568 FXUS63 KGRR 270615 AFDGRRArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI 215 AM EDT Sat Sep 27 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Dry and mild conditions to persist through next week
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.DISCUSSION... Issued at 205 PM EDT Fri Sep 26 2025
- Dry and mild conditions to persist through next week
No need for any changes to the dry and mild forecast through next week.
A weak front is currently dropping south through the area this afternoon. It is located near a line from Pentwater to Northern Saginaw Bay as of 2 pm EDT/18z. A few sprinkles were trying to generate along M-55 just after noon, but they have not grown to anything more than that. The best chance for anything this afternoon with be closer to Lake Huron/Saginaw Bay were some lake breeze convergence may help to boost the updrafts just enough.
We will likely see some patchy fog tonight, although it will probably not be as extensive as last night/this morning. We have had a chance to mix out some of the boundary layer moisture that remained yesterday. In addition, there is a little more wind just off of the sfc. This will lead to a little bit more mixing to mitigate a perfect radiational fog setup.
Looking more longer term, we continue to expect upper ridging to dominate the weather over the region through next Friday. The ridge still looks to be fairly broad and flat in nature into Monday. It is being flattened by a stronger upper low across Western Ontario. We will hold on to mainly clear skies, another weak front will drop through the area on Sunday. There will not be much change in the air mass. It will just act to suppress the really warm air to our SW under the heart of the ridge.
The ridge does amplify early next week, helping to reinforce the strong subsidence over the area and very mild to warm temperatures. This strengthening of the upper ridge comes as it gets squeezed by a strong upper low coming into the Western U.S. and the tropical system that could come into the East Coast. It looks to hold steady over us.
The 500 mb heights increase to almost 590 dam. This normally would bring highs well into the 80s and approach 90F. However, the way the sfc ridge orients itself, we will develop a low level NE flow that will funnel in a more shallow cooler air mass from Eastern Canada. This will bring temperatures down a little into the mid 70s, versus the 80 degree temps expected early in the week.
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.AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY/... Issued at 210 AM EDT Sat Sep 27 2025
VFR conditions continue with a few non TAF sites dropping down to VLIFR. This is indication of the potential for another round of patchy dense fog. Winds are calm across most areas. The surface is slightly drier with dew point depressions in the 1 to 2 Degree range. This differs from last night when dewpoint depressions were zero. While there does remain the potential for fog, it is mostly north of the I 96 corridor. The only TAF site of concern is MKG. So have included some IFR vsbys early this morning. Any fog/mist and reducing conditions will improve shortly after sunrise. Winds will mix out with southwest winds this afternoon, though they should be around 10 kts or lower.
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.MARINE... Issued at 205 PM EDT Fri Sep 26 2025
Conditions are expected to remain below Small Craft Advisory/Beach Hazards Statement levels the next several days as a weak gradient is in place across the area. North winds today will flip to southwesterly Saturday. Winds will peak each afternoon at around 10- 15 knots as some lake breeze enhancement occurs along the shoreline. There is also a signal for a wind enhancement early Sunday morning of around 10-15 knots near Big and Little Sable points as a wind maxima moves south across the lake. Expect dry conditions across the waters.
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.GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...None. MARINE...None.
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DISCUSSION...NJJ AVIATION...Ceru MARINE...Thomas
NWS GRR Office Area Forecast Discussion