Groundhog Day

 Before the big melt down 2019

Groundhog Day is a popular tradition celebrated on February 2nd the tradition is if the groundhog emerging from its burrow on this day sees a shadow it will retreat to its den and winter will persist for six more weeks Groundhog Day ceremony held at Punxsutawney in western Pennsylvania about 80 miles NE of Pittsburgh. The event is centering around a semi-mythical groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil has become the most attended. Other cities in the United States and Canada have also adopted the event. We will know today if the groundhog sees his shadow or not. No matter if he sees it or not here are some weather records for Grand Rapids for the month of February.
The average high/low starts out on February 1st at 31/18 and ends the month at 38/22 the mean average temperature is 24.5° the warmest February at Grand Rapids is 34.7° in 2017 the coldest is 13.3° in 2015. the warmest day was 69° on February 11, 1999 the warmest minimum was 53 on February 26th 2000. the coldest low was -24 on February 13 and 14 1899 the coldest maximum was -6° on February 10, 1899. The average snow fall is 13.1” the most snow fall is 41.6” in 2008 the least snow fall was just 0.5” in 1998. The most in one day is 11.3” on February 3, 2007. The most on the ground was 24” of February 18, 2014. The wettest February was in 1898 with 5.77” (there was 29.5” of snow that month) The driest was in 1907 with just 0.21” (just 2.4” of snow that month.
Here are some top 5 February’s over the years here at Grand Rapids
Warmest
1. 2017 mean temp 34.7°
2. 1998 mean temp 34.1°
3. 1984 mean temp 34.0°
4. 1930 mean temp 32.9°
5. 1954 mean temp 32.6°
Coldest
1. 2015 mean temp 15.3°
2. 1978 mean temp 14.4°
3. 1904 mean temp 14.6°
4. 1936 mean temp 14.9°
5. 1899 mean temp 14.9°
Most snow
1. 2008 snow fall 41.6”
2. 2011 snow fall 38.5”
3. 1900 snow fall 35.5”
4. 2007 snow fall 33.6”
5. 2013 snow fall 33.1”
Least snow fall
1. 1998 snow fall 0.5”
2. 1987 snow fall 0.9”
3. 1984 snow fall 1.6”
4. 2017 snow fall 2.4”
5. 1907 snow fall 2.4”

We will see today if the Groundhog see shadow but either way. The way it looks now February will turn warm and may stay warm until at least mid month if so then this winter will have been 1. cold snowy November 2. warm and almost no snow December to mid January a very cold and snowy 15 day period in January. Hey we shall see.

Here is a January wrap. At Grand Rapids January 2019 had a mean temperature of 21.8° and that was a departure of -2.8° the high for the month was 51 on the 7^th and the low was -10 on the 31^st There were 5 nights were the low dropped below zero. The high was 32 or lower on 22 of the days and all 31 days fell below 32 for the low. The month had 30.5” of snow fall and now Grand Rapids has had 33.7” since December 1^st and for the season Grand Rapids is now at 48.1” of snow fall in the last week we have made up a good amount of the snow fall deficit and are now just -1.9” for the winter season Grand Rapids is now ahead of the total snow fall to date from last winter when Grand Rapids ended the season with 77.7”

It is now time to set back and see how February 2019 ends up will it be mild or cold time will tell.
Slim