Today the Earth is the closest it will be in 2025 to the sun. This is called perihelion. For 2025, our closest point comes at 6AM this morning at that time we will be at 91,405,993 miles from the sun. In early January, we’re about 3% closer to the sun – roughly 1.5 million miles. So, Earth is closest to the sun every year in early January, when it’s winter for the Northern Hemisphere.
And we’re farthest away from the sun in early July, during our Northern Hemisphere summer. Yes, if it were the other way around out winters would be colder and the summers would be warmer. And this makes winter the shortest season and summer the longest in the Northern Hemisphere. On July 3. 2025 the Earth will be at aphelion this year it will be 94,502,939 miles from the sun.
The official H/L yesterday at GRR was 27/20 there was 0.05” of precipitation that fell as 1.6” of snowfall. The highest wind gust was 28 MPH out of the W. There was a reported 3% of possible sunshine. For today the average H/L is 32/20 the record high of 60 was in 1997 the coldest high of 10 was in 1981 and 1896. The record low of -20 was in 1981 the warmest low of 39 was in 1909. The most rainfall of 2.15” was in 1993 the most snowfall of 6.3” was in 1941 the most on the ground was 17” in 1999.
The current temperature and overnight low so far in MBY is 18. I had 1.2” of snowfall yesterday and have 2.75” of snow on the ground.
The next week looks to be seasonably cold with no big snow systems. The will be some mostly light lake effect snow showers more so towards the lake and not too much inland.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
325 AM EST SAT JAN 4 2025
KEY MESSAGES
– SNOW SHOWERS WIND DOWN THIS MORNING
– COLD WITH MULTIPLE CHANCES OF SNOW NEXT WEEK
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 325 AM EST SAT JAN 4 2025
– SNOW SHOWERS WIND DOWN THIS MORNING
RADAR CONTINUES TO SHOW LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS FALLING ACROSS THE
WESTERN CWA EARLY THIS MORNING DUE TO STRONG OVER-LAKE
INSTABILITY, A SATURATED DGZ, AND SOME LIFT WITHIN THE CLOUD
LAYER. AS THE MORNING WEARS ON, THE UPPER TROUGH OVER QUEBEC WILL
LIFT NORTH WHICH WILL ALLOW WARMER AND DRIER AIR TO ADVECT NORTH
TOWARD THE LAKE. LIFT WITHIN THE CLOUD LAYER WILL ALSO WANE WHICH
WILL CAUSE THE SNOW SHOWERS TO DIMINISH BY LATE MORNING. MOSTLY
CLOUDY SKIES WILL CONTINUE HOWEVER AND HIGHS WILL ONLY REACH THE
LOWER 20S.
– COLD WITH MULTIPLE CHANCES OF SNOW NEXT WEEK
A LARGE WINTER STORM WILL MOVE EAST OVER THE OHIO VALLEY AND
LARGELY MISS THE CWA WHICH MEANS A COUPLE OF DAYS OF DRY WEATHER.
ANOTHER LARGE UPPER TROUGH WILL DROP SOUTH FROM WESTERN ONTARIO
TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY AND PRIME THE PUMP FOR MORE SNOW
SHOWERS. THIS EVENT LOOKS TO BE DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE CURRENTLY
WINDING DOWN, HOWEVER, AS BOUNDARY LAYER WIND BEHIND THE TROUGH
ARE MORE NORTHERLY. THAT MEANS THAT SNOW SHOWERS THAT DEVELOP
TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY WILL BE MOSTLY CONFINED TO THE LAKE
SHORE. A FEW INCHES OF SNOW LOOKS POSSIBLE ALONG THE LAKE SHORE
WEDNESDAY AS STRONG OVER-LAKE INSTABILITY…DELTA TS IN THE LOWER
20S…TAKES ADVANTAGE OF A SATURATED DGZ AND LIFT IN THE CLOUD
LAYER SUPPLIED BY THE UPPER TROUGH. GIVEN HOW QUICKLY DRIER AIR
MOVES BACK OVER THE LAKE, WE’LL LIKELY SEE SNOW SHOWERS DIMINISH
WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
ANOTHER HIGH AMPLITUDE TROUGH SWINGS THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES
FRIDAY BRINGING ANOTHER CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS.
HIGHS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK WILL BE IN THE 20S AND LOWS IN THE
TEENS.
Detailed Forecast For Grand Rapids
Overnight
A 50 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17. West northwest wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.
Saturday
A chance of snow showers before 1pm, then a slight chance of snow showers after 4pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 22. West northwest wind 10 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Saturday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17. West northwest wind 3 to 7 mph.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 25. Northwest wind 3 to 5 mph.
Sunday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 20. North northeast wind 3 to 5 mph.
Monday
Partly sunny, with a high near 26.
Monday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 17.
Tuesday
Partly sunny, with a high near 27.
Tuesday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17.
Wednesday
A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 23.
Wednesday Night
A chance of snow showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 12.
Thursday
Partly sunny, with a high near 25.
Thursday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17.
Friday
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 26.
Looking great for a snowy second half of January! What a winter! The snow and cold just won’t quit! WOW!!!!
https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/WK34/
What a overachiever WWA some places along the lakeshore received 10+ inches of snow…..And its still snowing!! PARTY…INDY
As some of you know Bill Steffan has been moving his posts to SubStack. I have also begun moving there too. I have issues with keeping this site here upgraded with PHP and WordPress upgrades. If this site periodically goes down during an upgrade process you can find the posts at SubStack. Here is the link to the first guest post from Slim today. https://substack.com/home/post/p-154136873
If you like COLD – then enjoy because no change is in sight! If you like SNOW be patient because it is just a matter of time before we get absolutely pummeled with SNOW! In the meantime the ski resorts will be rocking and rolling and if you want to snowmobile just take the short 2 or 3 hour drive up to SNOW county! I love it! What a winter!!!