Metro Detroit weather: October warmth could bring storms

DETROIT – A surge of warm air will send temperatures to the 70s but also deliver strong Friday storms. And there’s even more changes to the weekend.

Friday Storms

As of Thursday afternoon, only a small portion of Monroe County is in a Marginal severe risk. But all of us are likely to see strong thunderstorms along a potent cold front on Friday afternoon. Healthy southerly winds will carry in warmer air, which will take us to the 70s in the afternoon (check the 4ZONE Forecast to see how warm your neighborhood will get). But that, along with decent windows of sunshine, will provide fuel for storms with small hail, potentially damaging winds and a few localized downpours. That will be more likely on some of the urban streets and low-lying areas. Expect the first storms to roll into the West Zone around 3PM and exit the east side by 6PM. They’ll be cookin' at 50 mph so they won’t last long. Scattered showers will linger behind the initial storms through 11PM.

Weekend Chill

The good news about the weekend is that Sunday’s rain looks later, possibly not arriving until after sunset. That would give us a dry stretch for nearly 48 hours starting at 11PM Friday night. The not-so-good news will be temperatures. Morning lows on Saturday will begin in the 30s. Sunday’s start will be even colder with outlying areas staring at the freezing mark. Expect more sunshine Saturday than Sunday. Highs both days will be in the low-to-mid 50s.

Halloween Week

As we head toward Halloween next Saturday, temperatures will be consistently below normal. There are rain chances at the start and middle of next week. But an early peek at the 31st, which is now in the 10 Day Forecast, shows it will be one of the coldest. Highs will be in the upper 40s with partly cloudy skies.


About the Author

Ben loves his job at Local 4 because broadcast meteorology challenges him to crack Mother Nature’s code, then find new and creative ways to tell that story to people.