westMJim

Some weather history for southern lower Michigan for March 25

1954: Heavy rain and high winds occur as a cold front moves through. Grand Rapids measures 2.82 inches of rain for their wettest March day on record. Flooding of streams is widespread and winds gusting over 70 mph cause roof damage and uproot trees.

1974: Grand Rapids falls to one below zero for its latest subzero reading on record.

 1945, record high temperatures for the day were set simultaneously in Detroit (78 degrees), Flint (79 degrees), and Saginaw (80 degrees)!

 1947, a snowstorm dumped 13.3 inches on Saginaw. This was the 11th heaviest snowstorm in Saginaw history.

Across the USA

1901, More than 20 people were killed by an estimated F3 tornado that moved across parts of Birmingham, Alabama. The twister cut a 15-mile path from the south side of the city to Avondale and Irondale.

1935,  Suffocating dust storms frequently occurred in southeast Colorado between the 12th and the 25th of the month. Six people died, and many livestock starved or suffocated. Up to six feet of dust covered the ground. Schools were closed, and tenants deserted many rural homes.

1992,  Hailstones up to four inches in diameter resulted in more than $60 million in damage in Orlando, Florida. This storm is still the costliest Florida hailstorm on record.

It was another cold and windy day yesterday with the official H/L of 40/22 there was no rain/snowfall. The highest wind gust was 33MPH out of the E and the day had 24% of possible sunshine. The average H/L for today is 48/30 the record high of 77 was set in 1945 and the record low of -1 was set in 1974. The most rainfall of 2.85” fell in 1954 the most snow fall of 7.7” fell in 1930 the most snow on the ground was 15” in 1965. Last year the H/L was 37/32 there was 0.89” of rainfall and 0.2” of snowfall.

The official H/L yesterday at Grand Rapids was 36/23 there was a trace of snowfall. At 7AM there was 6” of snow on the ground. The sun was out 90% of the time. For today the average H/L is 48/29 the record high of 78 was set in 1910 and 1939 the record low of -3 was set in 1974. The wettest and most snowfall was 1.07” that fell as 5.3” of snow in 1947. The most snow on the ground was 15” in 1965. Last year the H/L was 44/31.

The overnight low here in MBY was 20 at the current time it is cloudy and 27 and there is just a trace of snow left on the ground.

While yesterday was a record snowfall for Grand Rapids it more likely than not will be remember by most people. That was not the case on St Patrick’s day 1973 in the Bay City area.

Every now and then there is a storm that stays burned into your mind and you can remember the day and events for the rest of your life. For many here in the NW area of Grand Rapids it might be the May 1998 derecho (it’s one of mine) some of my other lifetime weather events are September 1st 1960 derecho in Bay City. The blizzards of 1967 and 1978 the 1976 ice storm and.
THE BLIZZARD AND FLOOD OF 1973. The March 17th storm started in the pre-dawn hours of March of 17th That March saw March have some very nice and mild late winter early spring weather with days in the 50’s and 60’s So when the storm started there was no snow on the ground and the water in Saginaw Bay was ice free.
My wife who I was dating at the time lived on Killarney Beach Road and I lived in the city of Bay City at that time. We went out of the night of the 16th and I took her home around 1 AM and it was not snowing at that time but it was windy with a strong NE wind. I went home and went to bed. It was just getting light out when I was awoken by the sound of thunder and lightning (a lot of thunder and lightning) and the sound of the wind. I looked out the window and all you could see was snow. During that thunder snow, thunderstorm visibilities were less than two hundred feet at best. Around 9 am my current wife called me and said that they were evacuating people down the road closer to the bay. (Killarney Beach Road runs right along the bay and there are beach front houses out there) and that there was water coming in from the bay and the waves where crashing into the houses there. My wife lived in from the Bay about a half mile and closer to the Bay City State Park. And was told by the sheriff department that their house should be ok. She asked me if I thought I could make it over to her house at the time I did not know. I turned on the TV and the radio. And to my surprise the water was not only hitting the houses by the bay but the water was being pushed up the Saginaw river and there was flooding going on right in the city of Bay City. The water did not get to where I lived but the snow sure did. In fact, Bay City had over 22” of snow and drifts up to 4 feet. Here is a short story on the events and the front page of the Bay City Times.

