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• Bright colors are starting to pop in West Michigan

  GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Fall colors are beginning to pop in West Michigan, thanks to the sunshine-filled days and cool nights. Everything you need to know about fall colors in West Michigan Photo by Kim EnglePhoto by John Frueh JrPhoto by John Frueh JrPhoto Cindy RoskampPhoto by Joe Clarke CURRENT FALL COLOR The Upper Peninsula now is seeing some trees under stress due to the warm and dry October, where some leaves are beginning to fall off trees. In West Michigan, some oranges and reds are beginning to pop. As the fall colors continue to advance south, it will be an excellent weekend to view the foliage. Temperatures will rise with highs in the low 70s. Sunny days followed by cool nights is the best weather for producing vibrant foliage, and the 8-day forecast reflects that. WHEN WILL PEAK COLOR OCCUR? If you are looking to a time to see fall color in the Upper Peninsula, this will be one of the last weekends to do so. Areas further north, like Traverse City, should be seeing peak color this weekend into next week. West Michigan will continue to transition over with peak color expected around the end of the month.

• Lake Michigan water level nears average after volatile stretch

  GRAND HAVEN, Mich. (WOOD) — A dry pattern has Lake Michigan water levels declining, continuing the lake's pattern of settling out after record highs five years ago. Water levels on Lake Michigan and Lake Huron — tracked as a single lake — have dropped 5 inches since the same time last month, the latest report from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers shows. "Overall, with the dry conditions we have seen recently, Michigan-Huron's water levels are near average," Army Corps physical scientist Deanna Fielder said. West Michigan drought eases, but not gone yet That short-term drop is part of the seasonal ebb and flow of the Great Lakes. "On any given year lake Michigan, Lakes Michigan-Huron will see that spring rise as snow melts and more rain in the spring, and then as we go into the fall when it gets a lot dryer and even in winter when we have snowpack, the water level decreases about 12 inches," NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory spokesperson Jennifer Day said. The levels now are about 5 inches lower than this time last year, continuing a five-year trend of lows in October lower than the year before. 2020 saw water levels at 20-year highs, causing big erosion problems along the lakeshore. "A lot of people remember the record-high levels from 2020 on Michigan-Huron, and that was propelled largely by really wet conditions in precipitation even in the years prior," Fielder said. Upwelling causes Lake Michigan water temps to tumble The lakes gave seen dramatic water level changes since the mid-2010s. "These extreme changes that we have seen between a record low in the late '90s and 2000s and that really high level that followed so soon after, that's where we really aren't understanding," Day said. But for now, the volatile trend appears to be settling down. "Right now, our six-month forecast has Lake Michigan-Huron staying near average for six months," Fielder said. Experts added that the water levels are an average, and that local weather and other factors may affect what you see at your dock, beach or favorite fishing spot.

• West Michigan drought eases, but not gone yet

  GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — While West Michigan remains abnormally dry, last weekend's rain has begun to chip away at the deficit. Only seven days this fall have produced measurable rain in Grand Rapids. The dry weather took a hiatus this past weekend as long-awaited showers and thunderstorms rolled through. DROUGHT MONITOR As of the latest drought update from last week, most of West Michigan is in a D0 drought, known as "abnormally dry." It is the lowest level drought and first indication of drier-than-normal conditions. Warm, dry weather prevalent in first half of October for Grand Rapids In the past seven days, West Michigan has seen anywhere between .5 to 2 inches of rain. That rainfall will be factored into the next drought monitor. Each week's drought monitor is valid from Tuesday morning through the following Tuesday, meaning any rain that falls during that time is included. The new map is released each Thursday morning. While the rainfall deficit is a heavily-weighed factor in the drought monitor, other indications such as streamflow, soil moisture, crop status, temperatures and ground reports from more than 450 experts are also incorporated. The drought monitor is a blend of these factors representing what has occurred, rather than a forecast model for future conditions. Dry weather puts soybean, corn harvest ahead of schedule GRAND RIVER AT GRAND RAPIDS Incredibly low water levels have been recorded in the Grand River at Grand Rapids for the past several weeks. On Oct. 11, the river dropped to 0.85 feet. For reference, the record holds at 21.9 feet with an action level of 12 feet. YEAR-TO-DATE RAINFALL Despite the lack of rain this fall, year-to-date rainfall remains on track. Major recording sites in West Michigan, with the exception of Grand Rapids, remain above normal. Upwelling causes Lake Michigan water temps to tumble The dry pattern we've gotten used to this fall will settle back in through the rest of the week and into next, with no major rain chances in sight.

• Warm, dry weather prevalent in first half of October for Grand Rapids

  GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — At the halfway point of October, warm and dry conditions stand out in West Michigan. Temperatures are running slightly on the warmer side with a temperature of 55.4 degrees, exceeding normal by 1 degree. Grand Rapids has recorded five days with highs in the 70s for the month. The warmest day occurred Oct. 11 with an observed high of 79 degrees. A warming trend is favored in the short-term forecast with highs surging back into the 70s by Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, precipitation has been limited to less than half of what is average, with the total in Grand Rapids standing at just 0.88 inches month-to-date. The current rainfall deficit for October is at 1.06 inches. Measurable rainfall has occurred on only two of the first 15 days in October. Download the free Storm Team 8 weather app We've seen an abundance of sunshine through the first two weeks of October at 78% — far outpacing the average amount of sunshine received in Grand Rapids, which historically sits at 47%. In fact, as of Wednesday, October 2024 ranks as the third sunniest October of all time in Grand Rapids. Moving through the back half of the month, there aren't too many changes anticipated in the warm, dry and relatively sunny pattern. The 8-14 day outlook from the Climate Prediction Center does favor slightly wetter than normal conditions as we get closer to November. For the latest forecast from Storm Team 8, click here.

