Severe weather appears to be making a return to West Michigan early this week.

For Monday, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has placed the entire Lower Peninsula in a marginal risk (level 1 of 5) for severe storms. The system will develop as a low-pressure center tracks eastward from the South Dakota-Nebraska border along a warm front over parts of Wisconsin and southern Minnesota.

Thunderstorms are expected to form during the late evening hours and cross Lake Michigan overnight around midnight. The storms will bring an abundance of heavy rain as well as increased chances of hail, especially across eastern portions of central Michigan, including Clare, Mount Pleasant and West Branch. Damaging winds will also possible, however the tornado risk will be more focused on Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Tuesday is a greater concern for severe weather in Michigan. According to Sunday morning’s convective outlook, the Lower Peninsula south of the M-55 corridor has a slight risk (level 2 of 5) for severe weather. Most of the Lower Peninsula north of the corridor remains under a marginal risk (level 1 of 5). 

Frequent lightning, heavy rain, and hail, will be possible with these storms Tuesday night. An additional threat of damaging winds and tornadoes will exist, but storm intensity and tornadic development will depend on earlier rainfall, atmospheric destabilization, a potential capping inversion, and storm intiation with the early storm system overnight Monday.

“With time, and as the low-level jet increases during the evening, convection may consolidate/grow upscale into one or most bowing segments and progress eastward into Lower Michigan, posing continued risk for hail and an increasing risk for damaging wind gusts," NWS forecaster Liz Leitman said.

Hourly WeatherEye forecasts can be heard at the top of the hour on WBRN via 96.5 FM, 1460 AM, WBRN.com, and the WBRN mobile app.