http://www.mybaycity.com/scripts/p3_v2/P3V3-0200.cfm?P3_ArticleID=8917
The water did not get to where my wife was living at that time and while I was not able to get to her house that day the next day (Sunday) I was able to get close enough to walk to her house. There was snow and water everywhere! It was the only time in my lifetime when I seen a blizzard and flood at the same time. That storm was a big east side of the state storm with Saginaw getting 21.3” Jackson getting 19” Flint getting 13.7” Here in Grand Rapids that storm in 1973 only dropped 8.5” so while a big late season storm not the event places on the east side of the state got.
Here is a more on the storm in Jackson
http://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/index.ssf/2015/03/peek_through_time_who_remember.html

A new record snowfall record for the date was set yesterday at Grand Rapids with 6.5” There is now 6” of snow on the ground. At some point there was a reported 1% of sunshine. For today the record H/L is 48/29 the record high of 74 was set in 1907 and 2021 the record low of 4 was set in 1983. The most snowfall of 8.4” fell in 1956 the wettest was in 1897 with 1.38” that fell as 4.0” of snow. The most snow on the ground was 14” in 1965. Last year the H/L was 48/36 and there was 0.04” of rainfall.

Still getting moderate snowfall and now here in MBY I am now at just under 5" of snow on the ground.

Just took a snowfall measurement and while I don't know how much has fallen there is now 3" of snow on my snow board. That is the most snowfall since February 15th depending on the snowfall totals this could be the 2nd most snow for this winter season. Getting light to moderate snowfall at this time.

Weather history for March 24 in southern Lower Michigan

1938: Temperatures soar into the 80s during one of the warmest March days in Lower Michigan. Grand Rapids ties their record high for the month at 82 degrees and Lansing sets a record for the date of 81 degrees.

On March 22, 2012, an unprecedented spring heatwave, and quite possibly the most anomalous weather event in over 130 years of record-keeping in Michigan, came to a close. The high temperature of 86 was the warmest March temperature ever in Detroit, beating by two degrees the record of 84 degrees set the day before. Highs of 84 and 75 in Flint and Saginaw fell short of the all-time March records set the day before. However, the 84-degree high in Flint still tied for the second warmest March temperature on record (Flint also reached 84 degrees on March 20, 2012, and March 22, 1938).

Altogether, SE Michigan shattered all significant records for March warmth. Detroit set 6 records in 8 days, including tying or breaking the monthly record twice. Flint set 8 records in 9 days, including tying or breaking the monthly record three times. Saginaw set 6 records in 8 days, which also included tying or breaking the monthly record two times.

The heat wave also included 10 consecutive days (March 14-23) of 70 degrees or higher in Detroit. This has never happened in March. In fact, it has never even happened in April. The closest competition is a span of 9 days late in the month of April over 125 years ago, in 1886.

Also on March 22, 1938, the daytime temperature soared to 82 degrees in Saginaw county, which ties for the third-highest maximum temperature recorded in Saginaw in the month of March.

Elsewhere in the US

1988,  Chicago’s morning low dips to one degree below zero, the latest sub-zero Fahrenheit reading in the city’s history. This record still stands today.

1893, The first tornado was recorded in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on this date. It destroyed 14 buildings and injured four people as it passed through the center of town. There was minor damage to the Weather Bureau office, which was located at Grand and Robinson in south Oklahoma City.

1920, A spectacular display of the “Northern Lights” was visible as far south as Bradenton FL, El Paso, TX and Fresno, CA. At Detroit MI, the display was described “so brilliant as to blot out all-stars below the first magnitude

Here in MBY there is now 1” of snow on the ground. This is the 1st time there has been one inch or more on the ground here since February 20th The overnight low in MBY was 25 and at the current time it is 27 with light snow falling.

