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• Tornadoes, severe storms on the rise recently in Michigan

  GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Michigan's severe weather has been on the rise over the past few years, with an incredibly active start to the season this year. A comparison of the last five years shows this has been the most active period in terms of severe weather alerts and confirmed reports. Here is a look at the total number of severe thunderstorm and tornado watches and warnings issued for Michigan through May 7. Nationally, storm reports are also quite high, with tornado warnings ranking above the 75th percentile up to this point in the year. Portage’s Hayloft Theatre Barn reopens after 2024 tornado Michigan only averages about 12 tornadoes across both peninsulas in a given year. So far, 15 confirmed tornadoes have occurred in 2026, with a handful of significant high-wind events as well. This is not an indication of how the rest of the severe weather season will pan out, but it is a remarkably active start compared to usual. Our active spring is coming off an active trend over the last few years. The year of 2024 is known for the Portage tornado and the Union City tornado, strong EF-2s. The Union City tornado of 2024 was the first in Michigan to be declared a tornado emergency, and the Union City tornado of 2026 was the deadliest since the Kalamazoo tornado of 1980. There are only a handful of other years with as many tornado reports as 2025. It is important to note that storm damage in the early 2000s and earlier may have been classified as a tornado even if it was actually a high-wind event. Still, the limited list shows the rarity of 2025's tornado count. ‘Despair’: Survivors recount Union City tornado Tornadoes can happen any month of the year, but the most violent for Michigan typically occur in early spring. April was classically known as the month for the most volitile tornadoes, before 2026 when the Edwardsburg and Union City tornadoes touched down in March.

• River Bank Run forecast: Trending warmer with light rain possible

  GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The beginning of May has been a colder one for Grand Rapids, with temperatures running over six degrees below average. A slight warmup is inbound for this weekend, just in time for the Amway River Bank Run. In years past, River Bank Run weather has been a mixed bag. In 2025, runners took off with temperatures in the 40s and ended the race nearing the 70s. In 2022 and 2023, runners dealt with a few light showers along the route. Download the free Storm Team 8 weather app Out of the last five years, this year's weather is trending most similar 2022 and 2023. The day will kick off more clouds than sunshine and a few light showers. The earlier arrival of a cold front will allow for the wind to be a tad breezy. It will prevail from southwest 10-15 mph with some gusts into the 25 mph range. Fortunately there will be no thunderstorms. Post race temperatures will peak in the low 60s representing the warmest day of the weekend. Ready, set and go to the 49th annual Amway River Bank Run Stay tuned with Storm Team 8 as the race approaches.

• Cold start to Saturday turns to sunshine

  GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A chilly start to the day will favor a sunny afternoon with slightly warmer temperatures. TODAY AM Frost and Freeze, Turning Sunny
  MORNING LOW 29
  HIGH 59
  WIND NW 5-10 mph TODAY Saturday morning is the coldest part of the 8 day forecast as temperatures tumble into the upper 20s. Luckily, more sunshine will develop for the afternoon with highs reaching near 50. TONIGHT Low temperatures tumble to near freezing again giving way to patchy frost Sunday morning. SUNDAY High temperatures rise to the upper 50s with a mix of sun and clouds. A few scattered showers will be possible in the afternoon and evening timeframe. The wind picks up some strength from the southwest with gusts maxing out near 30 mph. MONDAY Likely a dry start to the day with partly cloudy skies. Breezy and likely the warmest day of the week as highs reach near 70. Showers roll through at night with the passage of a cold front. LONG RANGE Light and scattered rain chances will continue for much of the week. High temperatures will be steadily below average in the low to mid 50s, likely through the middle of May.

