A beautiful stretch of weather is settling into Southeast Michigan, with rain-free conditions expected through at least the next seven days. Even though it is a cooler start this morning, due to the clear skies overnight, sunshine and warm temperatures will dominate the forecast today helping highs climb well above average across Metro Detroit around 80 degrees. It will be one of the warmest days of the upcoming week, providing excellent conditions for outdoor activities. With a high UV index, make sure to have your sunglasses and sunscreen.
This Weekend
We turn cooler air and breezy overnight ushering in a more comfortable air mass for Saturday. Temperatures will retreat to the low 70s Saturday and rebound to the mid to upper 70s Sunday through early next week. The combination of sunshine, low humidity, and dry weather will make for pleasant late-spring conditions across the region. The extended forecast remains remarkably quiet, with no significant rain chances showing up through at least the middle of next week. This is due to an Omega Block Pattern with the jet stream.
Omega Block Pattern
An omega block is a large-scale weather pattern in the upper atmosphere that gets its name because the jet stream resembles the Greek letter Ω (omega) on weather maps. It forms when a strong high-pressure ridge gets sandwiched between two low-pressure troughs on either side of the ridge. Omega blocks are called blocking patterns because they slow down or even halt the normal west-to-east movement of weather systems. As a result, the weather patterns become stagnant, persisting for days or even weeks. Areas under the ridge often experience prolonged sunshine and warmth. Areas beneath the troughs may see extended periods of clouds, rain, or cooler temperatures. With Detroit being under the ridge, we will continue to see consecutive days of sunshine with no rainfall and comfortable humidity.
Detroit Grand Prix
That dry pattern is especially good news for race fans heading downtown for the Detroit Grand Prix. From Free Prix Day (today) through the final checkered flag, the forecast remains favorable with dry weather, plenty of sunshine, and seasonable temperatures expected throughout the weekend.
Blue Moon
This weekend we are in-store for our second full moon this month. The first was the “Flower Moon” on May 1st and the second “Blue Moon” will be Saturday night into Sunday with its fullest phase on May 31st at 4:45 a.m. Because the moon is at its farthest point from Earth, it appears roughly 6% smaller and 10% dimmer than usual making it a blue micromoon. It’s called a “Blue Moon” due to its rarity of being a second full moon in a calendar month, not because of its color. Despite the name, this blue moon won’t appear blue.
Next Week
With a full week of rain-free conditions on tap, Metro Detroit residents can look forward to a stretch of comfortable weather and ideal conditions for outdoor plans! Just don’t forget to run your sprinkler!