Severe Weather Expected in West Michigan Friday Evening

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — After the strong morning storms on Friday across parts of West Michigan, residents should brace themselves for another wave of severe weather promised for the late evening. West Michigan has been positioned under a “marginal risk” category (level 1 of 5) for severe storms, as indicated in the latest update from the Storm Prediction Center. This marks a slight reduction in risk compared to previous forecasts.

The critical period for potentially powerful storms is anticipated between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. for the region.

As of 5:45 p.m. on Friday, non-severe and disorganized storms had already begun moving into areas north and northwest of Grand Rapids, with the National Weather Service issuing a special statement about possible gusts of 40 mph and hail the size of pennies.

Currently, storm activity this evening has been somewhat restricted by a weather phenomenon known as a “cap,” which is a region of warmer air above that acts like a lid, preventing storms from gaining the vertical growth necessary to become severe.

However, should any storms manage to break through this cap early in the evening, they could quickly escalate in intensity. That said, the likelihood of this occurring isn’t particularly high.

A broader development of storms is more probable along a cold front expected to move through the area in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The further into the night it gets, the less energy the storms will have at their disposal. Cooler temperatures due to the reduced heating late at night might diminish the ferocity of the storms arriving ahead of the cold front.

If severe conditions arise on Friday evening or night, they would predominantly present a minor risk of damaging winds and large hail. The chances of local flooding or a short-lived weak tornado are very slim, though not completely impossible.

By Saturday at dawn, the risk of storms will have passed. Expect a cooler and wetter day on Saturday. Stay tuned to the updates from the News Channel 3 meteorology team.