• Hard freeze possible moving into the weekend

  GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Relatively cold conditions will persist into the weekend, with a hard freeze possible in West Michigan. A frost advisory has been issued for Mason, Oceana, Mecosta and Montcalm counties overnight into Friday morning. Temperatures near the freezing point may threaten tender vegetation. Download the free Storm Team 8 weather app Friday night into Saturday is expected to be colder, with calm winds and mostly clear skies allowing lows to slip into the 20s. A freeze watch has been issued for much of lower Michigan into Saturday morning, during which time there may be significant crop and plant damage. If you have plants that have sprung up that are susceptible to the chill, it's best to cover them with a light linen blanket or to move potted plants into a sheltered spot for their protection. Watering the soil around plants later in the afternoon can also help to hold onto a little more warmth through the night and may help prevent plant damage. A persistent cool pattern is projected to carry on for quite some time, likely through the first half of May. Storm Team 8 Forecast It's not out of the ordinary for West Michigan to contend with chilly temperatures this late into the season. The final frost usually occurs during the first week of May. A good rule of thumb to follow is holding off on planting delicate flowers until Mother's Day.

• Ask Ellen: What is a ‘wake low’?

  GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Tens of thousands of people are without power in Michigan after severe winds rushed in on the backside of what looked like a nonthreatening round of light rain. This surprising surge of wind was produced by a wake low, a relatively uncommon phenomenon that produces bursts of straight-line winds after the storms move out. Thousands without power as storms roll through West Michigan Wake low winds on Monday Monday's winds were considered "severe," with damage reported across several counties in West Michigan and tens of thousands of people statewide without power. Wind gusts in Wisconsin and Illinois were as high as 77 mph before moving into West Michigan. The wake low began with a round of light rain around 4 p.m., followed by strong winds. Confirmed winds registered in the 50 to 60 mph range in West Michigan, with potentially higher pockets rushing to the ground in between weather sensors. Severe thunderstorm warnings were issued by the National Weather Service for rain-free zones that were experiencing wake low winds. What is a wake low? A wake low is relatively uncommon and can be difficult to predict. These areas of low pressure form on the backside of heavy rain, causing wind to surge in at fast speeds. Something else that might seem strange, because of the location of a wake low — the severe wind usually comes in from the southeast, even though the rain is moving in from the west. This means storms may push down trees in a direction homeowners are not expecting. The most severe winds in West Michigan come from a westerly direction. Wake lows form on the back edge of an existing rain or storm line. Rain-cooled air from the storms' downdrafts produces a localized area of relatively higher pressure. Air usually flows from high to low pressure at the surface. Most storm systems will track through an area with only the localized high pressure forming. A wake-low occurs when the air behind the storm system begins to warm and dissipate quickly. This in turn produces a new localized area of low pressure. This area of low pressure forms in the storm's wake, earning it the title "wake low". Winds then rush from the surface high to the wake low, producing incredible gusts in areas free of heavy rain or storms. Here is how it looks if you were standing and looking at a storm in the distance. Warm air ahead of the storm system would be rushing into the updraft of a storm or rain band. Rain-cooled air would create sinking motion right under the rain clouds. Man dies when tree falls on him during storm, deputies say If conditions are right, the back edge of the rain will encounter sinking, drying air. This, in turn, produces a low-pressure area in the storm's wake. Air at the surface will flow from high pressure to the low-pressure wake with intense speeds. Gusty winds from a wake low can last for a few hours after the rain has passed. Recent technology like the high resolution rapid refresh model are able to detect wake low conditions several hours before they occur, but wake low winds are difficult to predict many days in advance.

• Another round of storms expected to move through West Michigan

  GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Two rounds of storms are sweeping through West Michigan Monday into Tuesday, bringing strong winds that are downing trees and causing power outages. Inside woodtv.com: Radar LATE MONDAY EVENING A wind advisory remains in effect for West Michigan until 8 p.m. The top wind gust this evening came from Kent City, where a 61 mph gust was recorded. Several other cities across West Michigan clocked 50 to 60 mph. High winds knock trees onto houses, people in West Michigan These high winds were the result of a "wake low," which is a smaller low-pressure system that forms behind a line of storms. This often results in high wind speeds. Another round of showers and thunderstorms is possible Monday night, primarily between the hours of 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. Power outages reported in West Michigan amid high winds High winds and heavy rain are once again possible with this round. Hail and tornadoes are unlikely. A marginal risk (level 1) remains in place for parts of West Michigan tonight. Download the free Storm Team 8 weather app Drier and colder weather will emerge behind this system on Tuesday and carry through the end of the week.

