Pines Peak Family Ski Area snow report

085 FXUS63 KMQT 180717 AFDMQT Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Marquette MI 317 AM EDT Mon May 18 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Showers and thunderstorms exit the U.P. this morning with isolated to scattered showers and possibly a thunderstorm this afternoon. - Another round of showers and thunderstorms is expected tonight. Some of the storms could be severe, especially over the southern half of the U.P. Heavy rainfall is also possible. - Warmer than normal temperatures Monday, followed by cooler than normal temperatures for the rest of the week. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 317 AM EDT Mon May 18 2026 Early this morning satellite water vapor imagery and RAP upper level analysis showed deep troughing over the western U.S. with southwesterly flow over the plains into the Upper Great Lakes. Satellite and radar showed widespread convection from KS up to northern WI ahead of frontal boundary. The storms were clustered over NW WI and the western U.P., close to a sfc low pressure that was tracking northeast into the area. Convection remained elevated, above the cooler easterly flow near the sfc and strong stable layer. SPC Mesoanalysis showed mucape of 500-1000 J/kg with effective shear of 20-30kt over the western U.P. which was helping to maintain thunderstorms pushing into the area but overall there was a weakening trend as cells crossed into the U.P. Temperatures were warming up a bit overnight as southeasterly flow strengthened with most locations in the upper 40s to low 50s. Showers and thunderstorms will continue to move through the western U.P. through this morning. Conditions will remain borderline for strong to severe thunderstorms, mucape ~1000 J/kg and effective bulk shear 20-30kt. The most likely hazard is hail but cant rule out isolated strong winds. These storms will move through parts of the north-central U.P. with more isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms over the rest of the U.P. PWATs are in the 1.25-1.5" range, exceeding the 95th percentile from climo, thunderstorms will be capable of producing heavy rainfall. While scattered showers and an isolated thunderstorms will be possible the afternoon, mainly for the central and eastern U.P., most of the day is expected to be fairly quite with respects to thunderstorm activity due to strong capping and little in the way of large scale ascent. Should a storm manage to form and root itself at the surface it could become severe with cape to around 1500 J/kg and shear of ~40kt but the probability is very low. Southerly flow will increase and despite cloud cover expect temperatures to warm into the 60s and 70s. A lake breeze (Lake Superior) will form by early afternoon bringing falling to the lakeshore areas. The lake breeze / cold pool will expand inland through the remainder of the afternoon, further limiting the prospects for thunderstorm development. Tonight, a second low pressure will track north into the U.P. bringing another round of showers and thunderstorms. Models continue to trend downwards with respects to instability with href mean mucape of 500-1000 J/kg over much of the U.P. though areas in the south will see a bit more robust instability to around 1500 J/kg. Notable is also the downward trend in mid-level lapse rates in the models over the last several runs. 0-6km bulk shear is around 40kt so there is still the potential for strong to severe thunderstorms, especially over the southern U.P. SPC continues to include the CWA within their 15% risk region (slight risk), with primary hazards being large hail and damaging winds. WPC also continues to maintain a marginal risk for flash flooding with this second wave. Showers and gusty winds will linger Tuesday as the surface low and trough aloft push through the region. Thunderstorm potential looks to be isolated to the east in the morning. Sprawling high pressure builds in by evening, keeping the region dry through at least Friday morning. Daytime highs Wednesday look to peak in the 50s south and west, and 40s north-central and east. Thursday and Friday will trend back toward normal 60s, but the east may only top out in the 50s both days. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY/... Issued at 117 AM EDT Mon May 18 2026 Poor flying conditions continue through the period as we remain under the influence of a warm front that stalls out over the area during the daytime today. This will keep cigs low (mainly LIFR), with vis being a problem during mainly the overnight hours via BR/FG. That being said, the SHRA/TSRA seen over the terminals the next 24 hours will help to keep vis and cigs down as well. We could see an improvement to as high as MVFR over SAW this afternoon as the winds turn from S/SW to N/NE`rly. That being said, expect a return to LIFR conditions by the evening over SAW. Expect an hour or two and a few more hours of LLWS to return to IWD and SAW early this morning in the warm air regime as the low`s center moves into Lake Superior. With the low`s passage today, expect the winds across the terminals to shift from the E/SE early this morning to SW later this morning; expect a shift to the N/NE by late this afternoon. && .MARINE... Issued at 224 PM EDT Sun May 17 2026 Guidance continues to bring a low pressure into the Great Lakes Monday night, resulting in a tightening pressure gradient today and cold air advection Tuesday behind the low. The former will support a period of northeasterly gales in the western portions of Lake Superior this afternoon and evening. Shower and thunderstorm chances increase tonight, then linger until the low passes Tuesday morning. The first wave comes tonight across the east and then the west late tonight, both potentially lingering into Monday morning. Strong to severe storms can`t be ruled out, the lack of effective shear within the cloud layer suggests the risk is marginal. The next organized cluster lifts through Monday night preceded by a warm and moist airmass. This will again support strong to severe storm potential and rainfall may be the trigger needed for overnight fog. In the wake of the low Tuesday, a second period of gales looks possible across eastern Lake Superior; although, ensemble guidance suggests the probability in the east being 25% or less. Once the winds settle Tuesday night/Wednesday, light winds are favored through at least Friday morning. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Upper Michigan... None. Lake Superior... None. Lake Michigan... None. && $$ DISCUSSION...JTP/NL AVIATION...TAP MARINE...JTP