GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — We have issued a 13 Weather Impact Alert for Saturday, Sept, 7 due to inconvenient weather.
Rain and storms along a cold front move into West Michigan tonight. These conditions may continue into early Friday afternoon. There's a chance for clearing late Friday afternoon, but winds are expected to pick up in the evening, potentially triggering a few late-day storms and lake-effect showers into the weekend.
As the cold front passes, temperatures will tumble, setting the stage for our 13 Weather Impact Alerts on Saturday.
WHAT
A strong cold front will cause temperatures to drop 15 to 20 degrees below average on Saturday, making it the coldest afternoon high since May. Breezy winds will create isolated lake-effect showers and 6- to 9-foot waves.
These cold temperatures could also lead to the formation of waterspouts on Lake Michigan. Waterspouts would form as a result of the cold air moving across the warm waters of Lake Michigan. The large difference in temperatures can cause a twist in the atmosphere over the lake. Waterspouts typically last a few minutes to 20 minutes and are typical for August, September and October.
IMPACT
This weather will be more of an inconvenience than anything else. If you have outdoor plans you should be prepared for breezy winds, isolated showers and cooler-than-normal temperatures.
NEED
Be prepared for much cooler weather than what we've been seeing recently. You may want a jacket or sweatshirt at times this weekend.
Breezy winds will cause waves to build resulting in dangerous swimming conditions. Avoid piers as they may be swamped with waves at times and stay out of the water.
Waterspouts can be dangerous, and boaters should watch for special marine warnings for the waterspouts over the weekend.
