Michigan's first bout of widespread severe weather could be on tap

Michigan could have its first widespread severe weather outbreak Thursday, April 9, 2015.

Thunderstorms are expected to develop late afternoon Thursday and continue into the overnight hours. Some of these storms could produce severe wind gusts, large hail and even isolated tornadoes.

The graphic above is the Storm Prediction Center severe weather forecast for 8 a.m. Thursday to 8 a.m. Friday. The severe weather time frame in Lower Michigan would be from mid-afternoon through 2 a.m. Friday.

The Storm Prediction Center feels there is a significant chance of severe thunderstorms in the southern half of Lower Michigan. They place areas south of I-94 in a 45 percent chance of severe weather. This includes Kalamazoo, Jackson, Ann Arbor and the southern part of the Detroit area. Just north of that area, everywhere from Muskegon to Saginaw southward has a 30 percent chance of severe weather. The northern half of Lower Michigan has between a 5 and 15 percent chance of severe storms.