westMJim

So far, the big stories for the winter of 2023/24 have been the mild almost snowless December. The 2 weeks of cold and snow in January saw not only the coldest temperatures of the winter, but a total of 30” of snowfall in just two weeks. And now February has had a very warm start. For the winter season we are running near the record warm meteorological winter of 1921/32. The mean for the meteorological winter of 1931/32 was 33.9 so far this winter has a mean of 33.5.    

Here is a month by month breakdown of the meteorological winters  of 1931/32 and 2023/24 so far. December 1931 had a mean of 35.8°, the high for the month was 55 and the low was 17. There was 7.1” of snowfall. December 2023 had a mean of 38.3 the high for the month was 58 and the low for the month was 22 there was just 1.3” of total snowfall. January 1932 The mean was 34.2 the high for the month was 58 and the low for the month was 5 there was just 3.2” of snowfall. January 2024 had a mean of 27.1 the high was only 40 the low for the month was -5 There were many days where it did not get below 30. The was a lot of snow in a two-week period when over 30” fell the month ended up with 31.3” of snowfall. February 1932 had a mean of 31.8 the high for the month was 64 and the low for the month was 13. There was 5.2” of snowfall. So far this year the 1^st 16 days February mean is 35.1 that is a departure of +10.0.   The highest so far is 59 and the lowest so far is just 21. There has been 5.5” of snowfall and 0.53” of total precipitation.  In 1932 for the whole month of February the mean at GR was 31.8 the high for the month was 64 and the low for the month was 13. There was 5.2” of snowfall the total precipitation was 1.16”. The next 13 days will decide if this winter will be the warmest meteorological winter.

So far, the big stories for the winter of 2023/24 have been the mild almost snowless December. The 2 weeks of cold and snow in January saw not only the coldest temperatures of the winter, but a total of 30” of snowfall in just two weeks. And now February has had a very warm start. For the winter season we are running near the record warm meteorological winter of 1921/32. The mean for the meteorological winter of 1931/32 was 33.9 so far this winter has a mean of 33.5.    

Here is a month by month breakdown of the meteorological winters  of 1931/32 and 2023/24 so far. December 1931 had a mean of 35.8°, the high for the month was 55 and the low was 17. There was 7.1” of snowfall. December 2023 had a mean of 38.3 the high for the month was 58 and the low for the month was 22 there was just 1.3” of total snowfall. January 1932 The mean was 34.2 the high for the month was 58 and the low for the month was 5 there was just 3.2” of snowfall. January 2024 had a mean of 27.1 the high was only 40 the low for the month was -5 There were many days where it did not get below 30. The was a lot of snow in a two-week period when over 30” fell the month ended up with 31.3” of snowfall. February 1932 had a mean of 31.8 the high for the month was 64 and the low for the month was 13. There was 5.2” of snowfall. So far this year the 1^st 16 days February mean is 35.1 that is a departure of +10.0.   The highest so far is 59 and the lowest so far is just 21. There has been 5.5” of snowfall and 0.53” of total precipitation.  In 1932 for the whole month of February the mean at GR was 31.8 the high for the month was 64 and the low for the month was 13. There was 5.2” of snowfall the total precipitation was 1.16”. The next 13 days will decide if this winter will be the warmest meteorological winter.

Record breaking precipitation 0.49: and snowfall 5.5” amounts yesterday at Grand Rapids. The official H/L was 36/29 the highest wind speed of 44MPH was out of the west. For today the average H/L is 34/20 the record high of 29 was set in 1921 the record low of -12 was set in 1973. The most rainfall of 1.84” was in 1984 the most snowfall of 3.0” was in 2012. The most on the ground was 23” in 1936. Last year the H/L was 37/22 and there was 1.8” of snowfall.

3 minutes ago, tStacsh said:

5 minutes ago, tStacsh said:

Got about 3”

that is what I have here as well.

At the current time there is snow falling and the temperature is 31. I now have just over 3” of snow on the ground.

