westMJim

For Locations in Macomb county (not a location known for snow fall in fact just the opposite) any way Mt Clemons average snow fall 34.3" Gross point only 28.7" that is the least in the whole state of Michigan. And to the west Pontiac 34.8" Not sure where Niko lives but the village of Mocomb is between 23 and 26 mile roads. So far this winter season Mt Clemons no longer keeps snow fall records. At Gross Point they have only had 18.5" as of yesterday and at Pontiac they are now at 26.2" for the season. Like I said I do not know where Niko lives but but these are the closes official snow fall totals.

On the upcoming WWA I have to say I do not remember when the last time I have see the this wording in a forecast. "Temperatures will remain below freezing until the cold front comes through. At that point winds will turn from the east to the southwest and that will being warmer air from Lake Michigan into the area so temperatures will rise to just above freezing for a few hours" That means it will warm up "after a cold front" Here is more on the write up. "ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The snow will begin around noon, become heavy at times into the evening then diminish to light snow or even drizzle in the evening. Most of the storm total snowfall will occur by early evening. Temperatures will remain below freezing until the cold front comes through. At that point winds will turn from the east to the southwest and that will being warmer air from Lake Michigan into the area so temperatures will rise to just above freezing for a few hours before enough cold air comes in to bring the temperature below freezing. This will likely result in icy conditions on many roads for the Monday morning commute."

There is a solid 3" of new snow on the ground here. It is the light fluffy lake effect type so I will just shovel it. At this time it is 28 here with some sun starting to break out.

Not much snow left here NW of GR just trace amounts on the ground now.

3" is the official snow fall report for GRR for yesterday. Most of that must have melted on contact as this morning the report 1" on the ground. Here at my house there is just under 1" on the ground but will call it 1". Now with that 3" at the airport Grand Rapids is now at 3.8" for February. 29.6" since December 1st and for the season Grand Rapids is now at 36.4" of course this is well below average for this date. Here are some snow fall amounts from around Michigan from yesterdays big (Snow Storm) note some are 2 day totals. Lansing 3.6”. Flint 3.5”. Detroit 2.5”. Saginaw 1.5” Muskegon 1”. At this time most of the locations in Norther Lower Michigan are now also below average in snow fall with only West Branch reporting above snow fall as of the date (note West Branch has a very low snow fall amount not sure how good their records are) https://www.weather.gov/apx/snow

I see officially 3.0" of snow fall was reported at the airport. While that maybe the airport only reports 1" on the ground and that is what I have here at my house. At this time with clear skies it is 26 here.

Drum Roll please...............I am not sure what the official snow fall amount will be but here at my house I am now at 1" that is right 1" and that believe it or not would be the biggest snow fall at Grand Rapids since January 19th At this time it is 25 with light snow falling.

It is snowing here but with the higher sun angle (yes it already is taking a toll) and a temperature of 30 it is melting on the road and driveway. There is less than a half inch of snow on the ground here.

As of this morning there was just 5.3% of total ice cover on the great Lakes. That is a record low amount for February 4th going back to 1973. This beats the 5.64% on this date in 2016 the 6.1% on this date in 2012 as well as the 6.5% in 2002. Here is the ice cover map. https://www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/glcfs/glcfs.php?lake=l&ext=ice&type=N&hr=00 For more information on Great Lakes Ice coverage here is a web site https://www.glerl.noaa.gov/data/ice/#historical

With the way the temperatures and the way it looks outside it feels and looks more like March then February. That COULD mean that there could be some bigger systems in the next 30 to 45 days. That is especially true if it becomes cold to out north west and warm to our SE. We will have to see where the storm track sets up. At this time it is mostly cloudy and 37 here with just some left over snow piles on the ground.

The coldest it has gotten so far this winter is +7. If this holds for the next 2 months this will tie the winter of 1930/31 for 2nd place for warmest lowest temperature for a winter. In first place is the winter of 1920/21 with a low for the season of +8. Some other years with a mild coldest low are 1938/39 +6. 1938/37 +6. 2011/12 +4. Now while one can not say for sure but in the above years the following summers were all warmer then average with 1921 and 2012 both having a very hot July.

