Several days ago Barry asked how this year stacked up to pass year as far as the number of days of 90 or better. It can be said that for most years Michigan does not see that many days of highs of 90 or better. So for that reason we do not get used to having them and thus it can feel much hotter when we do have them. While many places that have air condition there are still many places that do not (such as Barry’s employer) that may due to cost and or type or type of work that is done at that location. And of course for people that work out doors they have to put up with the conditions either hot or cold. During the early spring to mid fall I work out doors and for me I have more issues with the cold then the heat. But that is just me. Any way here is a list of the years with the most 90° days at Grand Rapids, Lansing, Muskegon and a look at Detroit, Flint and Saginaw. Over the years Flint has seem the highest number of 90° days and Muskegon has seen the least. For Grand Rapids by month July of 2012 and 1921 seen the most with 18. For August 1947 GR seen 17 for the top spot. For June 1894 a reported 14 were recorded. The number for September is 7 back in 1931 for May 1977 seen 6 and in there was one reported in April of 1899. Here is list by location by year.
Grand Rapids
1. 37 in 1988
2. 35 in 1894
3. 32 in 2012
4. 31 in 1921
5. 28 in 1955 and 1936
So far in 2018 the number is 17
Lansing
1. 44 in 1895
2. 37 in 1988
3. 35 in 1874
4. 30 in 1894
5. 29 in 1864
6. 27 in 2012
So far this year the number is 17
Muskegon
1. 20 in 1955
2. 17 in 1988
3. 17 in 1953
4. 14 in 2012
5. 12 in 1944 and 1947
On the east side of the state some top years
Detroit
1. 39 in 1988
2. 36 in 1934
3. 32 in 1955
2018 so far 19
Flint
1. 44 in 1934
2. 43 in 1933
3. 37 in 1988
2018 so far 14
Saginaw
1. 38 in 1988
2. 36 in 1931
3. 33 in 1933
2018 so far 10
Here is some more information on how this summer has stacked up to some warm summers in the past.
It has been noted that so far this year Grand Rapids has had 17 days of 90 or better. With 8 in July 4 in June and 3 in May. I just looked to see how may days this summer we have had 1. at 85 or better and 2. 87 or better. Well this July Grand Rapids had 16 days of 85 or warmer that is well down the list the top year was July of 1921 with 29 days. For June Grand Rapids had 6 days of 85 or better the record is 18 in 1934. In May Grand Rapids also had 6 days of 85 or better the record is 13 in 1977. At the 87° mark this July GR had 12 days the record is 26 in 1921. For June this year it was 4 the record is 18 in 1894. We had a very warm May and this year we had 4 days of 87 or better with the record being 9 in 1977. 2018 had the 7th most days of 87 or better in recorded history at GR. I just posted this to show you how this summer compares to some in the past.
On the other side of the coin the least number for the whole years are At Grand Rapids 2014 and 1951 there were no days of 90 or better and in 2015,2000 and 1967 there were only 1 day. At Lansing 2014,2004,2000,1915 and 1892 did not see a day of 90 or better and 2015,1952,1950,1945,1885 and 1943 only had one day. At Muskegon there have been 35 years that did not have a single day that reached 90
One other item that has stood out to me so far this summer is the lack of thunderstorms. I do not keep track of the number because my bedroom has dark out curtains as I used to work 3rd shift and could miss many flashes of lighting overnight. But during other times of the day there have not been very many here at my house. Now for some official number of thunderstorms in west central lower Michigan. With some question as to the number GRR has reported a total of 13 with 4 each in July and June. A reported 7 in May 1 in April and 1 in January. At Lansing a number that closer would resemble the number here at my house the total so far in 2018 is 7 with 3 in July 0 in June 2 in May 1 in April and 1 in January. Any way one looks at it there have not been very many thunderstorms in west Michigan so far this year.
Slim
The trend is looking AWESOME! ROCK n ROLL baby!
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/814day/814temp.new.gif
Nothing below normal. Nice!
Yes give me normal temps this time of year all day every day.golf here I come!
17 90* degree.days sofar for this summer not even close to the top 5 summers for GR. Getting into mid August now will even break 20 90* degree days is the question! INDYDOG14!!
No we will not break 20 – 90 degree days this year! We are done with the 90’s
Nice write up Slim! Good read. The other over riding weather factor besides our lack of any type of storms for the past few years is the continued long term pattern of being warmer than normal for months and months over the past 3 or 4 years. Not sure exactly where we stand for August, but it looks like a sure bet it will also come in above normal for the 4th or 5th month in a row.
After 10 days GR is +3.3° with a average H/l of 84.9°/65.5°
Slim
It’s been a HOT summer, indeed!
More above normal temps on the way !! Summer is here for awhile !
Thanks for the facts Slim. I see we are no where near any type of records for most 90 degree days! Who would have thought?
Good post. Many of the same years appear on the city lists – except 1895. I’m glad I wasn’t here for that. Just makes me wonder why so hot here, but nowhere else? Maybe the records do not go that far back for some cities.
1988 is the year I graduated high school. That was a summer to remember – or not remember. *wink wink
For some reason there is a break in the records at Grand Rapids from April 1895 to February 1896. And as for Lansing I am not sure if I buy some of the reading there that year either I think i did a post on that year at Lansing but will go more into it or re-post it maybe next week.
Slim
I graduated in ‘88 as well, and since I worked nights I think I spent the entire Summer at Holland beach. I drove a old black Monte Carlo with no ac, it was so smokin hot in that thing!
LOL. I had a ’75 Monte. It was white with no a/c. I mean, it came with a/c, but it didn’t work. BUT, I had a bitchin Kenwood system, which is all I needed. I dubbed her The Del Monte.
Ha! That’s great. I had a ‘76, big 350, everyone called it the Batmobile. All I wanted to do was drag race everyone in sight.