Storm chances return Saturday, a few more Sunday

SAGINAW, Mich. (WNEM) - It’s been a dry stretch this week, for most areas, and it’s continued as we’ve wrapped up the workweek today. The hot temperatures have stuck around, too!

For those hoping for some rain, our chances will start to go up this weekend and if you have outdoor plans, you will have to keep an eye on things tomorrow. But even if it doesn’t solve the problem, we’ll take any rain we can get to help our hazardous burning conditions.

As we’ve been mentioning, please avoid burning or check with local officials before doing so.

This Evening & Overnight

Any Friday evening plans should be able to go on as scheduled tonight, you’ll just have to contend with the very warm and hot temperatures. Lakeshore areas will be a bit more pleasant, but expect plenty of 80s to stick around through sunset (8:51 PM), before we drop quickly into the 70s.

Overnight, skies will be clear to mostly clear with just a few high clouds drifting overhead. Winds will remain out of the southeast around 5 to 10 miles per hour, with lows settling in the 50s and 60s.

Saturday

If any rain develops on Saturday morning, it would be super isolated and most areas are expected to remain dry through the first half of the day. Sporting events or any early day plans shouldn’t have much to worry about, and there will likely be some sun to start the day.

Around lunchtime and onward into the afternoon and evening is when you’ll have to start keeping tabs on the development of showers and thunderstorms. High temperatures will be dependent on the arrival time of rain in your town, but expect plenty of lower to middle 80s Saturday, with a south southwest wind around 5 to 15 miles per hour.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected on Saturday afternoon and evening.(WNEM)

Once thunderstorms develop, they’ll be scattered around Mid-Michigan through the evening, with the coverage expected to taper off gradually after sunset. Most storms are not expected to be severe, however, we can’t completely rule out a storm here and there getting strong enough. With that in mind, the Storm Prediction Center has placed us under a Marginal Risk (isolated severe storms), and we’ll watch from 2 PM to 10 PM.

There is a small risk for severe weather Saturday.(WNEM)

Heavy rain will be the main hazard with any storms, and they’ll likely be slow-moving storms, which could lead to localized flooding. Small hail and strong wind gusts are also possible in the strongest cells.

Late Saturday night into Sunday, we should have a chance to see rain largely diminish. Overnight lows will settle into the middle and upper 50s.

Sunday

Scattered showers and thunderstorms are also possible on Sunday as a secondary cold front comes through, but should be more scattered and also not quite as intense as Saturday. While a few showers are possible in the morning, it also looks like the best chances will be possible during the second half of the day as of now.

Skies could be a bit variable with periods of clouds and sun as the front moves through. Highs on Sunday will likely be much cooler in the lower to middle 70s. Some 60s are expected near the shoreline. Winds will also turn more west northwesterly around 5 to 15 miles per hour, gusting occasionally to 20 miles per hour.

Showers will remain possible into Sunday night and early Monday, although should remain spotty and lighter. Lows into Monday morning will be in the 40s and 50s.