Happy Saint Patrick's Day. The overnight low here in MBY and the current temperature is 18 with mostly cloudy skies. There is a trace of snow on the ground. The highest wind gust yesterday at GRR was 47 MPH. Today will be the coldest day of the next 7 days with a slight chance of snow showers. Later in the week it will be typical early spring weather for lower Michigan. KEY MESSAGES SNOW WINDING DOWN TODAY LIGHT BURST OF SNOW WEDNESDAY MORNING WARMER LATER IN THE WEEK Detailed Forecast Today A 40 percent chance of snow showers, mainly between 11am and 5pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 25. West northwest wind 9 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Tonight A slight chance of snow showers before 8pm, then a slight chance of snow showers after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 19. West wind around 6 mph becoming south after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 10%. Wednesday A 40 percent chance of snow showers, mainly between 8am and 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 38. South southwest wind 8 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Wednesday Night A 20 percent chance of showers after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. Southwest wind around 6 mph. Thursday A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly between 8am and 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 49. South southwest wind 3 to 6 mph. Thursday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. Friday Partly sunny, with a high near 52. Friday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Saturday Partly sunny, with a high near 57. Saturday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38. Sunday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 52. Sunday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 43. The official H/L yesterday at Grand Rapids was 41/17 there was 0.11” of precipitation with 0.4” of snowfall. The highest wind gust was 47 MPH out of the NW. For today the average H/L is 45/27 the record high of 78 was in 2012 the coldest high of 10 was in 1947 the record low of -4 was in 1949 the warmest low of 54 was in 2012. The most rainfall of 1.47” was in 1919 the most snowfall of 7.5” was in 1973 the most snow on the ground was 15” in 1904. The sunrise time today is 7:50AM and the sunset time is 7:51 PM today is the first day of the year when the sun is up for 12 hours or more and it will stay that way until September 26th Some weather history for March 17th 1988, A winter storm produced heavy snow from the northeast Texas panhandle to the Ozark area of Missouri and Arkansas. Up to fifteen inches of snow was reported in Oklahoma and Texas. Snowfall totals in the Ozark area ranged up to 14 inches, with unofficial reports as high as 22 inches around Harrison AR. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) and in 1989, Strong northerly winds ushered snow and arctic cold into the north central U.S. Winds gusted to 58 mph at Sydney NE and Scottsbluff NE, Cadillac MI received 12 inches of snow, and International Falls MN reported a record low of 22 degrees below zero. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

When you factor in aerosol scattering in addition to the vector I believe the difference is more significant than that. Because radiation incident at a shallower angle will cross through more atmosphere vs coming in direct at 90°.

Opposite, I need sunlight in the summer months however it’s too sweltering when it is sunny during the dog days to really enjoy it. Nothing worse than walking outside at 930AM to a temp already at 87°F and heat index of 95°F. The instant the sun comes out temps soar, we rely on the afternoon towering cumulus clouds and sea breezes to cap highs ~ 90°F. In drought years where that fails (like 2024) we end up 95+ instead. BTW the sun is not *that* powerful in W-WA, I’ve been there multiple times in July recently and it’s much tamer vs here (and even more so FL/GA). While visiting in 2017 we were at an air show for several hours in the midday sun and realized I forgot sunscreen, thought I would burn (as usual) but was only slightly flushed afterwards. That would NOT be the case here, and if it were in GA I would have been out of commission for days (have made that mistake before, got burned so bad my skin started blistering).

Randy might still be in the game!

Looks like the ECMWF toys with some more lowland snow later next week... before we get an actual spring warm spell that includes the Seattle area northward.