The official H/L yesterday at Grand Rapids was 42/22 there was no rain/snow before midnight. The sun was out 56% of the possible time. For today the average H/L is now up to 34/19 the record high of 61 was set in 1954 the record low of -8 was set in 2015. The most rainfall of 0.43” was in 1992 the most snowfall of 4.8” was in 1990. The most snow on the ground was 21” in 1985,1936 in 2014 there was 20” on the ground. Last year the H/L was 52/37 and there was 0.32” of rainfall.

The official H/L yesterday was 37/23 there was a trace of snowfall. The total for the month is now a trace. For today the average H/L is 33/19 the record high of 54 was set in 2023 the record low of -24 was set in 1899. The most rainfall of 0.90” fell in 1911 the most snowfall of 7.8” fell in 1946 the most on the ground was 21” in 1985 and 1936. Last year there was the record H of 54 and the low was 26.

The official H/L yesterday at Grand Rapids was 42/21 there was no rain/snowfall. The sun was out 67% of the possible time. The highest wind was 19 MPH out of the SW. For today the average H/L is 33/19 the record high of 58 was set in 1938 that year also had the most rainfall of 0.68”. The most snowfall of 5.0” fell in 1900 the most snow on the ground was 21” in 2014 and 1936 there was 20” on the ground in 1985. Last year the H/L was 42/28.

Some weather history for February 12

1967: Temperatures plummet to 24 below zero at Lansing and 16 below at Grand Rapids as arctic high pressure moves across Lower Michigan.

 2019, the Tri-Cities and Thumb regions saw 3 to 6 inches of snow while areas south of Metro Detroit saw persistent freezing rain. Tens of thousands of residents lost power during this storm. Note the Tri-cities in Michigan are Bay City, Saginaw and Midland. 

1784,  Ice floes were spotted in the Gulf of Mexico after passing out the Mississippi River in February 1784. Ice blocked the river in New Orleans, Louisiana. The ice in New Orleans is one of two times that this occurred during the Great Arctic Outbreak of 1899. The eruption of Laki in Iceland from June 8, 1783, through February 7, 1784, is the likely cause for the severe winter of 1783 – 1784.

1899, The bitter cold outbreak of February 1899 continued across the southern Plains, Texas, and the Deep South. The mercury dipped to 8 degrees below zero at Fort Worth, Texas, and 22 degrees below zero at Kansas City, Missouri. Nebraska’s temperature at Camp Clarke plunged to 47 degrees below zero to establish a state record. The all-time record low for Oklahoma City was set when the temperature fell to a frigid 17 degrees below zero, breaking the previous record low of 12 below zero, set on the previous day. Washington D.C. hit 15 degrees below zero, while Charleston, SC, received a record four inches of snow. Snow was also reported in Fort Myers, Tampa, and Tallahassee Florida

The official H/L yesterday at Grand Rapids was 38/28 there was no rain/snowfall. The sun was out only 6% of the possible time. For today the average H/L is 33/19 the record high of 55 was set in 1984 the record low of -23 was set in 1899. The most rainfall of 1.70” fell in 1938 the most snow fall of 5.1” fell in 2019. The most snow on the ground was 21” in 2014. Last  year the H/L was 48/28.

It looks like the official overnight low was 21 that is the coldest it has been this February so far. The low here in MBY was 20 and the current reading here in 24 with broken clouds.

Some weather history for February 11

1899: Muskegon records their all-time record low of 30 below zero. Grand Rapids falls to 21 below and Lansing 22 below.

1999: A surge of warm air ahead of a cold front brings all-time record-high February temperatures to much of Lower Michigan. February records include 67 degrees at Muskegon and 69 degrees at both Grand Rapids and Lansing. Battle Creek hits 72 degrees.

On February 11, 1999, the temperature rose to 70 degrees in Detroit. This is the earliest 70 degree day ever recorded in the city of Detroit.

1895: The low temperature was 11 degrees below zero at Moline, Illinois, marking the last of 16 consecutive days on which the low temperature was at or below zero. During the first 11 days of February, Moline’s highest temperature was only 13 degrees above zero. Their current average high temperature for early February is in the lower 30s.

