GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Normally in February, when we forecast 1 to 3 inches of precipitation, we are talking snow. But for the next few days, it will be rain.
The problem? It will combine with melting snow and a saturated ground that will exacerbate the flooding issue. Not all of the snow melted this past weekend. There still remains approximately 0.5 to 1.5 inches of liquid equivalent across Southwest Lower Michigan.
Water equivalent in remaining snow pack
West Michigan typically receives its heaviest precipitation events when it can tap moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. As you can see from the water vapor loop, the Gulf of Mexico is wide open for business.
Water vapor loop on Feb. 19, 2018
What will extract the moisture is a slow-moving area of low pressure and associated warm and cold fronts that will track through Lower Michigan.
Position of low pressure and fronts as on Feb. 19, 2018
There will be plenty of water to extract from the atmosphere. Near record-high values for this time of year will exist across Southern Lower Michigan. The definition of precipitable water is the measure of the depth of liquid water at the surface that would result after precipitating all of the water vapor in a vertical column over a given location, usually extending from the surface to 300 mb.
Storm Team 8 will track where the heaviest rainfall will occur and will continue to update you throughout this event.
The rain and warm temperatures led the ice rink at Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids to be closed Monday.