Detroit woke today to light rain, fog, and a mild start at about 45°F just after 5:30 a.m. EDT, but the easy part of the day will not last long. Heavier, repeated downpours are expected to ramp up through the morning commute, with low visibility, slick streets, and ponding on city roads likely. Drivers across the metro area should be ready for standing water and clogged storm drains in vulnerable neighborhoods.
What To Expect Today
A Flood Watch is in effect for much of southeast Michigan until 2:00 p.m. today, as several rounds of showers and thunderstorms move through. Rainfall totals of 0.75 to 1.0 inch are expected, with locally higher amounts where storms repeatedly track over the same areas, and southwest winds will gust to around 25 mph during the day. Forecasters say the heaviest rain rates are most likely during the late-morning and early-afternoon commute, so take extra care in low spots and underpasses, according to the National Weather Service Detroit/Pontiac.
Commute And Safety Tips
Plan on extra travel time, slow down on wet roads, and avoid driving through standing water, since it only takes a few inches to stall many vehicles. If you live near low-lying creeks or drainage channels, move valuables off the floor and be ready to head to slightly higher ground for short periods if water backs up. For more on the storm setup and how spring storms line up over Detroit, forecasters say this pattern is primed for repeated heavy cells tracking across the same neighborhoods.
Looking Ahead
Conditions should dry out briefly on Thursday before a colder, more energetic system moves in late Friday. That one carries the potential for pockets of accumulating wet snow and strong winds that could gust over 40 mph on Friday afternoon. Forecasters are also increasingly confident about another round of accumulating snow and gusty winds from Saturday night into Sunday, so metro Detroiters should be ready for a quick return to wintry weather by the weekend, according to the National Weather Service Detroit/Pontiac.
.jpg){kind=link}