229 FXUS63 KDTX 251044 AFDDTXArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Detroit/Pontiac MI 644 AM EDT Thu Sep 25 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Chance (20-40%) for isolated to scattered showers for all of SE MI today.
- Slight chance (20%) for an isolated to scattered shower across the Tri-Cities and Thumb tomorrow evening.
- Extended period of dry weather and sunshine this weekend into at least early next week.
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.AVIATION...
Moist ambient air mass underneath slightly stable layer between 1.0 and 6.0 kft has led to prevailing IFR stratus over many areas this morning. Structure of the environmental lapse rates with some signs of stratus lifting suggests a fairly quick transition to MVFR. VFR conditions later today with a slight chance of a light shower between 18-01Z. A very low chance for a rumble of thunder and will leave out of the forecast. Some question on how long cloud can hold on this evening, although the RAP soundings are decidedly more dry. Did go with some stratus redeveloping after 08z across the south with some light br potential north. Low confidence.
For DTW/D21 Convection...Any convection across the airspace Thurs afternoon will be isolated.
DTW THRESHOLD PROBABILITIES...
* High in ceilings aob 5000 feet today.
* Low in thunderstorms Thursday afternoon.
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.PREV DISCUSSION... Issued at 247 AM EDT Thu Sep 25 2025
DISCUSSION...
A closed low system over the Great Lakes will depart open up and depart eastward through the afternoon and evening hours. The weaker surface low over Lake Erie will maintain cyclonic flow across SE MI through the day. This pattern supports isolated to widely scattered showers favored in the late afternoon the evening hours as low-level lapse rates steepen with diurnal heating. Weak capping through 10- 12kft will limit convective potential, precluding any organized or robust convective development. Likewise, this setup favors the ongoing maintenance of an extensive low stratus deck through the first half of the day until better boundary layer mixing can work to erode some cloud cover. Increasing subsidence and loss of daytime heating will continue to degrade cloud cover tonight into early tomorrow morning. Any extended period of clear skies will bring potential for fog development, but confidence is low regarding materializing and extent at this time. Have included patchy fog wording in the forecast package.
A pattern shift will then commence tomorrow that will bring an extended period of mostly dry weather and some extended periods of sunshine that will hold through at least the midweek period. A pseudo omega block pattern will amplify ridging across the Plains this weekend. One of the lows near the four corners region will weaken through early next week but longwave amplification of the trough across the Pacific in conjunction with tropical activity over the western Atlantic will strengthen this ridge well into the Canadian Provinces and eventually into the Midwest/Great Lakes region. EPS guidance shows a 95-100 percent probability of heights reaching or exceeding the 90th percentile showcasing the very strong convergence within ensemble guidance. Prior to the enhanced ridging, the one day that will be susceptible to some rain showers outside of today will be tomorrow evening into early Saturday morning focused across the Tri-Cities and Thumb, along an elevated frontal boundary. Temperature highs gradually increase day-to-day with highs in the low 80s expected by the weekend. Overnight lows hold in the low to mid 50s.
MARINE...
Upper low that has lingered over the region this week begins to gradually shift east over the course of today. Shower and embedded thunderstorm coverage are spottier today relative to prior days with drier conditions developing by late evening as the low fully peels away. Winds generally remain on the lighter side, aob 15kts, out of the north today before further weakening overnight as weak high pressure begins to expand into the Great Lakes. A weak cold front on the preceding the edge of the high offers a low chance to see a few spotty showers Friday morning-afternoon, otherwise quiet marine weather takes holds for the weekend.
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.DTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...None. Lake Huron...None. Lake St Clair...None. Michigan waters of Lake Erie...None. &&
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AVIATION.....CB DISCUSSION...AM MARINE.......KDK
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NWS DTX Office Area Forecast Discussion