The official H/L yesterday at Grand Rapids was 35/29 there was no rain or snowfall. The sun was out 60% of the possible time. For today the average H/L is 47/29 the record high of 85 was set in 2012 and the record low of 6 was set in 1906. The wettest was in 1955 with 0.79” that fell as 4.1” of snow. The most snowfall of 6.3” fell in 1965 and the most snow on the ground was in 1965 with 11” Last year the H/L was 49/40 and there was 0.04” of rain fall.

March 21 weather history in southern Lower Michigan

1983: Spring starts on a snowy note with record daily snowfall of 6 to 8 inches from Muskegon to Lansing.

2008: A record 6.6 inches of snow fell at Grand Rapids on the first day of Spring. Muskegon had a record 7 inches, while 8 to 14 inches of snow fell south of a line from Holland to Jackson.

On March 21, 2012, high temperatures of 84, 86, and 87 were recorded in Detroit, Flint, and Saginaw respectively. All of these temperatures broke the all-time March records for warmth at each location. Saginaw was particularly impressive, shattering its previous all-time March record of 83 by four degrees. Ultimately, one more record-breaking day in Detroit would relegate this day to be its second warmest March day ever recorded. The records for Flint and Saginaw, however, still stand.

Also on March 21, 2008, a winter storm hit the greater Metro Detroit region. While most of the metro area received 3 to 7 inches of snow, a band of 8 to 10 inches fell from Dexter and the Irish Hills across Saline, Tecumseh, Dundee and into Temperance.

Also on March 21, 1913, powerful winds swept across Southeast Michigan as a strong cold front moved across the state. The wind storm was one of the strongest in the local climate record and caused widespread damage, countless injuries, and several fatalities.

According to the historical record, east winds gusting to around 30 mph during the pre-dawn hours turned to the south, allowing the temperature in Detroit to rise to 57 degrees by 9 a.m. With the passage of the cold front, temperatures fell precipitously through the day, reaching a low of 23 degrees by midnight. As the cold air first began spilling into the area, winds initially turned southwesterly and began gusting to over 60 mph between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. The average wind speed during the following hour increased to 71 mph with a peak gust of nearly 80 mph. Shortly thereafter, at 11:15 a.m., a peak wind gust of 86 mph was recorded. Altogether, winds gusted in excess of 70 mph for approximately 3 hours while gusts in excess of 60 mph continued for around 6 hours.

Damage was significant, widespread, and conservatively estimated at $500,000 (equivalent to $11,500,000 in 2012 dollars after adjusting for inflation). Buildings were razed, roofs and chimneys were destroyed, and trees were broken and uprooted. In addition, vehicles were overturned and there were accounts of a delivery wagon having been blown through the window of a restaurant on Lafayette Boulevard. In addition to several fatalities, one of which included a Grand Trunk watchman who was blown in front of a moving train, injuries to pedestrians were numerous and included arm, leg, and skull fractures. The strong winds also caused the Detroit River level to fall so low that the water intakes for manufacturing plants were cut off, resulting in their closure. On the Canadian side, thirteen freight train cars were derailed by large waves.

The official H/L yesterday at Grand Rapids was 37/21 there was 0.3” of snowfall. The highest wind gust was 37 MPH out of the NW. There was 29% of possible sunshine. For today the average H/L is 47/8 the record high for the date and the month of March is 87 the record low of 9 was set in 1965. The most rainfall is 0.79” in 2007 the most snowfall is 6.8” in 2008 the most on the ground is 9” in 1965. Last year the H/L was 53/32.

The overnight low here in MBY was a cold 15 that is the coldest low since February 24^th at the current time is 18 with mostly cloudy skies.

Some weather history for southern lower Michigan

1976: A tornado outbreak strikes from Michigan to Mississippi. In Michigan, two people are killed, one each in Oakland and Macomb Counties.

 2012, highs of 82, 84, and 83 were recorded in Detroit, Flint, and Saginaw respectively. Each temperature tied for the warmest March temperatures ever recorded at the time. However, all records would be broken in the coming days. Ultimately March 20, 2012, would be the third warmest March day ever recorded for Detroit and the second warmest for Flint and Saginaw.