• Upwelling causes Lake Michigan water temps to tumble

  GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Brisk north to northeast winds have caused water temperatures to tumble along the Lake Michigan coast in West Michigan. The graph above shows the water temperature at Ludington, Michigan. If you look at the raw data, the water temperature fell from 58.5 degrees at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to 41.9 degrees Wednesday at 7:40 a.m. That's a drop of 16.6 degrees in 14 hours and 10 minutes. Warm, dry weather prevalent in first half of October for Grand Rapids This occurs through a process called "upwelling." The northeast wind pushes the warmer surface water away from the shore toward the middle of Lake Michigan. Colder water then rises to the surface. Here's another classic case of upwelling at Lake Michigan. Above is a graph of the water temperature in Chicago. The scale is a bit different on the left side. The cool air mass has caused the surface water to cool, but not to the degree it has on the Michigan shore. Here in Chicago the water temperature fell from 65.3 degrees on Oct. 11 at 8 p.m. to 60.4 degrees Wednesday. That's a drop of 4.9 degrees in four days and 15 hours. Storm Team 8 Forecast With winds turning back to the southwest Thursday, the relatively warmer water should return to the Michigan shore.

• Brightest supermoon rising this week, and it won’t be alone

  NEW YORK (WPIX) – Get ready to look up for the year’s biggest and brightest supermoon. The third of four supermoons this year, October’s full moon, known as the Hunter’s Moon, will illuminate the sky on Thursday. It will orbit about 222,056 miles from Earth, making it the year's closest supermoon.  And that's not all. It's pairing up with a comet for a rare stargazing two-for-one. Another comet could pass our planet toward the end of October — but the outlook is bleak Discovered last year, comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas is now prominent in the Northern Hemisphere after wowing stargazers in the Southern Hemisphere. It should be visible through the end of October, clear skies permitting, and won't return for another 80,000 years — assuming it survives the trip. A supermoon, more a popular term than a scientific one, occurs when a full lunar phase syncs up with an especially close swing around Earth. This usually happens only three or four times a year and consecutively, given the moon’s constantly shifting, oval-shaped orbit. A supermoon isn’t actually bigger, but it can appear that way, although scientists say the difference can be barely perceptible. The Hunter’s Moon will reach peak illumination at about 7:26 a.m. on Thursday, according to the Farmer’s Almanac. However, it will still offer beautiful views the night before as it rises into the sky. Earth will have a temporary ‘mini moon’ for two months As its name implies, the Hunter’s Moon was originally considered a signal for hunters to begin preparing for the winter. Since it follows September’s Harvest Moon, which allows extra light for farming, fields are clear for hunters to easily spot animals.  The last supermoon of the year is set for Nov. 15 at 5:29 p.m. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

• Ask Ellen: Will we be able to see the A3 comet?

  GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — This year has seen no shortage of amazing astronomical events, the latest being a comet visible in the October night sky. The A3 Comet, Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), has been within spotting distance since Oct. 12 and will continue to be so until Oct. 24 if the weather stays clear. Andrew Graham,Wayland Nick Damico, Jenison Rick Kamstra, Hudsonville For the best chance at seeing Comet 2023/A3, wait 40 minutes after sunset and turn your attention to the west. The comet will have a fuzzy tail streaking behind it. The planet Venus will be much brighter in the night sky. Experts say you can use Venus to help find the comet. Find bright Venus and turn your attention even further west to find A3. The comet will be gaining height in the night sky from now through the 24th, becoming fainter each day as it slides further away from planet Earth. Remember, the comet won't streak like a shooting star. It will appear relatively stationary to someone spotting it with binoculars. Skies will be favorable for spotting the comet this week in West Michigan. Thursday might be challenging due to the additional light contamination from the full Harvest Moon, which will also be a Supermoon.

• First freeze warning of season issued for Tuesday morning

  GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — It was a wet and cool weekend across much of West Michigan including a high of only 55 degrees in Grand Rapids on Sunday afternoon — that was the coldest observed high temperature in the city since April 24. Temperatures are now set to fall further heading into Tuesday morning with our first freeze warning of the season issued for 19 counties. It'll be in effect from midnight until 9 a.m. on Tuesday. Based on climatological data, this lines up with approximately when we should have our first freeze which typically occurs near Oct. 13 in Grand Rapids. Lows are set to drop to between 28 degrees and 32 degrees for many communities thanks to mostly clear skies and a gentle northerly wind. You may want to take some precautions with the cold snap coming our way. Make sure that your sprinkler system is turned off and cleared out to avoid damage. Cover up fragile plants that may be susceptible to the freeze with a light linen blanket or move them into a garage or shed if they're potted plants. Also, make sure that you're being mindful of your pets if they're sensitive to the cold. The crisp fall air won't hang around for too long. By the middle of this week, we'll turn the corner toward warmer temperatures and highs will flirt with 70 degrees this upcoming weekend.

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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