As you groggily crawl out of bed this morning you will be met with the frozen tundra created by the Arctic airmass still in place. A good day to stay indoors to watch the Wolverines play South Carolina in the Outback bowl (noon on ESPN2).
Sadly we are winding down the football season this month with the last of the bowl games and the NFL playoffs, then the Superbowl (February 4th in Minneapolis). Luckily the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang South Korea runs from February 9th to the 25th to keep us entertained, unless you are a fan of basketball (go Spartans!).
Looking back at 2017 we had the largest wave ever recorded on the great lakes at 28.8 feet, the heat wave in September with temperatures in the 90s – the July 7th wind storm and of course the cold air moving into Michigan this month. Perhaps Slim will do a post on the 2017 weather review. 🙂
The cold air will be with us through the whole week. We may see a couple days above freezing next week but all in all I think most of the month will remain below normal temperature wise. I am not seeing the bone chilling Arctic air we have been enduring in the long term, but who knows, we were surprised by the recent cold snap in December.
A strong area of high pressure in the Central Plains will build east today and up the Ohio Valley on Tuesday. Thus the lake effect snow showers today will gradually diminish through tonight. Generally dry weather is expected Tuesday…but it will be a blustery day. Another storm arrives for Wednesday.
We may need headlines for the snow event later Tuesday night into Wednesday. Models are in relative agreement in tracking a low pressure system east southeastward through the Great Lakes Region. Southwest flow initially here in Lower MI will shift to the north behind the departing system. This pattern generally favors areas to the north of a Kalamazoo to Lansing line for accumulations.
Temperatures will remain much below normal through most of the long range forecast period with occasional snow showers. Lake effect snow showers are forecast Wednesday night behind the Alberta clipper. There is potential for some significant lake effect snow accumulations mainly west of US-131 Wednesday night and Thursday.
A high pressure ridge building in from the northwest will cause lake effect snow showers to taper off late Friday through Saturday. However nocturnal mesolow formation may occur due to the arctic airmass in place and potential for land breeze convergence over Lake Michigan. This could bring more accumulating snow to portions of the lakeshore counties.
High temperatures will range mainly from the single digits above zero to the lower teens. Low temperatures will range from well below zero on radiational cooling night to the single digits to lower teens where lake clouds are most prevalent. High temperatures could reach the 20s by Sunday.
New Year’s Day: Snow showers likely, mainly before 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 13. Wind chill values as low as -9. Northwest wind 8 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
Tonight: A 50 percent chance of snow showers before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 8. Wind chill values as low as -8. West wind 8 to 11 mph.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 17. Wind chill values as low as -8. West southwest wind 11 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.
Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of snow after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 7. Wind chill values as low as -10. Southwest wind around 14 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.
Wednesday: Snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 18. Southwest wind 9 to 11 mph becoming west northwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of around an inch possible.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 3.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of snow showers. Partly sunny and cold, with a high near 10.
Thursday Night: A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 0.
Friday: A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy and cold, with a high near 9.
Friday Night: A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 0.
Saturday: A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 15.
Saturday Night: A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 5.
Sunday: A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 24.
Hi, all!!! Wow, what a SNOWY week last week was for my area in West Michigan! We picked up about 3 feet during the course of the week. We got a nice snow-thump on Thursday night into Friday morning with a foot of snow in about 6 hours, thanks to a nice Southwest flow Lake Enhanced event (my favorite!!) I will be taking pictures this week.
https://www.weather.gov/grr/summary20171231
Wow!!
No let up in sight!
http://www.instantweathermaps.com/GFS-php/showmap-conussfc.php?run=2018010118&time=PER&var=ASNOWI&hour=384
I’m thinking winter weather watches and advisorys coming tomorrow for Wednesday!! More snow INDYDOG
Bring it on! The more SNOW the better, after all it is WINTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just saw it is suppose to go down to -10 degrees Friday night. Could that be a record?
That could be near record breaking and I warned people it was going to be even colder by the end of this week! We may have a day or two where the high temp is in the single digits! INCREDIBLE!
Harbaugh to the Colts . Yeaaa! INDYDOG!
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/2018/01/01/jim-harbaugh-considering-nfl-openings-no/109082786/
Harbaugh is not leaving MI, until he stinks up the joint so bad he gets fired!
Harbaugh is overrated! 1-5 vs OSU and MSU and now a total collapse in a bowl game!
WHAT A WINTER SO FAR! ABOVE NORMAL SNOWFALL AND BELOW NORMAL TEMPS! Excellent snow-pack for winter sports! It does not get much better than this!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Don’t remember it being so cold on new year’s day .. More records being broke winter keeps a going and going hard! Happy New year ohh sherry slim MV uncle sparkee UJ ROCKY Susan Matt Lansing guy .. Sprites for you today … INDY!!
Happy New Year, INDY!
Looking good for 8-0 big 10 yeaaa! Happy new yeear Mark INDY!!
+1
Climatology for today January 1st t At Grand Rapids, MI
The average H/L for today in Grand Rapids is 30/20
The record high is 56° set in 1897 the record coldest maximum is 13° set in 1968
The record low is -15° set in 1968 the warmest minimum is 40° set in 1950
The most snow fall is 5.7” in 1995
The most on the ground is 12” in 2001
Last year the high was 39 the low was 23 and there was no snow on the ground.
HAPPY NEW YERAY!!!!
Slim
The updated January temps look good for SNOW! No this winter will not be like last year! It will be completely the opposite! Mark it down and get ready for a long cold WINTER!!
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/lead01/off01_temp.gif
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/lead01/off01_temp.gif
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/lead14/off15_temp.gif
You forgot to post this one:
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/WK34/
And your somewhat right about last year, we had more snow at this point last year than we do this year.