 1976, an F4 tornado moved through West Bloomfield in Oakland County at 7:15 PM. This tornado was responsible for 1 death, 55 injuries, and over $5 million in damage. This is both the strongest and costliest tornado to ever hit Oakland County.

 many snowstorms have hit Southeast Michigan with greater than 6 inches over a large area of the region including in 1967, 1983, 1989, 1992, and 1996. In 1983, the Flint snowfall of 9.6 inches was the tenth heaviest snowstorm in its history.

Around the USA

1948, 

 The city of Juneau received 31 inches of snow in 24 hours, a record for the Alaska Capitol. (20th – 21st)

Also, on this day, an F3 tornado tracked through Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City, OK just before 10 pm destroying 54 aircraft, including 17 transport planes valued at $500,000 apiece. The total damage amounted to more than $10 million, a record for the state that stood until the massive tornado outbreak of 5/3/1999. Major Ernest W. Fawbush and Captain Robert C. Miller were ordered to see if operationally forecasting tornadoes was possible. The tornado prompted the first attempt at tornado forecasting. Forecasters at Tinker believed conditions were again favorable for tornadoes and issued the first recorded tornado forecast. Five days later, on 3/25 at 6 pm, a forecasted tornado occurred, crossing the prepared base, and the damage was minimized. The successful, albeit somewhat lucky forecast, paved the way for tornado forecasts to be issued by the U.S. Weather Bureau after a lengthy ban.

1998, A deadly tornado outbreak occurred over portions of the southeastern United States on this day. Particularly hard hit were rural areas outside of Gainesville, Georgia, where at least 12 people were killed during the early morning hours. The entire outbreak killed 14 people and produced 12 tornadoes across three states.  The town of Stoneville, North Carolina, was hard hit by the storms.

As has been the case this year yesterday was yet another windy day with the highest wind gust of 46 MPH out of the W. The H/L was 44/30 there was no rain/snowfall the sun was out 40% of the possible time. For today the average H/L is 46/28 the record high of 83 was set in 2012 and the record low of 3 was set in 1965. The most rainfall of 1.22” fell in 2011 the most snowfall of 8.4” was in 1940 the most on the ground was 9” in 1965. Last year the H/L was 49/27.

The overnight low here in MBY was 30 and that is the current temperature, there was .2” of snowfall and there is a trace of snow on the ground at the current time.

It is a rather windy March day once again. With winds gusting up to near 40 MPH and a temperature of 41 it sure don't fell like it is that warm.

The official H/L yesterday was 35/25 there was 0.01” of precipitation and a trace of snowfall. The highest wind gust was 29 MPH out if the NW. There was no sunshine. For today the average H/L is now up to 46/28 the record high of 81 was set in 2012 the record low of 0 was set in 1923 the most rainfall of 2.12” fell in 1948 the most snowfall of 3.3” fell in 1971 the most on the ground was 9” in 1965. Last year the H/L was 34/17.

The official H/L yesterday was 38/29. There was 0.4” of precipitation that fell as 0.2” of snowfall. The highest wind speed was 33 MPH out of the W. There was 7% of possible sunshine. For today the average H/L is 45/27 the record high of 75  was set in 1894, 1903 and 2012. The record low of 5 was set in 1923. The wettest was 1.06” that fell as 3” of snow in 1899. The most snowfall was 5.7” in 1965. The most on the ground was 13” in 1904. Last year the H/L was 27/15 and there was 4” of snowfall.

With a H/L of 38/29 yesterday was the 1^st day of below average temperatures this month. The current mean for March is 45.5 but that will fall a good amount this week. At this time there is light snow falling with a temperature of 28 and there is a trace of snow on the ground.  

Going from a El Nino to La Nina happens frequently. Since 1950 El Nino has flipped to La Nina in 1954,1963,1983,1987,1995,1998,2005,2007,2010 and 2015. It looks like it may be happening more often recently. I will do some research  sometime in the weeks ahead on how the weather here in west Michigan was during the years that it flipped. Already know the winter of1982/1983 was very warm and that has been the case for the winter of 2023/2024. 

