4 million Michiganders under severe storm surveillance

A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect until 10 p.m. this evening for much of lower Michigan. Here are the quick details.

The National Weather Service’s storm forecasting center has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for parts of central and southern lower Michigan and parts of Lake Huron. The Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect this Saturday afternoon and evening from 3.15 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The main threats include scattered damaging wind gusts of up to 70 mph, isolated hail events up to 1 inch in diameter, and one or two possible tornadoes.

Multiple lines and clusters of thunderstorms will pass through the surveillance area this afternoon and early evening, posing a risk of locally damaging gusts of wind and isolated hail. One or two tornadoes cannot be ruled out. The Severe Thunderstorm Watch Zone extends approximately 65 statute miles north and south of a line 40 miles east of Oscoda to 35 miles west of Grand Rapids. Note that Ann Arbor, Detroit, and the far southeast of Lower are not officially part of severe thunderstorm monitoring. Indeed, the day before expires before severe storms are expected in the southeast of Lower. You could still have severe thunderstorms in Ann Arbor and Detroit. It would be right after the expected expiration time.

Here is the update on the storm calendar. I also just posted the update.