626 FXUS63 KDTX 210943 AFDDTXArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Detroit/Pontiac MI 543 AM EDT Sun Sep 21 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms today. Greater coverage and intensity from mid afternoon through evening.
- There is a Marginal Risk of severe thunderstorms. Damaging wind is the primary hazard.
- Showers continue Monday and Tuesday. Localized heavy rainfall will be possible.
- Low potential for rainfall Wednesday through next Saturday as a ridge of high pressure is forecasted to build over the northern Great Lakes.
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.AVIATION...
Periodic isolated to scattered showers with some embedded thunderstorms will be possible through the day today. There are a couple of signals for higher end probability for shower development, represented by PROB/TEMPO/FM groups, but overall shower and thunderstorm development will be hit and miss across SE MI. The best chance for any thunderstorm potential will be favored between 20Z to 04Z, but confidence in timing, coverage, and location of storm potential remains low. Otherwise, these higher based shower and storms are expected to keep ceiling heights elevated to aoa 5kft, with some brief ceiling and visibility reductions possible with thunderstorm activity. Any thunderstorm will be capable of producing wind gusts in excess of 35 knots.
For DTW/D21 Convection... Increasing chances for isolated to scattered showers in the late morning to early afternoon hours. Then, low chances for embedded thunderstorms focused 20Z to 03Z tonight.
DTW THRESHOLD PROBABILITIES...
* Low for ceilings at or below 5,000 feet today.
* Low for isolated thunderstorms to impact DTW today 20Z to 03Z.
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.PREV DISCUSSION... Issued at 256 AM EDT Sun Sep 21 2025
DISCUSSION...
Moisture advection occurs over Southeast Michigan today as the blocking ridge over the central Great Lakes finally breaks down. Plan view progs do show low level jet axis already in place for a good portion of today but precipitation chances will largely hold off until after 20Z waiting for the main meridional thetae plume on the 316-324Ke surfaces to release across/through the cwa. Hires runs show a spread of outcomes today, with some guidance suggesting a lean/very hit or miss potential. There does remain a signal that suggests glaciated remnants in the 14-18z time window with a diurnal re-inititation of showers and thunderstorms then after 20z. It is this scenario the current Marginal designation in the Swody1 is predicated on. Current 12hr forecasted PoPs are likely running a little hot as coverage later today could be fairly sparse. Meager midlevel lapse rates above what could be a relatively stable low level environmental profile limits the MLCAPES to 750 J/kg or less. An inverted V structure to the sounding with 0-6km bulk shear of 30- 35 knots may support a strong to severe thunderstorm today. A wind gust in vicinity of thunderstorm activity of 40-60mph may be possible.
A pseudo cold frontal feature is forecasted to organize and be forced southward through the forecast area tonight. The cold front will result from the combination of anticyclonic vorticity advection and dynamic subsidence from confluence aloft. The boundary is expected to clear Southeast Michigan to the south then stall out in vicinity of Downriver and western Lake Erie basin for a good portion of Monday afternoon. Look and feel of the plan view thetae progs suggest a favorable corridor of frontogenesis and system relative isentropic ascent across the area. Uncertainty in coverage, but models do suggest the greatest potential for precipitation and qpf potential will fall late Monday. Current forecast has categorical PoPs. Difficult to discuss QPF amounts for individual periods, but the interquartile range of ensemble data suggests Sunday and Monday QPF totals of .75 to 1.50 inch will be possible. The real wildcard is what will occur on Tuesday and some model solutions suggest an MCV may emerge out of Central United States thunderstorm activity and track towards the state.
Model trends continue to support a ridge of surface high pressure building over the northern Great Lakes from Wednesday through next Saturday. Gradient setup supports a northerly wind direction with comfortable daytime temperatures near 70. The current forecast has an extended run of lower PoPs that will likely need to be refined (lowered).
MARINE...
High pressure over New England gradually departs into the Atlantic, allowing broad low pressure over the upper Midwest to exert increasing influence over the central Great Lakes today. Benign weather early gives way to increasing probabilities for showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and evening as the low ushers in a warm front. Isolated stronger storms will be capable of producing localized wind gusts in excess of 34 knots and waterspouts. Wind prevails out of the southeast at around 10 kt today, then shifts to southwest Monday while remaining around 10 kt. An unsettled showery/stormy pattern continues through Monday into Tuesday as multiple disturbances pass over the region along with a slow moving frontal boundary.
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.DTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...None. Lake Huron...None. Lake St Clair...None. Michigan waters of Lake Erie...None. &&
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AVIATION.....AM DISCUSSION...CB MARINE.......TF
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NWS dtx Office Area Forecast Discussion