1983:  Called the “Megalopolitan blockbuster snowstorm,” this major snowstorm impacted the Mid-Atlantic and southern New England. Snowfall up to 25 inches fell at Allentown, Pennsylvania. Snowfall amount of 35 inches occurred in parts of the Blue Ridge Mountains of West Virginia at Glen Cary. Windsor Locks, Connecticut, recorded a record 19 inches in 12 hours.

The official H/L yesterday at Grand Rapids was 38/29 there was no rain/snowfall and there was no sunshine. For today the average H/L is now up to 33/19 the record high for the date and the month at Grand Rapids is 69 in 1999. The record low of -21 was set in 1899. The most rainfall of 0.79” was in 1998 the most snow fall of 8.8” was in 1985 The most on the ground was 22” in 2014. Last year the H/L was 45/19.

While we are having one of the warmest starts to any February way back in 1899 it was a different story. Here in Grand Rapids one of the coldest stretches of cold happened. Starting on January 27, 1899 there were 21 days in a row of below average temperatures at Grand Rapids. On 15 of the days it got below zero reaching lows of -20 on January 31^st  and February 1^st -21 on February 10^th and 11^th -23 on the 12^th and -24 on the 13^th and 14^th Lows were similar in Lansing but at Muskegon lows reached -29 on February 12^th and -30 on the 12^th To put that into a little perspective the last 3 times it has gotten down to -20 or colder at GR was -22 in 1994, -20 in 1981 and -21 in 1979. With 7 days of -20 or colder 1899 has the most no other winter has more than 1. While 1899 had 15 days with lows of 0 or colder it is not the most at Grand Rapids as 1978 had 19 in recent years 2014 has the most with 11. As for snowfall that February was cold but not very snowy at all as only 3.4” fell at Grand Rapids and 3.6 at Lansing just 5” at  Muskegon.  There was a total of 75.9” that winter season at Grand Rapids, 47.0 at Muskegon and 49.4 at Lansing.

Here is some more information from the cold outbreak of 1899.  Nearly three feet of snow buried the nation’s capital, and ice encased steamboats on Lake Michigan. There’s cold—and then there was the Great Arctic Outbreak of February 1899. The bitter cold first hit the West Coast in the first days of February as temperatures reached lows of 33 degrees Fahrenheit in San Diego and 12 degrees in Seattle. The frigid air then barreled east with freezing temperatures reaching as far south as the Gulf Coast and Florida Panhandle. On February 11, residents of Fort Logan, Montana.  Between February 11 and February 14, the Great Arctic Outbreak set record low temperatures in Grand Rapids (-24 degrees), Wichita (-22 degrees), Oklahoma City (-17 degrees), Atlanta (-9 degrees), Fort Worth (-8 degrees) and Baton Rouge (2 degrees). Even in Florida, there was no vacation from the cold. The temperature in Tallahassee fell to an all-time state record of -2 degrees on February 13 as nearly two inches of snow fell from the Panhandle to Jacksonville. Tampa received the first measurable snowfall recorded in the city’s history and trace amounts fell further down the Gulf Coast. Even in tropical Miami, the mercury dipped below freezing as desperate farmers set fires among their orange groves and wrapped their trees for protection from the cold. Note after the cold in Tallahassee the temperature was back up into the 60’s on the 16^th and the 70’s by the 20^th  Here in Michigan March was cold and snowy but it did really warm up in April with it even reaching 90 degrees at Grand Rapids on April 29^th it reached the mid to upper 80’s in other  parts of West Michigan.

Yesterday was another record warm day across the area.  Record highs were recorded at Grand Rapids 55°, Lansing 60, Muskegon 54°. At Grand Rapids the H/L was 55/39 there was no rain or snowfall. The highest wind was 43 MPH out of the SW. For today the average H/L is 32/19 the record high of 61 was set in 2009 the record low of -21 was set in 1899. Record rainfall of 0.99” was in 1966.  The most snow fall of 6.7” fell in 1981 the most on the ground was 23” in 2014. Last year the H/L was 37/25.

