147 FXUS63 KAPX 241759 AFDAPXArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Gaylord MI 159 PM EDT Wed Sep 24 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Showery at times into Thursday.
- Areas of dense fog are possible again tonight.
- Seasonably warm temperatures continue this weekend and beyond.
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.SHORT TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... Issued at 255 AM EDT Wed Sep 24 2025
Pattern Synopsis and Forecast:
Current satellite imagery continues to show the picturesque upper low spinning near the Straits as of ~05Z. Secondary short wave/upper feature in Wisconsin is orbiting this parent trough closer to home like the planets around the Sun (Sun being the trough near the Straits). This "planet" will move east and northeast around the orbit of the "Sun", which in and of itself will continue to retrograde to the southwest through the day and drop even farther south into tonight. Within the vicinity of the center of this upper low/Sun will drive our showers through the short term period.
Primary Forecast Concerns:
Shower potential will revolve around the center of the upper low pressure system today. Weak instability should limit the thunderstorm threat for a majority of the area, with the "best" instability near Saginaw Bay, degrading to the northwest. Thus, this would be the most likely region for isolated thunderstorm development, plus closer proximity to any other convection to the south. Otherwise, expect isolated showers at times across the rest of northern lower and eastern upper Michigan with minor POPs and impacts. Little better signal, perhaps, for showers and a rumble of thunder this evening as convection develops to our southeast and any subsequent boundaries try to push northwest. Seems like a decent signal in guidance at this time but then again these features may be perturbed a little to the south come 12-24 hours from now.
Another round of fog is certainly possible tonight as temperatures cool to saturation and the pattern remains stagnant. Guidance is hinting at this possibility as well (NBM probs, HRRR/HREF vis guidance), and so areas of dense fog will yet again be a hazard tonight into Thursday morning.
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.LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... Issued at 255 AM EDT Wed Sep 24 2025
Day 2-3 (Thursday - Friday):
Upper low continues to linger over northern MI on Thursday, resulting in a few areas of isolated showers. Showery activity will likely focus across the east to southeast portions of northern lower due to the positioning of the upper low and subsequent lift. By the latter portions of the day and into the overnight, this feature will accelerate eastward, ending the precipitation, at least for most and for the time being.
Cannot rule out a few light showers on Friday as a subtle short wave moves within the broader mid level flow as hinted at by several pieces of guidance. There is variation in whether this system produces precipitation though. ENS probs for >0.01" of rain on Friday exemplify this with the GEFS mostly dry and the EPS showing good chances for light showers. Something we`ll have to monitor in the coming days, but given the point soundings show dry and stable mid to upper levels, this should not pose any significant impacts.
Days 4-7 (Saturday - Tuesday):
General theme for this weekend consists of building upper heights and a disturbance passing mainly to the north across Ontario. Looks like a warm end to the period during the early portions of next week as upper ridge begins to really build across the Upper Midwest and into portions of Canada. No significant precipitation concerns through this period, with any cool/cold air locked way to the north as indicated by the above normal Climate Prediction Center temperature outlooks for northern MI (high temps well into the 70s).
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.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY/... Issued at 154 PM EDT Wed Sep 24 2025
Mainly MVFR ceiling heights are expected to continue today before CIG`s begin to spread westward and lower to IFR and LIFR levels. BR and FG is expected to develop overnight around 0600Z through 1300Z Thursday morning withs VSBY`s dropping to LIFR levels along with temporarily falling in and out of VLIFR categories. P6SM visibilities will return Thursday morning with low CIGs through the remainder of the forecast period.
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.APX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...None. MARINE...None.
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SHORT TERM...JLD LONG TERM...JLD AVIATION...SJC
NWS APX Office Area Forecast Discussion