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Been poring over snowfall maps and such the way I like to do this time of year. I remembered the big flip in Jan of '85 from the warmth of Christmas '84. The first significant snowfall was NYE 1985 and it was "just" north of mby (I was only 20 so it was my parent's backyard tbh) and we had a major ice storm. The next 6 or 7 weeks continued very wintry and no doubt qualifies as one of the snowiest periods of record in The Mitt. There were places not even in any LES region that saw incredible depths at the peak in mid-February of 30-40" such as Standish along Saginaw Bay, and Lowell east of Grand Rapids (38" OTG). I was busy playing in large drifts on my two snowmobiles and never bothered to venture to NMI during that time. Which in retrospect is an opportunity missed. The deepest snow I've personally seen is 50" during Feb 1979 in NWMI. Going to be very hard to top that unless I want to go to some remote parts of the Yooperland intentionally on a mission. Looking at the data on file (and hearing firsthand accounts later when I lived in NWMI) I missed a golden opportunity to witness one of the deepest snow depths no doubt in the LP of Michigan. Here is Kalkaska. Imagine you've got 48" OTG and then you get 2 feet in one day on top of that. Must have been insane, even by that region's standards.

Another record high temp broken yesterday.

The average mean temperature for October at Grand Rapids is 51.5 the record warmest October was in 1900 with a mean of 59.1. That October had 4 days in a row with highs in the mid 80’s. The record coldest October was in 1925 with a mean of 42.9. That October had 4 days in a row with highs in the 30’s with one day of a high of just 30. There was also 7.5” of snow that October. The record high for October is 89 on October 1st 1897 and the record low is 18 on October 31st 1988. The average rain fall for Grand Rapids in 4.02” The most rain fall of 9.69” fell in 2017. The least rain fall was 0.03” in 1952. The average snow fall is 0.03” The most snow fall of 8.4” fell in 1967 (the winter of 1967/68 there was just 55..1” of snow fall) The least snow fall was 0” in many years the last time was in 2022. Last year the meat temperature was 50.6 the high for the month was 77 on the 24th and the low was 29 on the 27th there was a trace of snow fall. And 3.74” of rain fall. The start of October 2023 looks to be on the warm side. There is a chance of several days of 80 and 70 + The record number of days with highs of 80 or better in October is 8 in 1963 and 1953. 2011 and 2005 were tied for 5th place with 5. As for days with highs of 75 or better the record is 13 set in 1963 and 1947. 2017 is in 4th place with 11. And for Octobers with days of highs of 70 or better 1963 had 19. There have been 12 years when October did not get down to 32 or less the last time was in 2016 there. In 1952 there were a total of 17 nights of low of 32 or less. 1988 is in 2nd place with 13.

Yes, it is now October. The official H/L yesterday at Grand Rapids was 79/48 there was no rain fall and a reported 98% of possible sunshine. 1 HDD was reported. For today the average H/L is now down to 68/47 the record high of 89 was set in 1897 and the record low of 27 was set in 1898 the record rain fall amount of 2.10” fell in 1911 so all records are long standing for today. Last year the H/L was 70/42. My wife and I took a trip to Detroit yesterday and seen Miggy play one last time. The trip was mostly good. It was very foggy all the way over. You can see the tornado damage along I 96 real well. Even in the fog it was easy to make out. We made good time until we got to the construction on I 96 in Detroit. That has been going on for a long time. I left early to compensate for it but it still took longer than I guessed. But we still got to the park to get our free shirts in honor of Miggy. Of course with the give away only being for 15000 most fans did not receive one. The pre game ceremony was great and the Tigers won. That was the 1st time the Tigers have won when we have gone down in a long time.

Got down to 43°F here. Currently 44°F. Chilly autumn morning.