flow kicks in on the backside of the departing surface ridge and we will see warmer lows as a result, only dropping into the 60s. - Showers and storms mid week...severe weather possible Tuesday looks to be a warm day with southwest flow in place. 850mb temperatures reach the upper teens C which should bring at least upper 80s for highs for the southeast half of the forecast area. The surge of moisture into the area at the surface (mid 60s dew points) will make it feel like mid summer. A cold front will be poised just upstream, slowly sliding our direction as a mid level wave moves from west to east across the Northern Great Lakes. Showers and storms will be possible Tuesday afternoon and evening, with the best chances over Central Lower Michigan closer to the front. The front stalls and becomes stationary Tuesday night over the CWA, likely becoming a focus for shower and thunderstorm development. The models are not real bullish though on the threat of precipitation Tuesday night which is likely due to the fact there is not a coherent low level jet in the area to focus the precipitation. With the front, instability and a weak LLJ we do have 30-60 pops through the course of the night. The main focus is on Wednesday when the deterministic models try to bring a low into or through the area. The ECMWF is quicker pushing the low into the CWA at max heating, while the GFS lags a bit not bringing it through until Wednesday night. We will likely see a warm front lifting north through the area during the day and a cold front sweeping in during the evening. The mid level wave in both models (GFS and ECWMF) looks potent. The mid level jet in both the GFS and the ECWMF is in excess of 50 knots. The ECWMF has a 50 knot low level jet as well. Suffice it to say, dynamics are in play with this system. Thermodynamics may be in place as well with MUCAPE values at least into the 1000-2000 j/kg range with some models indicating higher. Deep layer shear will be strong given both speed and directional shear. 0-6km shear is in excess of 50 knots with some suggestion of 60-70 knots. It is day 4, but cannot argue with the Slight Risk that SPC has already placed us in. Confidence will increase as two factors become more clear 1) the GFS and ECWMF coming more in line with one another in timing of the low and 2) some certainty that Tuesday night and Wednesday morning clouds and precip don`t put a lid on our instability. Depending on how those two items trend we could be looking at an episode of severe weather with all hazards in play. Plenty of time yet to watch how things evolve in the models. Clearly our focus in the 7 day forecast is on mid week! - Hot weather looking likely next weekend Once the mid week system clears to the east heights begin to rise Thursday night which continues right into the weekend. A strong mid summer ridge is fully in place by Sunday. 850mb temperatures rise into the +20 to +22 C range for Saturday and Sunday which brings a solid likelihood of temperatures reaching at least the low 90s. There is a weak shortwave in the models in the Friday night / Saturday morning time frame that could bring a period of showers and storms. This wave looks to be associated with a warm front lifting through the area on the leading edge of the very warm air before we push fully into the ridge position. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY/... Issued at 120 AM EDT Mon Jun 16 2025 VFR conditions are expected through this entire forecast period. We are seeing some mid and high clouds overhead early this morning. All of the cloud bases are at or above 8k ft agl. This will continue through the morning hours, before a sct to bkn cumulus deck develops this afternoon. Expect less coverage right at the lakeshore as a lake breeze develops at KMKG with winds becoming from the SW. The cumulus clouds will then dissipate toward sunset, leaving some mid and high clouds to hold on once again. Winds will go mainly light after dark at all locations. && .MARINE... Issued at 338 PM EDT Sun Jun 15 2025 The rest of Sunday will feature easterly (offshore) flow is expected near the lakeshore through this evening with northerly flow over the open lake. Light and variable winds are expected over the lake Sunday before south to southwest winds of 10-15 knots develop Tuesday and Wednesday. The other notable weather that may be impactful to marine interests is several periods of thunderstorms are becoming increasingly likely between late Tuesday and Thursday. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...None. MARINE...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...Duke AVIATION...NJJ/Thomas MARINE...Thomas