Have you ever wondered just how many days during the winter that Grand Rapids has a snow cover? Here in Grand Rapids the mean average seasonal (October to April) will have 70 days with 1” or more, 57 with 2” or more, 47 with 3” or more. 38 with 4” or more, 31 with 5” or more. Here is a list of the top 5 seasons with the most and least number of days with 1” or more of snow cover.
Most
1. 1903/04 124 days
2. 1977/78 116 days
3. 1958/59 114 days
4. 1978/79 111 days
5. 2013/14 109 days
Least
1. 1982/83 23 days
2. 1931/32 30 days
3. 1952/53 33 days
4. 2011/12 34 days
5. 1936/37 37 days
The last 2 winters were very close to the average of 70 with 66 in the winter of 2018/19 and 67 in the winter of 2017/18. However, the winters of 2016/17 with 42 and the winter of 2015/16 with 51 were well below average.
By month
The most days with 1” of snow on the ground in October is 6 in 1925. For November the most is 15 in 1995. For December 1903,1919,1972 and 1978 all 31 days had at least one inch. 1958 and 1985 had 30 days, 4 years had 28 with the last being 2009. While in December 2014 not one day had a inch of snow cover and 1923 and 1931 had just 2 days and in 2011 and again in 2011 there were just 3 days. Last year there were 7 days, This year so far there have been 8 days with 1″ or more on the ground. For January a total of 29 years have seen all 31 days with 1” or more the mean for January is 22 days. The least was in 1933 when not one day had a 1” and in the next year only 1 days did. In recent times the low mark was in 2017 with just 8 days. For February the mean is 19 days with 9 leap years having 29 days and 20 non leap years have 28 days. The last leap year to have wall to wall snow cover was 2008 with 29. And the last non leap year to have 28 was 2015.
On the low side 1982, 1953 and 1927 had 2 days and 1999 and 1992 had 3 days in February with 1″ or more on the ground on the ground.Last year February had 25 days.
For March the top 5
- 1965 29 days
- 1960 27 days
- 1912 26 days
- 2014 24 days
- 1978 24 days
March 2009, 2001, 1991 and 1945 had 0 days with 1″ or more of snow cover’ Last year March had 12 days. For April 1982 had 9 days, 1975 had 7 days, 1972, 1970 and 1965 had 6 days 2018 had 5 days. Last year Grand Rapids had one day.
One inch snow cover in other locations in west Michigan
Muskegon mean 76. Most 125 days in 1903/04. Least 21 days in 1920/21. Lansing mean days per winter season 62, most 109 days in 1977/78, least 13 days in 1889/90. On the east side of the state Detroit mean number of days per winter 50, most 96 days in 2013/14, least 15 in 1982*83. Flint mean 62, most 109 in 2013/14, least 6 in 1922/23. For comparison in the UP The Sault mean 136 days, most 176 in 1995/96, least 98 in 2011/12. And Marquette the mean is 147 days the most is 172 days in 2002/03 and the least is 116 days in 1948/49.
Slim
Getting some freezing rain/drizzle. Got out of work tonight and everyone’s car had a layer of ice on it. Take this over snow any day!
Our son got his first career hat trick this afternoon. So proud of him. He has worked so hard this season and he has improved greatly.
Awesome accomplishment! You must have been just ecstatic!
I call this the pre-Christmas blow torch!
Bring on the snow for GR! Up here in snow country it looks great and the slopes will be rocking today! Winter is the best!!!
Bill Marino from NWS GR writes the best, if not most entertaining, forecast discussions:
https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=GRR&issuedby=GRR&product=AFD&format=CI&version=1&glossary=1
Another good read Slim. Growing up in the 70’s, as your stats show, there seemed to be a lot longer period of time with snow cover than in recent years. When I was a kid there were years where snow would start piling up,in November and stick around for several months. More recently is seems if we get any amount of snow, it’s gone within a few days.