• Warm again Monday, with chances of showers and storms

  GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Today will be the warmest of the week. We start on a dry note with sunshine starting the day. Watch for an afternoon round of showers and storms with a much better chance of storms overnight into Tuesday. A wind advisory remains in effect until 8:00 p.m. TONIGHT High winds, showers and thunderstorms
  LOW 53
  WIND SE 10-20 G30 mph TONIGHT Another round of showers and thunderstorms possible tonight between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. High winds and heavy rain likely. Temperatures will remain mild in the 50s. TUESDAY Rain will clear early, giving way to mostly cloudy, cool conditions, with temperatures remaining steady in the 50s. WEDNESDAY A mix of sun and clouds and cool conditions expected with a slight chance of a light shower. Highs will be in the mid 50s. LOOKING AHEAD Cooler than average temperatures will prevail this week and likely into the second week of May. A few nights may be cold enough for frost later in the week.

• Mostly sunny and pleasant again Sunday

  GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Continued pleasant weather is ahead Sunday, with more sunshine and light winds in West Michigan. TODAY Mostly sunny
  HIGH 66
  WIND E 5-15 mph TODAY Mostly sunny and pleasant, with some thin, high-level clouds possible. Temperatures area-wide will likely reach the middle 60s with light easterly winds. TONIGHT Few clouds and mild, as lows fall to the middle 40s. MONDAY Much of the day will be dry and warm, with highs likely reaching the lower to middle 70s under increasing clouds. Southeasterly winds could gust over 30 mph. Showers and storms will likely spark up near and after sunset, with a few strong to severe storms possible. TUESDAY Storms very early will clear, leaving partly cloudy skies and highs in the lower 60s. WEDNESDAY Cooler temperatures will begin settling in, with highs forecast to only reach the upper 50s under partly cloudy skies. There's a small chance of a stray shower in the afternoon, too. LOOKING AHEAD High temperatures in the 50s will be commonplace through next weekend, with an occasional chance for a few light showers.

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Chief Meteorologist Ellen Bacca (and husband Mark) welcomed their first child over the weekend, with the birth of Piper Sunny. Check out these sweet pictures<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hurricane Lee continues to slowly track toward the United States. Click here for the latest on intensity and path<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saturday brought plenty of sunshine and calm conditions. Bill’s Blog dives into what is currently the calmest day of 2023.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

WEATHER WEAR<\/strong>
Rain Jacket
Umbrella<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TODAY<\/strong>
Widespread Rain Developing
Pockets of Locally Heavy Rain
HIGH:<\/strong> 67
LOW:<\/strong> 55
WINDS: SE 5-10 mph<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SUNRISE<\/strong> 7:17 a.m.
SUNSET<\/strong> 7:59 p.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TODAY<\/strong> Take along the rain jacket and umbrella as you head out the door, as widespread rain will be rolling through the area today. The most concentrated rain will prevail during the morning hours, with the rain becoming more scattered in nature late in the day. Amounts will range from 0.10-0.50+ and will likely be localized. Otherwise, expect overcast skies and highs in the mid-upper 60s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TUESDAY<\/strong> – WEDNESDAY<\/strong> Scattered showers continue for most of Tuesday before tapering off Wednesday morning. Cooler temperatures arrive with highs in the low to mid-60s. It will be breezy as winds come from the north at 10-20 mph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THURSDAY <\/strong> Cool and quiet conditions will prevail with more sunshine and highs in the mid-upper 60s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FRIDAY <\/strong> Plenty of sunshine is on tap, with slightly warmer air returning to the area. Afternoon highs will reach the mid-70s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WEEKEND WEATHER<\/strong> Sunshine will continue to dominate over the weekend, with highs in the low-mid 70.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LOOKING AHEAD<\/strong> The overall pattern remains mostly dry and warmer than “average” into the fourth week of September, with the 8 to 14 day outlook placing West Michigan in a drier and warmer-than-normal pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n