Southeast Michigan gets a brief dry spell today, with warmer air and highs around 80 degrees before another round of storms moves in tonight. A 4Warn Weather Alert is in effect for this evening and overnight as the region braces for rain, wind and the possibility of flooding.
The main window for the storms is between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m., when severe cells could produce wind gusts to 60 mph, large hail, isolated tornadoes and more flooding. Heavy rain is expected to persist through Wednesday morning, and rainfall from tonight through Wednesday night is projected to total about 1.5 inches, with some localized spots seeing 2 to 4 inches.
That matters most in places already vulnerable to water piling up fast. Localized flooding remains a concern, especially in urban and low-lying areas, as all of Southeast Michigan sits under a slight level 2 risk for severe thunderstorms. The setup is not just about the strength of any one storm. It is about the amount of rain falling in a short period on ground and pavement that can only take so much.
The stormy stretch comes during a week that stays unusually warm for November, with highs in the 70s and low 80s before the pattern changes later. Another round of scattered storms is possible Thursday, Friday is expected to be drier, and a cold front on Saturday could bring yet another threat for storms. By Sunday, temperatures are expected to fall by nearly 20 degrees, with highs dropping into the 50s.
For now, the short break in the rain is the setup, not the finish. The real concern starts tonight, and the biggest question is not whether Southeast Michigan will get more storms, but which neighborhoods end up taking the heaviest water before the front finally sweeps through.
