Storms, more dangerous heat expected this week in Lansing

LANSING - Time to batten down the hatches.

Potentially heavy rains, thunderstorms and heat index readings of 100 or more are in the forecast for the rest of this week.

A low-pressure system over the Midwest will trigger showers and thunderstorms across the region on Tuesday night and Wednesday, with heavy rain and localized flooding possible, the National Weather Service said.

"It will kind of be on and off with the showers and thunderstorms," said Heather Orow, a meteorologist for the weather service in Grand Rapids. "When it does rain, it could potentially be very, very heavy – very tropical in nature."

Severe storms are not expected, but it might rain hard enough to cause ponding on roads and flooding in low-lying areas, Orow said.

An average of about of inch of rain is expected to fall across the region, she said.

The rain should end by Wednesday afternoon, with temperatures climbing to around 77 degrees, forecasters said. After that, high pressure moves in, the skies clear and the mercury skyrockets.

Thursday's high will be around 86 degrees, but it will feel warmer than that, Orow said. The same thing will happen on Friday. Afternoon temperatures will rise into the low 90s, but the humidity will make it feel more like the high 90s, she said.

Expect highs in the mid-90s on Saturday, when the heat index soars to around 100, and "maybe slightly over," Orow said.

Sunday will be slightly cooler but won't feel much better. The humidity will push the heat index to around 100 degrees, she said.

What's more, temperatures will fall back only into the mid-70s on Friday and Saturday nights, Orow said. That will make it harder for people to recover from the sweltering afternoon heat, she said.

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Monday and Tuesday should be slightly cooler, with lower humidity and highs in the mid-80s, the weather service said.

Contact Ken Palmer at (517) 377-1032 or kpalmer@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBPalm_lsj.