textproduct: Detroit/Pontiac

KEY MESSAGES

- Much above normal temperatures continue today with highs again into the 70s. These high temperatures are 10 to 15 degrees above normal.

- There is a chance of showers and isolated thunderstorms this afternoon and evening.

- Dry and continued mild this weekend.

DTW THRESHOLD PROBABILITIES

* Moderate for ceiling at or below 5000 feet this afternoon and evening.

* Low for thunderstorms this afternoon and evening (mainly 20z to 00z).

PREV DISCUSSION

Issued at 316 AM EDT Thu Oct 29 2026

DISCUSSION...

A cold front will sweep across lower MI today between about 18Z and 00Z bringing with it a scattered showers and gusty southwesterly winds. The front was meridional passing through MN and WI today with strong fgen and a strong low level jet feeding the front. As the surface low tracks from Lake Superior tonight up to western Quebec by this afternoon, it will drag the front through the area which will become increasingly more positively tilted. The fgen weakens and becomes disorganized and the low level jet lifts northeastward away from lower MI. A weak mid level wave will move into the area as the front passes this afternoon which will help daytime heating to bring very weak instability over the area with MUCAPE up to a couple hundred J/kg. Lapse rates are still in the 6-7 C/km range for the most part in the narrow moist layer ahead of the front. Expectations are for scattered showers to move into Saginaw Valley this morning before spreading south and east across the area with the front through the afternoon. A few embedded non-severe thunderstorms may accompany the showers, especially later this afternoon around the Detroit area as the front tries to re-intensify before exiting to the southeast.

High temperatures will rise into the 70s once more today with the later frontal passage. The next ridge building in behind the front out of Canada will bring a cooler airmass with 850mb temps down to around 5C. Lows tonight will respond dropping into the mid to upper 30s for most locations away from the Detroit heat island. Highs Friday will then struggle to hit 60s, which is actually still above normal for late October. Mostly clear skies to start Friday night will allow for a quick drop in temps once again down to around freezing in the Thumb. Clouds will start filling back in across the south so will limit the cooling potential closer to the Ohio border so lows may struggle to drop below 40.

The aforementioned clouds are associated with a southern stream front lifting into the Ohio Valley. Elevated portions will extend toward southern MI but strong surface high and overall upper level height rises will result in strong stability and prevent precip from making it into southeast MI. This ridging will hold into the new week keeping temperatures running above normal through this time. The next system slated to enter the region Tuesday.

MARINE...

Strong southwest low level jet tracking through the central Great Lakes early this morning. However, the warm advection pattern is helping to limit mixing depths and stronger winds from reaching the surface. Nonetheless, still expecting gusts at or above 25 knots, most prevalent over Central Lake Huron extending back into Saginaw Bay. A Small Craft Advisory remains in early this afternoon for these wind gusts. Offshore flow, however, should keep waves mostly in the 2 to 4 foot range however.

Behind the cold front, wind speeds look to be maximized over northern Lake Huron where cold advection is most robust. 850 MB temps progged to fall below zero Thursday night, promoting deeper mixing and northwest gusts of 25 to 30 knots. Confidence is high in a period of 25 to 30 knot gusts over northern Lake Huron. High pressure quickly builds into the central Great Lakes Friday afternoon, setting up lighter winds and dry conditions over the weekend.

DTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

MI...None.

Lake Huron...Small Craft Advisory until 3 PM EDT this afternoon for LHZ421-422- 441.

Lake St Clair...None.

Michigan waters of Lake Erie...None.