Severe thunderstorms are expected across Michigan this evening, and it’s important to know when your area might be affected. Here’s a detailed look at the forecast timeline so you can stay prepared.

Overall Outlook

A large, isolated supercell thunderstorm could kick things off in southwest Lower Michigan between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. After that, a more organized line of severe storms will sweep across the state between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m.

Southwest and South-Central Lower Michigan

According to the National Weather Service in Grand Rapids, severe storms will begin along the Lake Michigan shoreline between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. From there:

• Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo: Expect storms between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.
• Lansing and Jackson: Storms are likely to arrive between 10 p.m. and midnight.

This timeline should be fairly accurate, though it may shift by an hour.

Southeast Michigan, the Saginaw Valley, and the Thumb

The radar forecast shows storms moving into southeast Lower Michigan around midnight. This means it will likely be a loud and stormy night. Fortunately, the late timing could reduce the storms’ intensity.

• Ann Arbor, Flint, Saginaw/Bay City, and Detroit: Expect storms between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m.
• The Thumb area: The line should pass through between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m.

Northern Lower Michigan

Northern parts of the state will also face severe weather, similar to the southern region. The strongest storms are expected in the early evening across far western and northwestern Lower Michigan, then weakening as they move northeast.

• Frankfort, Manistee, Ludington, Cadillac, and Grand Traverse area: Storms will likely hit between 10 p.m. and midnight.
• Grayling, Gaylord, Charlevoix, and Petoskey: Expect activity between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m.
• Far northeast Lower Michigan: The storms should arrive between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m., likely in a weakened state.

Upper Peninsula

The Upper Peninsula will see the storm line between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m., moving west to east. While thunderstorms could be strong, they’re not expected to be widely severe in the U.P.

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