More unbearable heat, storms in metro Detroit on Friday — but an end is in sight

When the National Weather Service warned Friday on social media of yet another day of "scattered strong thunderstorms" across southeast Michigan with a risk of heat, damaging winds and even flooding, one exasperated commenter couldn’t help but mention "Groundhog Day."

For those unfamiliar with the pop-culture reference, it’s a 1990s movie in which comedian Bill Murray is a TV weatherman covering Groundhog Day. He becomes trapped in a time loop, having to relive Feb. 2 over and over — which is how many Detroiters feel with the same weather forecast for days: Heat and storms.

When will metro Detroit’s "Groundhog Day" loop end? For many, not soon enough.

The hot, sticky weather this week has raised many questions.

Some are about government policy: Should heat waves be considered major disasters? And do big cities like Detroit — which face more challenges on hot days because there is so much concrete, which retains heat, and more of the population lives without air conditioning ― need more help?

More: Most Michiganders set their AC thermostat to this temperature, new poll shows

Others are about science: Is the recent stretch of high temperatures a result of climate change?

And then there are questions about the environment and energy: Do Americans need to do more to prevent pollution and conserve energy? And are utilities like DTE, which is the largest in Michigan and among the largest nationwide, doing enough for customers?

'More of the same today'

Even as thousands of DTE field crews and line workers from several states endured unbearable heat to reconnect powerlines early Friday to about 20,000 customers, more bad weather — a repeat of the day before — was likely, meteorologists said.

"It looks like we’re going to have more of the same today," Bryan Tilley, a weather service meteorologist in White Lake Township said early Friday. "Still kind of hot and humid, with a component of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon."

The worst of the showers are expected in metro Detroit between 2 and 10 p.m., although rain could fall anytime during the day. Temperatures near 90 are expected. And Saturday's temperatures likely will be hotter, in the lower- to mid-90s, with more showers moving in.

The rain, forecasters said, has helped make it cooler, but the humidity makes it feel hotter.

And what’s remarkable about the recent weather, Tilley said, is the number of days that it has been hot so early in the summer season. Historically, he added, there have been hotter days, but what has been unusual is how many hot days this week have been strung together.

On Wednesday, for instance, the high at the Metro Detroit Airport was 89, Tilley said. The record high for June 19 is 95 degrees, in 1933. Thursday, it was warmer: 92 degrees. The record high for June 20 is 97 in 1953.

By Saturday, though, the cycle of heat and showers should finally come to an end, Tilley said, forecasting a change in weather patterns; and by Sunday, the high temperatures in metro Detroit are expected to be more temperate.

But, he added, there’s a lot of summer left, and more hot days to come.

Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit weather: Heat, storms continue, as some remain without power