Happy St Patrick’s day. The official H/L yesterday was 53/30 there was 0.04” of rainfall there was 26% of possible sunshine. It was another windy day with the highest wind speed of 47MPH out of the SW. For today the average H/L is 45/27 the record high of 78 was set in 2012 the record low of -4 was set in 1949 the most rain fall of 1.47” was in 1919 the most snowfall of 7.5” fell in 1973. The most on the ground was 15” in 1904. Last year the H/L was 49/27 and there was 0.35” of rain fall.  

The official H/L yesterday at Grand Rapids was 53/31 there was no rain/snow fall the sun was out 98% of the time. For today the average H/L is 53/31 the record high of 79 was set in 1990 the record low of 3 was set in 1900. The most rainfall of 1.50” fell in 1942. The most snowfall of 10.0” fell in 1895. The most snow on the ground was 10” in 1904. Last year the H/L was 51/34 and there was 0.19” of rainfall. So far this year there has been 7.96” of precipitation that is a departure of +2.21” This winter season so far has had only 40.5” of snowfall that is a departure of -32.8”

While February and the start of March have be very warm this year in fact after 15 days this March with a mean of 46.5 would be the 2nd warmest March if this holds until the end of the month. But that said 2012 has one of the greatest Heat Waves that have been recorded.

We generally do not think of the term “Heat Wave” when we think of the Month of March but in March of 2012, we had a very remarkable warm event take place. This was not a one or two day “warm” spell that we sometimes get in March but instead lasted for (at Grand Rapids) for 12 days. It started in earnest on March 14th when Grand Rapids had a high of 80° and for the next 12 days we had temps that would be more like June then March. Reaching a peak on March 21st with a high of 87° In all in that 12-day stretch Grand Rapids had 5 days of 80 or warmer 5 days of 71 or warmer and 2 days in the 60’s
New All-Time Record High Temperatures for March

City New Record High (Date) Old Record High (Date)
Detroit, Mich. 86 (3/22) 82 (3/28/1945)
Lansing, Mich. 86 (3/21) 82 (3/24/1910)
Toledo, Ohio 85 (3/21, 3/22) 83 (3/24/1910)
Bangor, Maine 84 (3/22) 79 (3/29/1946)
Milwaukee, Wis. 84 (3/21) 82 (3/29/1986, 3/31/1986)
Cleveland, Ohio 83 (3/20-3/22) – tie 83 (3/24/1910, 3/25/1945)
Madison, Wis. 83 (3/21) 82 (3/29/1986, 3/31/1981)
Buffalo, N.Y. 82 (3/21) 81 (3/26/1945)
London, Ontario 81 (3/22) 77 (3/30/1998)
Marquette, Mich. 81 (3/21) 71 (3/8/2000)
Ottawa, Ontario 81 (3/21) 80 (3/29/1946)
International Falls, Minn. 79 (3/18) 73 (3/31/1963)
Toronto, Ontario 79 (3/22) 78 (3/28/1945)
Montreal, Quebec 78 (3/21) – tie 78 (3/28/1945)
Caribou, Maine 75 (3/21) 73 (3/30/1962)
Winnipeg, Manitoba 75 (3/19) 74 (3/27/1946)
Quebec City, Quebec 65 (3/21) 64 (3/30/1962)

