Thunderstorms and heavy rains have prompted the National Weather Service to issue a flood watch for parts of southeast Michigan on Wednesday.
The watch, which covers Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Wayne counties, is in effect until 4 a.m. Thursday, the agency said.
Dan DePodwin, vice president of Forecasting Operations for AccuWeather, said severe storms are expected to impact the entire Midwest and the company forecasts they could bring widespread damaging wind gusts, some exceeding 75 mph.
He also said dozens of tornado reports are likely, with some tornadoes expected to be intense and on the ground for a long time.
‘The atmosphere across the Midwest is primed for a volatile day of destructive, rapidly moving thunderstorms that can bring widespread damaging winds, tornadoes, hail and flash flooding,” he said in a statement. “The threat will continue overnight Wednesday as the storms race east into Indiana, far southern Michigan, Ohio and potentially even western Pennsylvania.”
When could the rain arrive?
Light rain could start in the region as early as 2 p.m., and widespread thunderstorms may arrive in areas south of Interstate 69 between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. Thursday, according to the NWS.
Officials with the service said they expect showers and thunderstorms to drop one to two inches of rain on the region, especially in areas along and south of M-59. Three inches or more possible in some areas, according to the forecast.
So far this month, Detroit has received about 2.76 inches of precipitation, almost an inch more than normal for the first 17 days in June, according to weather service data.
The record for the most rainfall in the same period was set in 1980 with 5.97 inches. The record for the least was set in 1913 with .06 of an inch.
There’s also a slight risk for severe thunderstorms on Wednesday, the NWS said. Flash floods, damaging winds, and tornadoes are the primary threats they pose, the agency said. Urban areas face the greatest threat of flash flooding, it said.
“The bulk of the rainfall is expected in a relatively brief window between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. and brings a heightened threat for flash flooding, especially across urban areas, including Metro Detroit,” the NWS forecast said.
Cooler temps linger
Meanwhile, meteorologists predict temperatures across the region to hover slightly below normal through the week and into the weekend.
Detroit’s high temperature is expected to reach 76 on Wednesday.
The city’s average monthly high temperature in June is 79.7.
Extended Detroit forecast
Thursday: Partly sunny; high 72, low 56.
Friday: Sunny; high 76, low 55.
Saturday: Sunny; high 78, low 57.
Sunday: Mostly sunny; high 77, low 59.
Monday: Mostly sunny; high 76, low 57.
Tuesday: Sunny, high 78.
Source: National Weather Service
cramirez@detroitnews.com
@CharlesERamirez
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: NWS predicts heavy rain in Metro Detroit, issues flood watch
Reporting by Charles E. Ramirez, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Charles E. Ramirez, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
