From the northern lights to wildfire smoke leading to more vibrant sunrises and sunsets, Metro Detroit is getting more reasons to look toward the sky.

The skies will be mostly clear to partly cloudy on Sunday night, which will allow viewing opportunities for the aurora borealis, commonly called the northern lights.

People may need a jacket while staring at the sky. After evening temperatures in the 50s, Sunday night’s lows will range from the lower- to upper-40s. Lows will be near 40 degrees in the Thumb and upper-40s in Allen Park, Flat Rock, Detroit, and Warren.

Northern Lights

How to view the northern lights? For the best chance to see the display, look toward the north and find a location away from urban centers and light pollution. Living or traveling farther north will also increase the chances of seeing the lights. Best viewing will be until about 2 a.m.

The Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a “G4” (or severe level) Geomagnetic Storm Watch due to a recent burst of plasma from the sun. The northern lights are produced as electrically charged particles from the sun’s atmosphere crash into Earth’s upper atmosphere.

Canadian wildfire smoke

Apart from the northern lights, Southeast Michigan is still keeping an eye on the smoke from Canadian wildfires. The smoke is forecast to become denser Monday evening.

Fire conditions emerging in Southeast Michigan

Meanwhile, the dry and hot conditions will elevate Southeast Michigan’s own fire danger ratings to “high” and “very high” for the start of the workweek. Dead leaves, fallen twigs, or dead grass could become fuel for grass fires. Use heightened caution or consider postponing open burning, and always check for burn bans.

Monday

Under mostly sunny skies, highs will jump to around 80 degrees on Monday. Westerly winds will be 5 to 10 mph.

Light smoke will linger into the night. Otherwise, skies will be partly cloudy. Lows will be in the upper-50s.

Tuesday

Temperatures will go up another notch on Tuesday. Highs will be in the mid- to upper-80s. Skies will be mostly sunny, but wildfire smoke could lead to haze. Lows will be around 70 degrees.

Looking Ahead

With temperatures returning to the mid- to upper-80s on Wednesday, rain will also return. Plan for rain showers and the chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening as a front moves in. Showers are possible into early Thursday. Another chance of rain will arrive Thursday afternoon and last into Friday morning.

Highs will slide into the mid- to upper-70s for the second half of the week.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Detroit Tigers expected Wenceel Pérez to be their primary center fielder, relying on him for stability while waiting for fellow outfielders Parker Meadows and Matt Vierling to return from their injuries.

That was the plan — until the final game of the Grapefruit League schedule in spring training, when Pérez reported a back injury. As his teammates boarded a plane, he had to stay behind at the Tigers’ facility in Lakeland, Florida.

“It was tough because I was trying to get through it,” said Pérez, who has dealt with the same lower back injury multiple in his professional career, beginning in 2022. “It was just getting worse and worse and worse.”

This time, Pérez was sidelined for 65 days.

He returned Tuesday, May 27.

“I’m so excited to play this game again,” Pérez said.

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In his return game, Pérez — starting in center field and batting sixth — hit a solo home run off All-Star right-hander Logan Webb in the second inning of Tuesday’s 3-1 win over the San Francisco Giants at Comerica Park.

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More notably, Pérez hit the homer on his first swing of the 2025 season.

Webb threw him three sinkers in a row. The first two were inside for balls, but the third one stayed in the strike zone, allowing Pérez — a switch-hitter batting from the left side — to turn on it for a solo home run to right field. It was just the fourth homer allowed by Webb this season, spanning 73⅓ innings in 12 starts.

“I was just thinking to be patient,” Pérez said. “I was trying to come down a little bit. I was a little bit excited. And then I tried to get a good pitch, and that’s what I got. It feels great to be back and help the team out right away.”

To get to that moment, Pérez had to play six games during a rehab assignment: two games for High-A West Michigan, two games for Low-A Lakeland and two games in Triple-A Toledo.

He started in West Michigan because the Tigers had the maximum number of players rehabbing in Toledo, transferred to Lakeland due to weather issues in Toledo and completed his rehab with a normal stint in Toledo.

“That was not a vacation,” Pérez said.

Pérez, 25, is hitting .308 (4-for-13) in four games since his return to the Tigers.

His switch-hit ability — the Tigers’ lone switch-hitter — provides flexibility in the batting order, as well as allowing rest days for left-handed hitters Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter and Zach McKinstry. He performs significantly better as a left-handed hitter against right-handed pitchers, but still provides competitive plate appearances from the right side.

Pérez took over as the Tigers’ primary center fielder upon his return, but only until Meadows returns from the injured list, which seems likely to happen Monday, June 2.

“So proud for the kid,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “He put in a ton of work. Injuries are hard on everybody, but think about the last game of spring training, and we’re getting on the plane to go to the exhibition game, and he’s got to report that he’s not feeling great. That’s a crushing blow anytime during the spring, but that’s like the most exciting day of the year at that point.”

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Two months later, Pérez rejoined the Tigers with the same joy he has always had. He laughed with teammates in the clubhouse, smiled in pregame warmups, bounced around in the outfield and showed no fear in the batter’s box.

Pérez also made an immediate impact with his first swing.

“The team is doing great,” Pérez said. “It wasn’t good for me (to be on the injured list), but it made me stronger to come back again and play good again.”

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

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