UPDATE – 7:35 p.m. – Severe thunderstorms are weakening quickly. Many counties have been removed from the severe weather warning. According to the radar trend of weakening, the severe weather threat has passed for tonight. Wishing you a nice and safe weekend – Mark Torregrossa

A severe weather warning is currently in effect until 9 p.m. for the Saginaw Bay region south to extreme southeastern Lower Michigan and extreme southern Lower Michigan. A severe weather warning is also in effect for the entire Thumb region.

The greatest severe weather threat is isolated, damaging wind gusts up to 70 mph. There could also be isolated large hail up to 1.5 inches in diameter. This is a severe weather warning because the two previously mentioned types of severe weather will be the most common. There could also be an isolated tornado or two.

The line of heavy thunderstorms is now building up rapidly, as of 5:15 p.m. The thunderstorms are expected to intensify further by 7:00 p.m. and then slowly weaken in the late evening hours.

Here is the constantly updated radar for Southeast Michigan. Any severe weather warnings and tornado warnings are also shown in this radar animation.

The National Weather Service is currently giving the chance of varying degrees of severe weather. Here’s what they’re saying about the severe thunderstorms tonight.

The severe storms will last only a short time in any location. The storm line will be about 30 miles wide. The storms will arrive quickly, causing isolated severe weather for only a few minutes, then pass east of your location.

Be prepared to move into a well-constructed building when the line of squall storms passes through your area.

Look here for further information on severe weather.