WEST MICHIGAN – Saturday is expected to have multiple rounds of showers and storms with heavy rainfall and gusty winds. West Michigan could see a small break in the shower and storm activity during the late morning and early afternoon hours before more consistent showers and storms return. A warm front will lift north through West Michigan bringing the first main wave of shower and storms for the weekend. Temperatures stay in the upper 50s and middle 60s into Saturday afternoon. Showers and storms are expected to stay for the weekend into Sunday.
Heading overnight Saturday into Sunday morning is our biggest threat for highest wind gusts and heaviest rainfall. Starting anytime around 10-11 pm Saturday evening a line of showers and storms will start to push southeast through West Michigan and pushing out of the area around 2-3 am Sunday morning. West Michigan has been upgraded to a slight risk for severe weather with the main threat being gusty winds. Wind gusts expected to reach 30-40 mph or even topping out to 50-60 mph. Be prepared for possible power outages throughout the area. A small brief tornado can’t be ruled out of the equation, but the highest threat for this system is staying to the southwest of West Michigan.
Heavy rainfall is expected throughout these showers and storms during Saturday and Sunday with most places in West Michigan picking up 2-3 inches of rainfall. If some showers and storms train and stay consistently in the same areas throughout the weekend, those areas could see upwards of 3-5 inches of rainfall. The entire viewing area is under a flood watch until early Sunday morning and gale watch until late Sunday evening.
Cooler air will move in behind this frontal system starting Sunday evening. Temperatures will slowly drop during Sunday with temperatures dropping back into the 50s and 40s heading into below average temperatures for Monday. Later in the work week West Michigan will warm up back to above average temperatures with mostly sunny skies.
