It is not unusual to have seemingly endless strings of cloudy days during Michigan winters due to the big lake to our west however with all those cloudy days one would think having some precip would be in the forecast.
The following was written by Bill Marino this morning:
For most January`s in Southwest Michigan getting more than 4 days in a row with no precipitation is unusual. However, in this January, it is looking like we can get at least 6 days and if the 00z ECMWF is correct we will get 8 days in a row with no measurable precipitation! If the 00z GFS is correct, it will only be 6 days.
So, just how unusual is getting a week of no precipitation in January at GRR? Well the last January at GRR with at least 7 days in a row with no measurable precipitation was 2013. In that case, we had a trace of precipitation each day. In 2012 we had 8 days with no precipitation at all from the 4th through the 12th. Since 2013, the longest string of no precipitation days has been 5 days in 2019. For most January`s at GRR, stings of more than 4 days happen less than once a year.
Weather History:
January 3
1897: Warm and wet weather prevails as a cold front approaches. High temperatures in the 50s are followed by heavy rain. This is the wettest January day on record at Muskegon, with nearly 5 inches of rain.
1918: The temperature falls to a record low of 16 below zero at Muskegon during one of the coldest months on record in Lower Michigan.
January 4
1981: Arctic air is firmly entrenched across Lower Michigan with extremely cold temperatures prevailing for the first half of the month. Eight of the first twelve days of the month fall below zero at Lansing. This is the coldest morning with a low of 29 below zero. This is the all-time low for the month of January at Lansing and the coldest temperature of the 20th century there. The temperature falls to 20 below zero at Grand Rapids and 15 below at Mount Pleasant.
1999: West Michigan is digging out from 1 to 2 feet of snow, with drifts of several feet as the Blizzard of 1999 slowly winds down. Lake effect snow will continue the next several days, however.
January 5
1912: Arctic air dominates Lower Michigan during the coldest January on record. Muskegon plunges to 12 below zero for a record low for the date.
1998: Moist southerly flow brings warm and wet weather to Lower Michigan. Highs in the 50s follow morning lows in the 40s as several days of thawing weather are observed during the first week of January.
1946: Record highs are set for the second day in a row across Lower Michigan as temperatures reach the mid and upper 50s.
January 6
1999: Heavy snow piles up on top of the snow dropped during the blizzard a few days earlier. Another 9 inches of snow at Muskegon brings the snow total on the ground to 30 inches, with snow drifts several feet high. This will be the snowiest January on record at Grand Rapids with 46.8 inches of snow and Lansing with 34.6 inches.
2014: A three-day siege of heavy snow and extreme cold begins. Frequent white out conditions and temperatures hovering near zero make travel hazardous and at times almost impossible. The phrase ‘polar vortex’ enters the weather lexicon during this time.
January 7
1942: Record cold high temperatures occur as arctic high pressure prevails. The high temperature is only 4 degrees at Grand Rapids and 6 at Muskegon. At Lansing, the thermometer struggles to reach the zero mark during the day, with a frigid northwest wind making it feel even colder
1988: An arctic blast brings several days of sub-zero cold to Lower Michigan, including record lows this morning of 15 below zero at Grand Rapids and 11 below at Muskegon.
January 8
1880: Temperatures remain above freezing for the fifth consecutive day during the warmest January on record at Lansing.
1965: Temperatures soar to record highs of 59 degrees at Grand Rapids and Lansing and 55 degrees at Muskegon. A cold front moves through and temperatures will only reach the 20s the next day.
January 9
1930: A snowstorm drops from 4 to 8 inches of snow across southwest Lower Michigan.
1977: Record cold prevails during one of the most severe winters in Michigan history. Records include the 17 below zero at Lansing, 14 below at Grand Rapids and 8 below at Muskegon.
2015: Temperatures in the single numbers and lake effect snow showers create icy roads resulting in a 193 car pileup on Interstate 94 and both east and westbound lanes are shut down between Battle Creek and Galesburg.
And finally our 2020 weather summary:
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
Looking good!
https://www.instantweathermaps.com/GFS-php/conussfc.php?run=2021010618&time=PER&var=ASNOWI&hour=384
Looking good!!
What a great day out in the snow me and my daughters just made the biggest snowman that I can remember it’s probably 6.5 and weighs over a 100 pds it’s a perfect day for hanging out in the snow building snowmans lol.. it’s the most wonderful time of year…. And we have plenty more on the Winter Weather on the way HAPPY NEW YEAR INDY…
Rock on INdy! Winter is Great and we have tons of cold and snow coming! Get ready!
Partly sunny and now up to 41 degrees. The January thaw that just won’t quit.
Let it melt, let it melt, let it melt
“Michigan winters, as generations have known them, may be coming to an end”
https://www.freep.com/in-depth/news/local/michigan/2021/01/03/michigan-winter-festivals-climate-change/3954384001/
And lost in all the wishcasting is today’s post by MV and how rare of a January stretch we have coming up for the next week or more. No rain or snow in sight for days on end. Yet again the cold and big snow remains elusively 2 weeks away, as always.
I love long winters!
You should probably move to Alaska then! Since there certainly aren’t long Winters here anymore. Unless you consider January to March a long winter?
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! I was skiing up North a few days ago and it was awesome! Keep it rocking!
Closing in on 3 weeks with snow pack on the ground in my area who would of thought?? having a back loaded Winter this year sounds fun to me …BIG CHANGES COMING!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!! INDY
I absolutely love back loaded winters especially if they last well into the Spring season!
Is back loaded winter another way of saying a short, mild winter with below average snow? LOL
Looks like Bill Marino is trying to steal the thunder from our Slim. I don’t recall seeing an almanac-type entry in the forecast discussion.
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
More snow than last year? Well the facts seem to say otherwise. GR has received only one third of the snow we had one year ago:
https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=grr&product=cli&issuedby=grr
Further North is also running way behind in snowfall:
https://www.weather.gov/apx/snow
I love short winters!
LET SNOW LET IT SNOW LET IT SNOW LET IT SNOW LET IT SNOW LET IT SNOW LET IT SNOW LET IT SNOW… HAPPY NEW YEAR INDY
>>>>BREAKING WINTER WEATHER ALERT>>>>> A major pattern change is on the way! If you like cold and snow get prepared now! All signs point towards real winter weather! The warm weather fanatics will be in for a rude awakening!
Or talking about the past lol…. HAPPY NEW YEAR INDY ..
Even as we are getting hammered with cold and snow they will be talking about the lack of cold, spewing low snowfall data, ignoring the cold and snow, saying it really isn’t that bad, saying the NWS is overreacting, etc, etc!
Lol YUP!! HAPPY NEW YEAR! INDY
In my area we have more snow on the ground then we did last year at this time so not really sure the meeting of I love short winters is on hear somebody please explain?? I believe we still have over 70 days left of Winter shuuu on a snowy and colder thought look what’s coming down the pipe for next week multiple snow events with colder than normal temps how short is that ?? Lol …Happy New Year INDY
The pattern change is looking great!
It’s called POLAR VORTEX BABY! HAPPY NEW YEAR INDY
Rather odd with a January night not getting below freezing. Low of 33 degrees, now it’s 34 with mostly clear skies.
If all plays out, it looks like we have 7-10 more days of mild, quiet weather.
Then, we could turn colder and more active. In any event, it looks like a short winter for us yet again.
After 4 warm years in a row, January is now +5.3 degrees above average in GR.
GR is now more than 25″ below average snowfall.
Looking at the NWS 2020 summery I need not say more. There have now been 4 days in a row where it has not gotten below 30 at Grand Rapids. At This time it is 33 here at my house with cloudy skies.
Slim