The ‘Heat Wave’ of March 2012, By the Numbers

32 The gap, in degrees, between the old and new record high on March 21 in Marquette, Mich. The new record high was 81 degrees, obliterating the old record of 49 degrees. The margin of defeat was so great that the 21.2 The temperature departure (in degrees Fahrenheit) from normal for the month of March thus far in Winnipeg, Canada. This occurred despite temperatures having dropped below zero for four days early in the month.
1921 The last year it was above 80 degrees in Boston before March 28 of any given calendar year. In reaching 83 degrees on March 22, this came to fruition for the first time since March 21, 1921.
86 The new all-time record high temperature for March in Detroit, Mich., set on March 22. In fact, a new all-time high temperature was set two days in a row, with the mercury first climbing to 84 degrees on March 21.
60 The average low temperature in Chicago, Ill., from March 17 to March 22 of this year. Such low temperatures, about 30 degrees above normal, are more typical for mid-June.
e low temperature that day was even higher than the old record high temperature
9 The number of consecutive days that Chicago, Ill., has broken a record high, from March 14 to March 22. Eight of those days saw the mercury climb above 80 degrees, which is normal for mid-June.
93 The temperature swing that occurred over the course of just nine days in International Falls, Minn., from a low of minus 14 degrees on March 9, to a high of 79 degrees on March 18. Also, 10 straight days of new record highs (March 13 to March 22).
26 The number of inches of snow that melted over the course of just seven days in Caribou, Maine, from March 15 to March 22, thanks to the unusual warmth. Also, 18 inches of snow was still on the ground when the first record high fell on March 18 (64 degrees).
In Detroit, the mid-March heat wave was enough to vault the month to the top of the list of warmest Marches on record. Not only that, but the records for the most consecutive March days with highs above 60, 70, and 80 degrees were also set.
Of course there was a price for crops to pay as April 2012 ended up close to average and there was a hard freeze on April 29th when the temp fell to 28° causing a lot of damage to crops that year.

Some weather history for southern Lower Michigan.

1912: Cold and snow continue during a very wintry month. Lansing sets a daily snowfall record with 11.5 inches and Grand Rapids with 5.2 inches. Lansing falls to one degree below zero the next morning.

1990: Four days of record warmth culminate with highs of 77 degrees at Lansing, 75 at Grand Rapids and 72 at Muskegon.

 1990, the temperature rose to 77 degrees in Detroit, a record high for the day at the time. This marked the fourth day in a row (March 12-15) that record daily highs were set.

 2012, thunderstorms produced three rare early-season tornadoes. An EF0 caused minor damage in the town of Ida in Monroe County. In Lapeer County, trees were uprooted and a home was moved off of its foundation when an EF2 struck on the same evening. The most destructive tornado, an EF3, struck the town of Dexter with winds estimated between 135-140 mph, causing extensive structural damage and destroying multiple homes. Of the 13 March tornadoes ever recorded in SE Michigan, 4 of them occurred in March 2012.

Across the USA

1938, A tornado hit McPaul, Iowa, while moving from southeast to northwest. Another tornado raced through Batesville, Illinois, at 60 to 65 mph. Another tornado causing F4 damage killed 10 and injured 12 in St. Clair County, Missouri. This tornado was part of an outbreak that produced four different tornadoes and was responsible for 11 deaths and 42 injuries.

2004,  Brownsville, Texas, breaks a century-old record for the most significant daily rainfall accumulation for March with 3.23 inches.

New record rainfall amount at GRR. The official rainfall of 0.81” set a new rainfall record at Grand Rapids. Here in MBY I recorded less with just 0.59” for the event and 0.53” from 7AM to 7 AM. The is one issue I have with cocorahs is the times recording rainfall.

The official H/L yesterday at Grand Rapids was 58/43 a record rainfall amount of 0.81” there was no snowfall and no sunshine. The highest wind gust was 41 MPH out of the NE. For today the average H/L is 44/27 the record high of 75 was set in 1990 the record low of 5 was set in 1897. The record rainfall of 1.31” was set in 1943 the record snowfall of 5.2” was in 1912. The most on the ground was 11” in 1904. Last year the H/L was 44/16.

Some weather history for southern lower Michigan

1904: A snowstorm drops up to a foot of snow across Lower Michigan with record daily snowfall of 10.5 inches at Grand Rapids, 10 inches at Lansing, and 8.0 inches at Muskegon. This snow would contribute to some of the worst floods on record in southwest Lower Michigan when it melts off during the last week of the month.

2019: Thunderstorms with heavy rain combined with snowmelt and frozen ground brought significant flooding across parts of central Lower Michigan. Newaygo County saw the worst flooding, with in more than 150 homes and 9 businesses flooded, as well as the closure of more than 100 roads and the complete washout of more than 30 roads. The flooding continued for several days with damage estimated at nearly 2 million dollars.

