Metro Detroit weather forecast: Get ready for a stormy stretch

DETROIT – After a sunny day today, we have a pretty stormy stretch of weather headed our way, so let’s get right to the forecast. 

Skies will become mostly clear Tuesday evening, and then partly cloudy late at night. Lows in the upper 60s (20 degrees Celsius), with nearly calm air.

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Mostly sunny to start our Wednesday, and then becoming partly cloudy and, eventually, mostly cloudy during the afternoon. A period of scattered thunderstorms is possible during the afternoon. Highs in the upper 80s (31 degrees Celsius).  Southwest wind at 5 to 10 mph. 

Wednesday’s sunrise is at 6:14 a.m., and Wednesday’s sunset is at 9:05 p.m.

Partly cloudy Wednesday night, with lows in the low 70s (21 degrees Celsius). 

Thursday forecast

Partly to mostly cloudy on Thursday with a chance of thunderstorms.  Highs in the mid 80s (30 degrees Celsius). 

Partly cloudy Thursday night, with lows in the low 70s (22 degrees Celsius). 

Partly cloudy Friday with a chance of afternoon thunderstorms.  Highs in the upper 80s (31 degrees Celsius). 

The Weekend

At this point, the weekend is not looking all that pretty.  There is a pretty good chance of thunderstorms both days.  Hopefully, in a few days the computer models will identify any drier periods that we I can convey to you but, right now, storm chances look pretty high.  Highs should reach the mid 80s (29-30 degrees Celsius), with overnight lows still in the low 70s (21-22 degrees Celsius). 

Tropical Storm Don update

Tropical Storm Don developed, and currently has 40 mph winds…the minimum needed to be a tropical storm.  It’s moving due west toward the southern end of the Windward Islands, so areas near Trinidad and Tobago stand to see an increase in thunderstorm activity tonight, and perhaps into Tortuga tomorrow, with some gusty winds.  However, this storm should not intensify.

Meanwhile, out in the Pacific, Hurricane Fernanda, currently with 100 mph winds, should begin a weakening trend either overnight or tomorrow, and this weakening will continue until dissipating before approaching Hawaii late this weekend.  Even if it hits Hawaii with some thunderstorms, all indications at present suggest nothing serious to worry about. 

As we’ve seen in the past, tropical systems sometimes defy the odds, so I’ll keep a close eye on things and update you if there are any changes.

And based upon ocean temperatures in the area where these systems tend to develop this time of year, as well as some other factors, I expect a rapid increase in tropical storm and hurricane activity as we head into August. 

Global Warming Update

Global temperatures averaged over the first six months of this year are just in, and take a look at this map:

The pink and red areas are above average temperatures, and the blue areas are below average temperatures. As you can plainly see, most of the planet maintains its above average temperature profile.  In fact, June ended up as the third warmest since 1880. Furthermore, four of the warmest Junes on record have occurred in the past four years. Some who reject the science of climate change try to tell me that the warming is due to increased urbanization. In other words, expanding cities are making things warmer at those weather reporting stations in the metropolitan areas, and this explains global warming. This could not be further from the truth, and you can easily see why by looking at the above map. The key word in “global warming” is actually the word “global.” 

This is not just a few cities warming. Rural locations worldwide without urbanization are warming, as are the oceans -- and we KNOW there is no urbanization in the oceans!  It has become very clear that the only thing that affects our planet’s overall temperature that has changed over the past 130 years is the composition of our atmosphere due to the industrialization of society (and by the way, that industrialization was not a bad thing -- it’s just that this is a very serious consequence). Nothing else has changed enough to affect Earth’s average temperature enough to matter. 

As usual, I repeat my promise to never share any climate change information from advocacy groups or non-scientific publications.  I will only provide you with data and research conclusions directly from the science community itself.