Growing up in Bay City and Alpena the start of the regular firearm deer season was always a big day. In Alpena, it was being careful while out in the yard and the hearing of gun shots all day long, In Bay City it was watching the traffic on first us 23 and us 10 and later I 75. In my later teens, I 75 ended at Bay City and there was always the traffic back on the first day of hutting season, and in Alpena in my time there is was be careful when outside. In fact we did not play outside during deer season as there were always a lot of stray bullets flying around. So that said here is the weather records for several Michigan locations on the first day of firearm deer season
Grand Rapids…..in Grand Rapids the average high/low for November 15th is 46/33 the record warmest November 15th was 68 in 1990 the coldest Maximum temperature was 18° in 1933 ( November 15, 1933 was a very cold day across ) the record coldest low of 10 also happened in 1933. As for snow? The most that fell in GR on the 15th was 4” in 1993 and the most on the ground was 5” in 1974 the last time GR had one inch or more was just 1” in 1995’ By the end of firearm season and the end of November on the 30th the average high/low is 39/28° The warmest end of deer season was 64° in 1998 the coldest maximum was 17° in 1896 as there may not have been deer season then the coldest in a actual deer season was 18° in 1976. The coldest was +6° in 1958. The most snow on the ground was 14” in 1940.
Off to our north at Houghton Lake the average high on the 15th is 43 and the average low is 28 the record high was 63 in 1953 and the coldest maximum temperature was 20° in that cold year of 1933 the coldest was +2° in 1916. The snowiest was 8.5” in 1933 and the most on the ground was 13” in 1933. By the end of the deer season the average high/low at Houghton Lake is 36/23 the warmest end of deer season was 61 in 1998 and the coldest maximum was 12° in 1976 the coldest low was -2° in 1936. The most snow on the ground was 13” in 1995.
Over in Alpena the average high at the start of deer season is 43° and the average low is 28° the warmest day was 65° in 2001 and the coldest maximum was 17 in yes 1933 and the coldest low was a bone chilling -6° in 1933 the most snow fall was 3” in 1976 the most on the ground was 7” in 1916 and the last time there was one or more inches on the ground was 3” in 2003. At Alpena the average end of deer season high/low is 37/23 the warmest was 63° in 1998 and the coldest maximum was 17 in 1976. The coldest low was +3° in 1958. The most snow on the ground was 17” in 1966.
Up at the Sault the average high is 39 and the average low is 27. The record high is 61 set in 1990 the coldest maximum was 11 in 1933 the coldest low was -2 also in 1933. The most snow fall was 6.7” in 1965 and the most on the ground was 18” in 2014 and that was also the last time there was one inch or more as the Soo did not have snow on the ground last year. At the Sault the end of deer season average high/low are 32/21 the warmest was 59 in 1998 and the coldest maximum was a bone chilling +6 in 1936 and the coldest low was -10 also in 1936 it was -5° in 1958. As for the most snow on the ground that was 13” in 1933 but there has been 11” on the ground in 2014 and 12” on the ground in 1989 and 1976.
Over at Marquette the average high on the 15th is 42 and the average low is 30 the record high was a warm 69 in 1999 and the coldest maximum was 21 in 1995 the record low was +5 in 1991. The most snow fall was 4.6” was 1938 the most on the ground was 12” in 1993 the last time there was one inch or mote was in 2014 with 4” on the ground. The end of the season average high/low at Marquette is 32/20 the warmest was 57 in 1998 the coldest maximum was 9° in 2007 the coldest low was -2° in 1976 the most snow on the ground was 18” in 1991.
I hope this gives you a idea of how varied the last half of November can be in Michigan.
As we are now at the half way point of November this is a copy of a post of mine from yesterday.
The official snow fall for yesterday at GRR was 3.2″ and the total for the month so far is 8.9″ The average snow fall in November for Grand Rapids is 6.3″ but has ranged from 0″ (in several years) up to 31.0″ in 2014. It should be noted that a snowy November does not indicate that there will be a snowy winter. The current mean temperature at Grand Rapids is 37.3° and that is 5.8° below average. The last time it reached 60 or better was way back on October 14th Going back to 1892 there have only been 9 past Novembers that Grand Rapids has not reached 60 or better 2018 is now on the way to be number 10. Here is a list of the past 9 and a brief recap of that winter 1. 1907/08 aver temps snow 43.4″ 2. 1919 Cold then average snow fall 56.9″ 3. 1920/21 warmer that average only 35.6″ snow fall reported. 4. 1921/22 warm Dec ave J/F snow fall 44.1″ 5. 1925/26 average temps snow fall 89.5″ 6. 1967/68 colder that average 55.1″ 7. 1969/70 colder than average snow fall 84.6″ 8. 1976/77 Cold than average winter snow fall 70.8″ 9. 1997/98 warmer than average 59.8″. We shall see if we do or do not make 60 or better the rest of November and if we don’t how this winter will play out. It should be noted that 1968/69, 1976/77 and 1997/98 were El Nino winters.
Slim
Snow has mostly melted. What a shame. lol. A mild week coming up and NO snow.
3 days in the mid 40’s = Mild week coming up ok lol! INDY!!
They are desperate and are celebrating near normal temps! Incredible!
Just another typical November day – cold and cloudy with flurries! Bring on the real cold and snow! I can’t wait till our first polar vortex with a blizzard!!!!
It’s been a long, long time since our last “official” blizzard. Something like 8 years now since our last significant snow storm.
We have had tons of significant snowstorms in the last 8 years! What are you talking about? Here we go again!
Look it up. The last time we had a blizzard warning in this area was 2010 or 2011. Can’t argue facts.
You said no significant snowstorms in 8years. That is a ridiculous statement and in True! Get a grip!
There has not been a significant snow storm in years. You can ask anyone when the last memorable one was, and almost everyone will say the Groundhog Day blizzard. No one remembers a 6 or 8 inch snowfall from any specific year. No one is going around saying, wow, remember that 10 inch snowstorm back in 2014. It’s because there hasn’t been one in many years. The last one to shut roads and businesses down was 8 years ago, hence the last significant snow storm.
Interesting reports regarding the decline in hunting/fishing license participation. Declines of 6-24% across several states. Aging Baby Boomers, and subsequent generations consumed with “screen time” are the primary culprits. Fascinating physical/mental culture change.
I haven’t hunted in years. All my spare time is running kids to practices, games, recitals, competitions, etc. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Going to watch the DeWitt v Detroit MLK semifinal game in Brighton, then heading to The D. Have tix for the Lions v Panthers game tomorrow. Bought them before the season. It’s going to be ugly. My guess is Carolina by three touchdowns.
Have a great weekend all.
Getting light snow falling here with a current temperature of 33° So far this month the mean temperature at Grand Rapids is 37.0° that is good for a departure of -5.9° so far a total of 8.9” of snow has fallen. One very interesting item is that the warmest it has gotten so far this month is just 52° if this were to hold for the rest of the month this would be the coldest highest temperature for any November in the recorded history here at Grand Rapids the current coldest high for any past November is 53 set in 1907 with 55 being is 2nd place with a 55° and 56° in 3rd place tie in 1967 and 1997.
Slim