SOUTHFIELD (WWJ) -- There's concern about potential flooding in Metro Detroit as heavy rain and some thunderstorms roll across the region on Monday.
The National Weather Service says these storms could pack damaging wind gusts of up to 60 mph, and could also bring flooding to already saturated ground.
Officials at the Great Lakes Water Authority are warning Metro Detroit residents whose homes are prone to flooding to take precautions, including considering removing valuables from their basements.
The National Weather Service is predicting that some local areas could see up to two inches of rainfall within two hours. As of 8:30 a.m., the National Weather Service had already measures about one-and-a-half inches of rain in Oakland County's White Lake in the past 24 hours.
"We're got this first batch in that is already causing problems," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Dean DeVore, speaking live on WWJ Newsradio 950 during the morning commute. "That looks like it kind of slides away in the next hour, but then they're already having lots of problems north and west of Chicago. That batch of showers and thunderstorms has to come at us here later on today and into this evening. And, again, any time these showers and thunderstorms come through, the potential is for heavy flooding downpours because of all the humidity in the air."
Officials at the water authority did say they are fully staffed to cope with what may come, and that the water system is functioning normally.
"Given the NOAA prediction and the fact that there have been three 1-in-1,000-year rain events in the Lower 48 states in the last several weeks, GLWA is asking residents in low-lying areas that are prone to flooding during heavy rainfall to remain vigilant and out of an abundance of caution, to remove items of value from their basements," the authority said in a release.
As of 8:30 a.m., the National Weather Service had already measures about one-and-a-half inches of rain in Oakland County's White Lake in the past 24 hours.
The latest threat of severe weather comes after Metro Detroit was rocked by storms on Wednesday and Thursday. Tens of thousands of DTE Energy customers lost power during last week’s storms, which featured high winds and torrential downpours that flooded many area freeways.
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The good news: Temperatures on Monday won’t be quite as hot as over the weekend, with a high of 87, but the humidity will still be high.
Accuweather says the rest of the week is expected to be “pleasant,” with temps ranging from the upper 70s to the mid-80s.
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