Southeast Michigan is once again facing risk of severe weather that could lead to flooding, property damage and power outages.<\/b>
\nDisappointed, but not surprised, metro Detroit residents are once again facing a risk of heavy storms and urban flooding starting tonight. The heaviest rain will likely be from 5-9 a.m. Thursday morning, with a few lingering showers throughout the morning, according to Dave Kook, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in White Lake. \u00ab\u00a0The Weather Prediction Center has five categories of risk for severe weather,\u00a0\u00bb Kook said. \u00ab\u00a0Slight risk is the third highest on the list out of five, so that’s a better chance than not that there’s going to be severe weather passing over the area tonight.\u00a0\u00bb This comes after a deluge of severe weather in the state this summer: heavy rain and flooding in June left thousands pumping water out of their basements and hundreds of thousands lost power during the most recent storms last weekend during the most recent storms. He said tonight’s storms, which will develop over Wisconsin and then move southeastward, could bring damaging winds up to 80 miles per hour along with the heavy rainfall and potential flooding. There’s also a risk of isolated tornadoes tonight. This comes less than a week after the NWS confirmed four tornadoes touched down throughout Michigan on Saturday night, including significant damage reported in Armada. The Great Lakes Water Authority issued a storm alert Wednesday afternoon, saying those in low-lying areas and those who have experienced recent flooding should be on high alert. \u00ab\u00a0With the ground still damp from recent storms, less water will be absorbed into the ground and more run-off can be generated,\u00a0\u00bb said Navid Mehram, the authority’s chief operating officer of wastewater operating services, in a news release. More: Ascension Health latest health care system to require COVID-19 vaccines for employees More: Detroit Councilman Andre Spivey and office worker allegedly accepted $35,000 in bribes Kook said it’s important to be prepared even though the storms would happen while people are sleeping. \u00ab\u00a0If you have a weather radio, make sure it’s plugged in with battery backup,\u00a0\u00bb Kook said. \u00ab\u00a0Have your cell phone close by, have multiple ways to possibly get the warnings if we issue warnings or watches, have multiple ways to get that information that may wake you up since most people will be sleeping.\u00a0\u00bb The forecast predicts temperatures in the upper 60s tonight, before shooting back up to the low 80s on Thursday. Contact Emma Stein: estein@freepress.com.<\/p>\n