Fun fact.  Since January 23 every day has been above average. In 1931 every day starting on January 23 to February 9th was above average. February 10, 13 and 14 were below average. But the the rest of the days were above average March 1st was also above average. March was colder than average with a little more snow than average.

39 minutes ago, Tom said:

Gosh, the medium/long range looks like a La Nina pattern if you are to believe the EURO with Spring to the South and Winter to the north...Battle Zone right through the Heartland...

I have to say after yesterday and how nice it was I really would rather have it stay mild for March and warm up in April. I work for the local minor league baseball team and it is not fun at the games in April when it is cold.  

The highs yesterday were kind of rare for our area. For the whole month of February At Grand Rapids has only had 15 years with highs got warmer in February. At Lansing where records go back to 1863 there have been only 13 years when it has gotten warmer. At Holland there have been only 11 years and at Muskegon only in 3 years has it gotten warmer in February.

Some weather history for February 9th in southern lower Michigan.

1875: The temperature tumbles to 32 degrees below zero at Lansing and 20 below at Detroit during one of the coldest months on record in Lower Michigan. The mean temperature for the entire month at Lansing is 4.7 degrees, the coldest month ever recorded there.

1934: The coldest temperature ever recorded in Michigan occurred at Vanderbilt, with a low of 51 degrees below zero.

2018 a full day of snow, including a period of 1″ per hour rates, led to accumulations ranging from 4 to 9 inches across Southeast Michigan. The heaviest snow fell between the Ohio border and M59. Peak measurements of 9.0″ were taken near the towns of Adrian and Milan.

 2016, prolonged moderate to heavy snow resulted in significant accumulations in the Thumb. Locations south of Interstate 69 received only 1 to 6 inches, with the lowest amounts closest to Detroit and the Ohio border. However, Sebewaing, Port Hope, and Cass City all measured a foot. The big winner was Deford in Tuscola County where 14 inches fell.

 2010, a strong low-pressure system passed through the Ohio River Valley and dropped the largest snowfall totals of the 2009-10 season across southeast Michigan during the afternoon and evening hours of the 9th and the early morning hours of the 10th. Most locations received between 5 and 10 inches with the highest amounts observed along the Ohio border, and between Flint and Saginaw, where up to a foot was reported. Some of the higher snowfall reports included Saginaw with 12.4 inches, Burt with 10.5 inches, Samaria with 10.0 inches, and Ann Arbor and Flint received 9.4 inches.

 2001, a storm produced widespread two-day rainfall amounts from one to two and a half inches across all of Southeast Michigan. With substantial snowmelt thanks to one to two feet of snow on the ground, runoff production was quite large. Numerous rivers flooded over the following few days, and basement and road flooding were widespread. Unfortunately, there were three deaths as a result of the flooding in Monroe County.

Also on February 9, 1977, this day marked the last day of a streak of 45 days (December 26, 1976-February 9, 1977) of temperatures at or below 32 degrees in southeastern Michigan.

New record highs were set yesterday at Muskegon 63° and Kalamazoo 62° It was the 2^nd warmest for the date at Holland 61° and Grand Rapids 59° It was the 2^nd warmest minimum at Lansing 37° Holland and Muskegon 38° and the 3^rd warmest at Grand Rapids with a reported 35° Here in MBY I had a high of 60 yesterday. There was a nice thunderstorm rolled thru around 11PM last night.

The official H/L yesterday at Grand Rapids was 59/35 there was 0.04” of rain in a nice thunderstorm. The sun was out 30% of the time. The highest wind was 39MPH out of the S. For today the average H/L is 32/18 the record high of 55 was set in 1925 the record low of -16 was set in 1934 the most snowfall was 8.1” in 2010 the most on the ground was 23” in 2014. Last year was the wettest with 1.10” of rainfall and a H/L of 43/33.