 2019, a tornado outbreak occurred across the I-69 corridor during the afternoon and evening hours. 4 tornadoes developed from a line of severe storms – an EF0 near Corunna, an EF2 near Vernon, an EF0 near Flushing, and an EF0 near Genesee Township. The Vernon EF2 tornado had max estimated winds of 125 mph, was on the ground for 20 minutes, and had a path length of over 18 miles as it tracked northeast. Thankfully no injuries were reported from these storms, but numerous homes suffered damage.

 1997, low pressure tracked across Southeast Lower Michigan. The storm brought widespread precipitation, mostly in the form of freezing rain, to Southeast Michigan from late on the 13th into the morning of the 14th. Total precipitation amounts ranged from around an inch to nearly two and a half inches. In the Detroit Metropolitan area, the ice storm resulted in power outages to over 425,000 homes and businesses; one of the largest outages in history. Several thousand residents were without power for as long as 4 to 5 days. In addition to powerlines, falling trees damaged dozens of cars and houses throughout the area.

Across the USA 

1933,  A deadly tornado outbreak affected the Middle Tennessee region, including Nashville, on this day. The outbreak, which produced five or more tornadoes, killed 44 people and injured at least 461 others. The strongest tornado, F3, cut a path through the center of Nashville. About 1,400 homes were damaged or destroyed. Windows were blown out of the State Capitol Building

1935,  Suffocating dust storms frequently occurred in southeast Colorado between the 12th and the 25th of the month. Six people died, and many livestock starved or suffocated. Up to six feet of dust covered the ground. Schools were closed, and tenants deserted many rural homes.

2008, An EF2 tornado moved through downtown Atlanta, Georgia, shortly before 10 pm, damaging the Georgia Dome where the SEC men’s basketball tournament was underway.

The official H/L yesterday at Grand Rapids was 71/40 there was a trace of rainfall. The sun was out 85% of the possible time and the highest wind speed was 19 MPH out of the SW.  For today the average H/L is 44/26 the record high of 80 was set in 2012 the record low of 0 was set in 1895. The wettest and most snow fall of 0.79” that fell as 10.5” of snow was in 1904. 1904 also had the most snow on the ground with 11” Last year the H/L was 37/21 there was a trace of snowfall and 2” was on the ground.

With yesterday’s high of 71 it was the 1^st time there have been back to back days of 70 or better in March since 2012. Here in MBY I recorded 0.06” of rainfall overnight and the low was a warm for March 50 that 50 is the current temperature here in MBY.

Some weather history in southern lower Michigan

1990: A spell of record warm weather continues across Lower Michigan with temperatures in the 70s. Lansing hits 74 degrees during a string of four straight days in the 70s.

1993: The Superstorm of 1993 dumps three to four feet of snow across the Appalachians and draws down record-cold arctic air across Lower Michigan. High temperatures struggle to reach the lower 20s with gusty winds making it feel even colder.

 2017, a clipper brought widespread 1 to 2 inches of snow accumulation to SE Michigan. With the easterly wind off of Lake Erie, lake enhancement led to a small area of 3 to 6 inches in the Detroit Metro area. Thousands of area residents were still without power during this event due to the record March 8th wind storm a few days prior.

 1990, the overnight temperature dropped to only 59 degrees in Flint, which is the record maximum low temperature for the day. This was also the second day in a string of four days (March 12-15) that record maximum low temperatures were set.

Across the USA

1953,  An F4 tornado cut an 18-mile path through Haskell and Knox counties in Texas. 17 people were killed, and an eight-block area of Knox City was leveled.

1990,Thunderstorms produced severe weather from northwest Texas to Wisconsin, Iowa, and Nebraska during the day and into the night. Severe thunderstorms spawned 59 tornadoes, including twenty-six strong or violent tornadoes, and there were about two hundred reports of large hail or damaging winds. There were forty-eight tornadoes in Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa, and some of the tornadoes in those three states were the strongest of record for so early in the season, and for so far northwest in the United States. The most powerful tornado of the day was one that tore through the central Kansas community of Hesston. The F5 tornado killed two persons, injured sixty others, and caused 22 million dollars in damage along its 67-mile path. The tornado had a lifespan of two hours. Another tornado tracked 124 miles across southeastern Nebraska, injuring eight persons and causing more than five million dollars in damage during its three-hour lifespan.