913 FXUS63 KAPX 281706 AFDAPXArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Gaylord MI 106 PM EDT Sun Sep 28 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Anomalously warm during the day through Monday.
- Dry airmass and clear skies permits an outside shot at patchy frost across the interior terrain of northern lower tonight.
- Dry and mild weather through most of next week, with a degree of concern toward fire weather.
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.SHORT TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... Issued at 218 AM EDT Sun Sep 28 2025
Pattern Synopsis:
Ridging building overhead with quick zonal flow confined to north of Lake Superior, forcing any incoming waves well northward through Ontario. Mature low over Hudson Bay slowly progressing eastward, but with enough force to send a cold front through the area that will clear the area by daybreak. As such, anticipating any lingering low level moisture to quickly scour away as surface high pressure over Minnesota moves eastward and a strong subsidence inversion suppresses cloud cover, with ample mixing from an impressive dry layer aloft sending dewpoints tumbling through the day as temperatures hold above normal across the board.
Forecast Details:
Some low stratus / fog over portions of northern lower will scour out rather quickly through the morning as the aforementioned surface high pressure asserts itself. W to WNW flow will prevail through the day, as temperatures recover soundly from the cold frontal passage, with highs peaking well into the 70s across northern lower east of US 131 (warmest NE lower) and anywhere from 69 to 74 most elsewhere across northern lower into eastern upper.
Will have to see how much of that drier air can mix to the surface (it looks like it will be efficient), as we will be contending with RHs tumbling perhaps as low as the 20s across the interior of northern lower into far northeast lower. Fortunately, flow does not look to be all that strong, with sustained winds generally peaking around 5 to 10mph, with perhaps a 15 to 20mph gust in the afternoon. That being said, with drying vegetation combined with timber debris from the March ice storm across northern lower, it is paramount to exercise caution if doing any burning (and check the DNR website for burn permits), as fire weather concerns will certainly be non-zero Sunday, and this trend will only carry through the long term period as we embark on what looks to easily be at least a week`s worth of dry and warmer weather across the Northwoods.
Heading into tonight, surface high pressure will settle right overhead, and after a day of efficient mixing sending dewpoints well into the 30s, that will be conducive for one of the chillier nights we have had in a while. The airmass will certainly be dry, and with excellent radiational cooling, interior locales are potentially on the docket to see lows dip into the low-to-mid 30s (Roscommon, Grayling, Atlanta, etc.). While not opting to issue a Frost Advisory this forecast cycle, definitely not impossible to see one in the next cycle, and this will be added to messaging. For folks along the coasts, probably wind up in the low to mid 40s.
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.LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... Issued at 218 AM EDT Sun Sep 28 2025
Dry weather is the name of the game through the long term forecast period. Anticipating another anomalously warm day Monday as highs spike well into the 70s and perhaps even 80s. Backdoor cold front will begin to pass through the region as the surface high moves east into Ontario, and flow turns into a much more easterly and dry regime with Rex Blocking essentially locking that surface high in place over the duration of the long term period.
As such, Tuesday looks to see those cooler temperatures filter in across the eastern half of the area (spots along and west of US 131 may still make a run at 80), before the cooler and drier regime overtakes the rest of the region by midweek. Highs in the 60s to near 70 (coolest NE lower) will prevail, and with dewpoints dropping well into the 30s, will see low RHs that will prolong the aforementioned fire weather concerns from the Short Term period. The fortunate part about this pattern is that there aren`t any glaring windier days to really drive fire growth, but nonetheless, anticipating very low RHs amid the drying vegetation. As such, will still probably be contending with fire weather concerns in some capacity, but perhaps not red flag warnings.
In addition to the fire danger, frost potential looks to be on the increase as well (climatologically, this isn`t too anomalous). With dewpoints hanging potentially as low as the lower 30s, certainly on the table to have some chilly nights in this pattern with decoupling / calming winds at the surface, which could allow for some nights where temperatures dip well below guidance depiction at this juncture (would not be surprising to see temps bottom out near 30 a couple nights across the interior).
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.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY/... Issued at 106 PM EDT Sun Sep 28 2025
Dry high pressure in control through Monday. Expect most areas should remain cloud-free through this TAF period. However...have some concerns for patchy low stratus/fog to redevelop tonight...most likely at CIU and MBL, possibly at PLN...which could reduce cigs/visbys to LIFR in a hurry...though only hint at this for now. Non-zero threat for fog/low stratus at TVC and APN, but less likely than other TAF sites. Any fog should burn off between 12-15z Monday. Winds remain a bit stronger (5-10kts) and more westerly at CIU through the night; elsewhere, expect lake breezes this afternoon with light land breezes overnight. Prevailing winds will be from the southwest at 5kts or less Monday morning.
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.APX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...None. MARINE...None.
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SHORT TERM...HAD LONG TERM...HAD AVIATION...FEF
NWS APX Office Area Forecast Discussion