Congratulations to Michigan for its third Big 10 Conference win in a row!
Another drab cloudy day is in store with rain and wet snow. The division between rain to the south and snow to the north is expected to be from about Holland to Grand Rapids to Alma.
Friday and Friday night’s snowfall put down about 1 to 3 (isolated up to 4) inches, from about M-46 (Muskegon – Alma) toward US-10 (Reed City – Clare). It stayed pretty much all rain south of I-96.
November Summary
November was a fairly tame month for the weather. Overall near-normal temperatures, with highs a little higher than normal and lows a little lower than normal. Mid-month was mild, and late-month was cool. Most areas saw less precipitation than normal. There was also less snow than average, except for a few locations near Lake Michigan from one lake-effect snow event. The month was also sunnier than usual!
Forecast
Weather History for SW Michigan
1998: An extended spell of warm weather occurs in early December with highs in the 50s and 60s the first six days of the month. Record highs are set on this date with 64 degrees at Grand Rapids and 66 degrees at Lansing.
2002: Arctic air and fresh snow cover combine to drop the temperature to 18 below zero at Lansing, setting a record for early-season cold.
Weather History for SE Michigan
On December 3, 2002, Flint had a record low of -8 degrees. The next day, Flint had another record low of -4 degrees.
Also on December 3, 1982, Detroit reached 68 degrees, Flint was 67 degrees and Saginaw reached 63 degrees. All are records for the date. This was the second day in a row that all three sites had record highs. This was the start of a very warm December. December 1982 was the warmest on record for Flint, the second warmest for Saginaw, and the 6th warmest for Detroit.
U.S.A and Global Events for December 3rd:
December 3, 1838:
Cleveland Abbe, an American meteorologist, and advocate of time zones was born on this day. He was trained as an astronomer and was appointed the director of the Cincinnati Observatory in 1868. He eventually turned to meteorology and inaugurated a public weather service that served as a model for today’s National Weather Service.
Forecast Discussion
Patchy drizzle continues to limit visibilities this morning while a mid-level shortwave approaches from the west. Rain/snow will begin to work it`s way through West Michigan after 4am with more widespread precip expected to fall after daybreak. General thinking from the previous forecast continues with 1-3 inches of accumulations expected along and north of a line from Muskegon, Kent, Montcalm, and Isabella Counties. Recent HREF ensemble probability-matched mean snowfall supports this slightly more southern placement of accumulations. Temperatures will still be marginally freezing for most areas, so snow will be of the wet and slushy variety. Road temperatures are also currently just above freezing south of US-10, although some accumulations are possible during times of higher snow rates. HREF ensemble guidance highlights the highest precipitation rates between 7am to 11am this morning. Reduced visibilities and slick roads due to accumulating wet snow will be possible during this time. The bulk of the precipitation exits east this afternoon and evening, then light low-level wrap around moisture with weak lake support will continue some rain/snow/drizzle through early Monday. Above freezing temperatures should help any lingering snow to melt on contact. Moisture wanes as the main system exits further east and mid level ridging moves in. Dry weather returns much of Monday before our next clipper system arrives Monday night. Guidance trends are for a farther south track of the clipper system Monday night and Tuesday with the sfc low tracking south of MI from ern Iowa to srn OH. Best potential for some light snow or a mix of light rain and snow has shifted to be mainly near and south of I-96 but even there it looks like only a dusting of snow accumulation at best. QPF progs have decreased for srn lwr MI and are only a tenth of an inch or less. A bit of light mixed precip could linger into Tuesday night and early Wednesday after that system passes by due to continued troughing aloft as well as low level northerly flow/cold advection. The low PoPs will generally favor the lakeshore counties where H8 temps around -7C will contribute to some lake influence. Pattern change arrives midweek as longwave trough departs to the east and significant height rises take place. An incoming warm front on Wednesday night could trigger a brief period of light rain and/or snow, then southwest flow in the "warm sector" sends H8 temps to 5C or higher on Thursday and Friday. Guidance temps continue to rise for the end of the week, with highs in the 40s expected Thursday through Saturday. Could even see readings in the 50s on Friday especially south. Rain chances begin to increase Friday night and Saturday as longwave troughing evolves/amplifies to our west in the Plains and a frontal zone becomes stalled nearby.
Huge flakes mixed in with the rain at my house. Look like the size of half dollars.
Still 18 days till the official start of winter! It could be wild!
My yard and driveway are completely snow covered! WOW!
Another day of nice steady rain. A lot of yards are looking pretty green again. Not Spring yet, but only a few days till the earliest sunset of the year, then we start gaining light in the evening again.
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!!
I read something interesting in an article talking about many areas in the US are experiencing much lower than average snowfall. The area that includes NYC, Philly, DC, and Richmond has not had one inch of snow in a day in nearly two years. That is remarkable.
This could be the one you read
https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/02/weather/northeast-snow-new-york-climate/index.html
Slim
It looks like another day for a perfect winter hike! WOW!
We are getting pummeled with snow again! This despite the constant warm weather hype! Incredible!
Go Blue
Slim
They got it done. Iowa’s defense was really good. I am very interested to see which team the committee selects for the #4 slot.
AL!
The official H/L yesterday at Grand Rapids was 37/33 there was 0.05” of rain and a trace of snow fall. There was 0 sunshine the highest wind was 21MPH out of the E. For today the average H/L is 40/28 the record high of 65 was set in 2012 and the record low of -6 was set in 1976. The record snowfall of 4” fell in 1996 the record on the ground was 11” in 1940. Last year the H/L was 50/22 and there was 0.13” of rain fall and a trace of snow fall.
Slim
So far this winter season there has been just 1.9” of snow fall at Grand Rapids and that is a departure of -6.5” as of this date. The next week will see more rain than snow so our snowfall deficient will continue.
Slim
The daily average for snowfall is now about a half an inch a day, deficit adds up pretty quickly with all these days of rain. I see in the discussion above they’re now mentioning 50 degrees later this week, don’t think there will be much snow with those temps.