Not a lot of snow left in parts of the UP at this time.
https://www.exploremunising.com/web-cams/
and 
https://www.exploremunising.com/web-cams/

33 minutes ago, tStacsh said:

I believe we have tied a record of 60 here in Grand Rapids.

As of 3 PM new records have been set at Muskegon and Kalamazoo with 62. So far the warmest I have seen for GRR is 58.  I have 60 at this time but the clouds are now moving in.

New record highs set. The 3PM readings have set a new record highs at Muskegon and Kalamazoo with a reading of 62. The readings of 60 at Holland 58 at Grand Rapids and 57 at Lansing have not reached records yet but will be the 2^nd at Holland and 3^rd at Grand Rapids and Lansing. Here in MBY I now have a reading of 60.

11 hours ago, jaster220 said:

APX's snowcover map must be based on satellite sensing and broadly smoothed as they show almost all of NMI with at least 1"+

Also in parts of the UP there is no to very little snow on the ground according to some web cams.

https://www.exploremunising.com/web-cams/

and

https://www.mackinacbridge.org/fares-traffic/bridge-cam/

Yesterday the official high of 48 and the official high of 47 at Grand Rapids and Muskegon were the 3^rd warmest on record at both locations. The high of 50 at Lansing was the 4^th warmest. It looks like the overnight low at Grand Rapids so far for today is 35 if that holds it will be the 3^rd warmest minimum at GRR. Note here in MBY the low was 31 at the current time I have 37.

The official H/L yesterday at Grand Rapids was 48/26 that 48 is the 3^rd warmest for the date. There was no rain or snowfall. The sun was out 19% of the possible time. For today the average H/L is 32/18 the record high of 60 was set in 1925 and the record low of -12 was set in 1974. The most rainfall of 0.75” fell in 1900 and the record snowfall of 5.4” fell in 1952 the most snow on the ground was 23” in 2014. Last year the H/L was 43/24.

For today the top highs at Grand Rapids are 60, in 1925, 59 in 1900, 57 in 1990, 56 in 1937, 53 in 1938. The record warm lows are 49 in 1925, 36 in 1936, 34 in 1938. At Lansing the top record highs are 62 in 1900, 59 in 1869, 56 in 1925, 55 in 1990, 53 in 1937 and 1867. The record warm lows are 39 in 1966, 36 in 2023 and 1898, 35 in 1881.

3 hours ago, tStacsh said:

March can either be Spring or Winter here.  I prefer Spring in March.   So I'm hopeful.   I'll enjoy one last run in February of winter, but after that.

I would not be too surprised if we get a March snow or ice storm. It can even happen in April around here. Or could we be in for a March like 2012???

 The forecast discussion has the mention of record or near record warm highs and record lows for the next 3 days. Here are the record highs and record warmest minimums for today, Thursday and Friday. The record top highs for today at Grand Rapids are 52 in 2004, 51 in 1925, 48 in 1904, 47 in 2019 and 1928, 46 in 1965 and 1900. There will not be a near record warm low for today. At Lansing the record  high for today is 54 in 1900, 52 in 2009, 51 in 2019, 50 in 1887 and 1882, 49 in 1878 and 1867. There will be no record warms minimums at Lansing for today

For tomorrow the top highs at Grand Rapids are 60, in 1925, 59 in 1900, 57 in 1990, 56 in 1937, 53 in 1938. The record warm lows are 49 in 1925, 36 in 1936, 34 in 1938. At Lansing the top record highs are 62 in 1900, 59 in 1869, 56 in 1925, 55 in 1990, 53 in 1937 and 1867. The record warm lows are 39 in 1966, 36 in 2023 and 1898, 35 in 1881.

And for Friday the top  record highs at Grand Rapids are 55 in 1925, 54 in 1990, 53 in 1966, 52 in 1938, 49 in 2001. The top warmest lows are 41 in 1966, 36 in 1999, 34 in 1921. At Lansing the top record highs are 53 in 1990 and 1966, 52 in 1938 and 1925, 51 in 1991 and 50 in 2001. The top record warm lows are 39 in 1966, 36 in 2023 and 1898, 35 in 1881.