856 FXUS63 KAPX 190537 AFDAPXArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Gaylord MI 137 AM EDT Fri Sep 19 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Shower/storm chances favoring areas south of M-32. Slight thunder potential as well, greatest chances near Saginaw Bay.
- Turning cooler Friday and Saturday with low shower chances at times. Better rain chances arrive later in the weekend as warmth and humidity return Sunday.
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.SHORT TERM /THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON/... Issued at 232 PM EDT Thu Sep 18 2025
Pattern Synopsis/Forecast: Ridging overhead being somewhat suppressed by a weak/subtle trough making headway just off to our northeast. Backdoor cold front passed through northern MI from the north-northeast this morning/midday with ample post-frontal moisture struggling to release its grip on low clouds across parts of the forecast area. More plentiful sun the father south one goes with potential for a few pop up showers/storms this afternoon/early evening. Otherwise, a return of higher surface pressures and increasingly dry air gradually returns on Friday.
Forecast Details: Stubborn morning/midday cloud cover across the northern half of the forecast area as pretty much dissipated over the last hour or two. Southern areas (primarily south of M-32) remain favored for continued convective processes this afternoon/early evening, with the highest chances as you head near M-55 where MUCAPE is progged as high as 1,000 J/kg. Any scattered shower/storm development should largely dissipate after sunset with the loss of diurnal heating.
Some stratus may redevelop tonight, favored across parts of eastern upper and northeast lower. Lows generally spanning the upper 40s to upper 50s area-wide.
For Friday, any low clouds tonight likely to be slow to improve on Friday, but eventually more sunshine expected area-wide with high temperatures cooler than the last several days for many areas -- ranging from the mid-60s to mid-70s area-wide, a touch cooler near the Lake Huron shoreline given a prevailing east wind. Low chances/confidence for a few additional pop up showers/storms during the afternoon/evening, primarily in downsloping areas of northwest lower (west of US-131).
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.LONG TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... Issued at 232 PM EDT Thu Sep 18 2025
Pattern Forecast: High pressure remains centered to our northeast Friday night through Saturday with a developing system upstream over the Plains. At least initially, northern MI is sandwiched between these two with relatively tranquil conditions anticipated. By later Saturday, a warm front emanating from that upstream system will introduce shower chances across parts of the forecast area with better chances for more numerous showers/storms expected to arrive by later Sunday into Monday.
Additional showery/unsettled weather potential continues into Tuesday as moisture is slow to depart, and with increasingly colder air aloft, may combine to kick of some diurnal instability driven showers. Longer range guidance trends suggest cooler/drier air builds in beyond this disturbance for the middle part of next week.
Forecast Details: Generally low end chances for scattered showers and an isolated thunderstorm exist Saturday as a warm front tied to low pressure upstream begins its approach. This boundary eventually expected to cross south to north late Saturday night into Sunday with a warmer and somewhat more muggy day on Sunday. Additional, more numerous, shower and storm chances late Sunday, Sunday night into early Monday as more favorable forcing aloft slides across the western Great Lakes.
Showery conditions may linger at times for the second half of Monday into Tuesday with a general drying trend anticipated heading toward the middle of next week. Temperatures remaining on the mild side through the entirety of the forecast period with daytime highs largely in the upper 60s to mid-70s and no real sign of a return of more fall-like temperatures on the horizon.
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.AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SATURDAY/... Issued at 136 AM EDT Fri Sep 19 2025
BR/FG and low CIGs remain possible at KMBL through the rest of tonight, although some mid clouds are currently hampering development. LIFR-IFR CIGs/VIS possible at times through the early morning. Otherwise, MVFR CIGs develop across portions of northern lower MI tonight, lingering into the mid to late morning hours. Cannot rule out some brief IFR CIGs as well in spots. Outside of an iso shower near KMBL this afternoon, dry conditions prevail through the period. East winds are anticipated through today, at about 5 to 10KTs on average.
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.APX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...None. MARINE...None.
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SHORT TERM...MJG LONG TERM...MJG AVIATION...JLD
NWS APX Office Area Forecast Discussion