National Weather Service

It's been very cold in Michigan over the last several days and it's only going to get more frigid. Experts say a polar vortex is making its way south from the Arctic Circle. WCMU's David Nicholas spoke with Joe DeLizio with the National Weather Service office in Gaylord to better understand what it means to be in a polar vortex and how it works.

Workforce cuts made by the Trump administration at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are prompting meteorologists to debate the reliability of weather predictions.

The National Weather Service in Gaylord is recommending early travel to avoid the influx of lake effect snow.

There were 89 recorded waterspouts on the Great Lakes between Oct. 21-26, according to the National Weather Service.

Both the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the National Weather Service warn of heightened wildfire risks in the region due to dry and windy conditions.

Meteorologists are warning Michganders about possible storms over the weekend. They say the biggest threat is flooding and high winds.

A union spokesman says the Marquette and Grand Rapids offices are in "dire need of staffing."

Winter tends to be the cloudiest part of the year, but data shows there were more overcast days than usual in parts of the region.

This post was updated 7/26/23 at 2:35pm The southern half of the Lower Peninsula is under severe thunderstorm watches Wednesday, July 26, 2023.

An air quality advisory was issued in the Upper Peninsula today and is expected to extend to the rest of the state Tuesday.