New record highs set at Grand Rapids and Muskegon. With the official 2 PM reading of 49 at Grand Rapids and a reading of 48 at Muskegon a new record high will be set at both locations. The old record high at Grand Rapids was 48 set in 1903 and at Muskegon the old record was 44 set in 1987. The current temperature here at my house is now at 51. We will have to wait and see what the new record will be at both locations.

The official 12 pm temperature of 46 at GRR now ties 1973 for the 2nd warmest February 2nd in recorded Grand Rapids history. Here at my house it is now sunny and 50° The record for this date at Grand Rapids is 48 set way back in 1903. We shall see what GRR reading is next hour and for the rest of the day. I am getting ready to go for a walk in the warm sunshine.

January wrap…The mean temperature at Grand Rapids was 31.3° that is a departure of +6.9° the high for the month was 49 on the 9th and 10th the low for the month was +11 on the 20th that is the warmest lowest temperature at Grand Rapids since January 2006 when the low for the month was 17. There was officially 11.5” of snow fall with the most in one day of 6.3” on the 18th there was a two day storm total of 8.8” on the 18th and 19th most on the ground was 6” on the ground from the 19 to the 21st Total pricp was 3.65” January 2020 is not Grand Rapids 6th warmest on record at Muskegon it was their 5th warmest and at Lansing it was their 10 warmest on record. At Grand Rapids it was the 14th wettest January of record. As for total snow fall in January Grand Rapids had 11.5” since December 1st there has been 25.8” and for the season there has been just 32.6” all are much below average. At this time Grand Rapids is in the running for one of the least snowy winter season since the current air port was opened in 1963. In that time the average annual snow fall has been 75.3” the most (since 1963) 116.0” the least just 35.9” in 1982/83 of that 13.2 fell in March and 0.7 fell in April. The next lowest is 47.6 in 1986/87 and 48.5” in 1979/80 and 51.2 in the winter of 2011/12. We shall see how this winter plays out.

This January will be one of the top 10 warmest in Grand Rapids history (looks like maybe #7) as for snow fall that is down the list as should be # 37.

Yes it is snowing out! There is a solid trace of new snow on the ground and light snow is still falling with a current temperature here of 31.

I don't know if the ground hog will see his shadow or not on Sunday. My guess is he will not. But I have daffodil's up on the side of the house. I have seen them starting in February before but not in January. They are about 3" tall. If you have any planted in your yard take a look and see if they are up or not. At this time it is 35 here with you guessed it cloudy skies.

yes, At GR the official snow fall for January is at 11.4" that is 8.1" below where GR should be for this date in January. Since December 1 GR official snow fall is at 25.7" and that is -15.7" below where GR should be at this time and for the season the total snow fall at GR is now at 32.5" and that is -16.2" where GR should be at this date for the season. At this time Grand Rapids is on track to have one of the lowest total seasonal snow fall totals since the NWS moved to the current location at the east end of 44th street in 1963.

