Only one chance of rain for the next 8 days

Unfortunately, it's this weekend

DETROIT – I hope you had a chance to enjoy some of the spectacular September weather this week. But if you didn't, don't fret: another extended stretch of mostly sunny days is just around the corner. HOWEVER, we really could use some rain, as we have received well less than half of our average rainfall so far this month.

Many people don't realize how important it is to get some fall rain. Yes, we all want beautiful fall weather, but if we are abnormally dry when the ground freezes for the winter, then there is no soil moisture to tap into when the ground thaws next spring ...and a dry spring could spring us into a drought because, as you know, our summer rainfall is dependent upon periodic thunderstorms…and those don't always get to everybody.

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Tonight will be mostly clear for a good portion of the night, although clouds will tend to increase after 3:00 AM. A scattered shower or thunderstorms is possible, late. Lows near 60° (15° Celsius for you Canadians). South-southwest wind at 4 to 8 mph.

When we get rain on Friday is still very much in disagreement by the computer models. For example, the 8am run of the RPM model had a pretty widespread band of showers and even scattered thunderstorms arriving late at night.

Three hours later, the new run of the RPM broke up that band of rain and gave us almost nothing. Meanwhile, the 8am run of the 4km NAM gives us nothing late at night, but brings a band of showers and storms in by mid-to-late morning. And it goes on and on with the models, so now you can see what I've been dealing with today. Since there's so much disagreement, the best thing I can tell you is that, while parts of the day will be dry on Friday, there is also a shower or thunderstorm potential at just about any time. So my suggestion is to frequently check the radar on our FREE Local4Casters weather app.

The radar display is great, and you can zoom the map as much or as little as you want.

The radar on our weather page at ClickOnDetroit.com is also a big help if you're in front of a computer.

Finally, remember to follow the Local4Casters and me on Twitter (@Local4Casters and @PGLocal4) for periodic updates. High temperatures will be dependent upon how much cloud cover we have, but we should generally be anywhere from 75° to 80° (about 25-26° Celsius). Southwest wind at 8 to 13 mph.

Friday's sunrise is at 7:16 AM, and Friday's sunset is at 7:38 PM.

Showers and thunderstorms are likely Friday night, with lows in the mid to upper 60s.

We have a chance of showers and thunderstorms Saturday morning, but the activity will move out from southwest to northeast as a cold front sweeps across the area, and likely end by mid-afternoon. Those of you to the southwest (for example, Lenawee County) will see the rain end earliest, and those of you to the northeast (Sanilac and St. Clair Counties) will keep the rain the longest. Most of us should end the day with some sunshine. Highs in the low to mid 70s, and it's going to become windy behind the cold front (probably 15-20 mph wind after it shifts to the northwest)

Becoming mostly clear Saturday night, with lows in the upper 40s.

Mostly sunny on Sunday, with highs in the upper 60s.

And now get set for Spectacular Week of September Weather: Part Two! 

We should have partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies Monday through Thursday, and possibly even into Friday next week.  Highs will start near 70° on Monday, and gradually rise into the mid 70s for the middle and end of the week. Overnight lows will initially be chilly…40s to near 50° Sunday night, and then slowly creeping into the low to mid 50s by mid-week.