Here at my house this AM there is still about 1" of snow on the ground and a lot of snow piles. It is suprising as it has been in the mid 30 now for what seams forever and it is now at 35. Here is the snow cover in at many locations in Michigan As of Wednesday January 29th 1″ at Grand Rapids, Big Rapids, Hastings, Alma and St. Johns. 2″ at Muskegon, Grand Ledge and Standish. 3″ at Fremont, Beulah, West Branch and Atlanta. 4″ at Alpena, Cheboygan, Traverse City, Petoskey, Tawas 5″ at Scottville, Hart, Gladwin, Glennie and Lupton. 6″ at Lake City, Mio and Northport. 7″ at St. Ignace and Harbor Springs. 8″ at Houghton Lake. 9″ at Fife Lake and Benzonia. 10″ at Detour. 11″ at Kalkaska. 12″ at Escanaba, Charlevoix, Gaylord and Moran. 13″ at East Jordan and Engadine. 14″ at S. Ste. Marie. 15″ at Garden Corners. 16″ at Mancelona (the most in Lower Michigan. 17″ at Stonington. 18″ Norway and Jacobsville. 21″ at Ishpeming. 22″ at Manistique, Champion, Michagamme, Clarksburg, Beaufort Lake, Agate Lake and Watton. 23″ at Stambaugh. 24″ at Amasa, Iron Mt. and Garden Corners. 25″ at Gladstone, Covington and Harvey. 26″ at Ironwood, Paradise and Arnold. 27″ at Watersmeet and Dollar Bay. 28″ at Munising. 29″ at Green Garden, Greenland and White City. 30″at Bergland Dam, L’Anse, Paulding, Big Bay, Eagle Mine and Calumet. 31″at Newberry. 32″ at Herman and Michigan Tech Ski Trail. 33″at Sawyer. 35″ at Ruth Lake. 38″ at Hancock and Marquette (airport). 50″at Kearsarge. 54″ at Painesdale (season total 193.6″). 56″ at Tamarack (season total 219.7″). Mt. Horace Greely reports a season snowfall of 212.8″. So while it has been mild with little snow here in southern lower Michigan there is a lot of snow in much of norther lower and the UP.

With just 3 day to go, January 2020 now has a mean tempera at Grand Rapids of 31.3° That is +6.9 and at this time this is the 6th warmest January of record. At Muskegon they have a mean of 32.0 that is +6.5 and is now the 5 warmest January of record there. And at Lansing the mean in 30.2 that is + 6.7 and Lansing is now at the 10th warmest January of record. So while there has been little snow the temperatures are the true big story this January and for this winter season. So while not a record setting it will be a top 10 warmest (for January)

At this time Grand Rapids is at 32.5” for the winter season. The last times GR got to February with less snow fall then this year was the winter of 2012/13. At the end of January that winter Grand Rapids only had 24.6” of snow fall but that February had 33.7 and then March had 7.7 and the winter ended up with 66.0”. The you have to go back to the winter of 1982/83 that year the total going into February was 19.1” the snowiest month that winter was March with 13.2” February only had 2.9” and April added 0.7” for a total of 35.9” in the winter of 2011/12 January had 27.0” and February had 16.2” and in 2009/10 November had 35.4” and of course that is more then GR has had this winter. I do not know the totals for Marshall

As we wind down the last few days of January 2020 here is where Grand Rapids stands. The mean temperature is now at 31.1° if that were to hold this would become the 6th warmest January of record. With no cold in the cards this will be a top 10 warmest January of record (records go back to 1892) The high for the month will be 49 and the low will be +11. For this winter season the coldest it has been so far is just +7 If that holds for the next 2 months the winter of 2019/20 will join the winters of 1920/21 and 1930/31 where it has not gotten any colder this +7. So far this month there have only been 6 days that stayed at 32 or colder. As for snow fall for the month 11.4” since December 1st 25.7” and for the season 32.5” We would have to have record snow falls in either February or March just to make it to average for this winter. If that were to happen the month I feel would have the best chance is March.

Officially Grand Rapids has not had a clear day this month.

Today is the anniversary of two of the biggest snowstorms in my life time. One in 1967 and the other in 1978. There has not been one storm that compares to them since 1978. Nice write up from Bill Steffen from here in Grand Rapids 1967 https://www.woodtv.com/bills-blog-2/blizzard-of-1967/ 1978 https://www.woodtv.com/bills-blog-2/the-blizzard-of-1978-2/ Boy it has been stuck in the mid 30's now for a long time at this time it is cloudy and 35 here at my house and now there is a lot of green grass starting to show.

We are in a very boring stable weather pattern. Since Wednesday the temperature has ranged from just 28 to 36. It has not been below 32 since 7 AM on Thursday. So a lot of mid 30's with a lot of clouds and light rain with some light snow. Not much to say for late January. And with the current mean for the month at 30.8 and no cold in the next week or more it looks like Grand Rapids will end this January in the top 10 with a 6 or 7 warmest a good bet. The current mean at Muskegon of 31.6 would be a top 10 and looks like a 6 or 7 warmest there as well.