Our cooler-than-normal temperatures will continue throughout today and the rest of the week as our weather is influenced by the cool Canadian air flowing into Michigan. A stay shower is possible along with a few peeks of sun inland and more appreciable sunshine closer to the lakeshore.
U.S.A and Global Events for April 24th:
1880: Several tornadoes affected parts of central and southwest Illinois. One tornado of F4 intensity touched down near Jerseyville and killed one person along the 18-mile path. Another F4 tornado passed just north of Carlinville and lifted near Atwater, destroying 50 buildings. Six people died in Christian County by an F5 tornado, which tracked from 9 miles southwest of Taylorville to near Sharpsburg.
1908: Severe thunderstorms spawned eighteen tornadoes across the Central Gulf Coast States claiming the lives of 310 persons. The state of Mississippi was hardest hit. A tornado near Hattiesburg, Mississippi killed 143 persons and caused more than half a million dollars in damage. Four violent tornadoes accounted for 279 of the 310 deaths. The deadliest of the four tornadoes swelled to a width of 2.5 miles as it passed near Amite, Louisiana. The tornado also leveled most of Purvis Mississippi. Click HERE for more information from the NWS Office in Birmingham, Alabama.
2003: The temperature soared to a maximum of 70 degrees in Juneau, Alaska. This is the earliest record of a 70-degree reading to occur in Juneau.
2010: April Tornado Outbreak- During a significant severe weather outbreak across the South on April 22-25, 142 tornadoes raked the region, including 77 on April 24 alone. Ten died from the long-track tornado that swept across Mississippi on April 24. A long-lived twister left a trail of destruction extending over 149 miles from Louisiana through Mississippi, resulting in 10 deaths and 75 injuries. This EF4 storm, which grew to a width of 1.75 miles, sported the fourth-longest track in Mississippi history. This storm destroyed part of Yazoo City, Mississippi. The Swiss Reinsurance Company estimated insured damages with this outbreak at $1.58 billion. Click HERE for a video from the Discovery.com
Grand Rapids Forecast
[pdf-embedder url=”https://michigan-weather-center.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/424grr.pdf”]
Holland Forecast
[pdf-embedder url=”https://michigan-weather-center.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/424hol.pdf”]
Forecast Discussion
-- Few showers/sprinkles today, mainly inland -- A remnant mid/upper low remains situated over the northern Great Lakes and Ontario early Mon morning, as evident in recent GOES water-vapor imagery. Extensive stratocumulus cloud cover has thus far limited radiational cooling, with Mason (32F) and Marshall (31F) among the coldest ASOS/AWOS obs as of 325 AM. However, clearing is occuring over the northwest forecast area, and additional cooling is possible through daybreak. Light reflectivity returns are also noted on KGRR radar, but recent surface obs suggest that these returns are largely virga, with RAP profiles exhibiting an appreciable sub-cloud dry layer. The upper low is a component of a larger-scale omega block over eastern North America, with the associated blocking anticyclone over Labrador. Models indicate that this low will remain in close proximity through Tue. Given continued cold midlevel temps, sufficient boundary-layer moisture, and modest daytime heating, a few sprinkles/showers are expected again today, mainly inland. More abundant sunshine is expected at the lakeshore, given the continued onshore flow of stable, lake-modified air. -- A period of light snow/rain on Tue in many areas -- As the upper low gradually shifts to eastern Ontario on Tue, models indicate that a shortwave impulse and associated vort max will progress through the area on Tue. Lift ahead of this feature, in conjunction with weak midlevel frontogenesis, should support a period of light precip over much of the forecast area. Thermal profiles support a period of wet snow during the morning, with a dusting of snowfall on grass possible near/north of I-96 prior to sunrise. Thereafter, surface wet-bulb temps will climb above freezing, strongly limiting the prospect of any additional accumulation, and precip will largely transition to rain by afternoon. Precip amounts (liquid equivalent) are expected to be 0.2" or less across the area. -- Continued nightly temps near/below freezing into Wed night -- The combination of at least partial nighttime clearing and light near-surface winds will provide favorable radiational cooling conditions into Wed night. Ensemble temp guidance supports continued morning lows near/below freezing across much of the forecast area, but the extent and duration of clearing each night is uncertain. Overall, coldest low temps (averaged across the area) appear most favored on Wed night, when subsidence/clearing ahead of an approaching shortwave ridge axis--along with light surface winds--should result in efficient radiational cooling into Thu morning. -- Chance of rain Thu night, then likely for the weekend -- Ensemble guidance suggests that a somewhat complex upper-air regime will evolve later this week. A mid/upper ridge will build near the west coast and Wed and Thu, with a series of troughs then emerging into the Plains. These troughs / PV anomalies will likely interact to some extent, with the details of cyclogenesis and subsequent surface-low / frontal positioning likely sensitive to this interaction. Indeed, this sensitivity is suggested by the poor run-to-run consistency of these features in recent deterministic solutions. This uncertainty notwithstanding, EPS and GEFS means exhibit broad agreement and consistency in developing a closed mid/upper low over the region next weekend. Guidance supports slight chance PoPs as early as Thu night, increasing to likely PoPs on Sat and Sun.
Let it SNOW!
Just had a small snow shower move through a short time ago.
The CPC still has it cooler than average for the next 14 days so no quick warm up for the start of May.
https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/610day/index.php
and
https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/814day/index.php
so look for days with highs in the 50’s and keep in mind that there could be frost and freezing temperatures the first week of May.
Slim
What? Below normal temps well into May? Who would have thought? Above normal snowfall and now a cold Spring! Incredible!
Get ready for the snow tomorrow morning! Incredible! What a cold pattern!
With snow in the forecast I would like to point out that on April 25 since 1893 there have only been 7 years with any snow fall reported that is 3 years with 0.2″ or more and 4 years with a trace. If it happens a very rare event.
Slim
Will it even hit 50 degrees today? Yesterday had double digit below normal temps and today is more of the same! We are entrenched in a cool pattern! Wow just wow, WOW! Incredible cold!
Montcalm-Gratiot-Ionia-Clinton-Eaton-Ingham-Calhoun-Jackson-
Including the cities of Greenville, Alma, Ionia, St. Johns,
Charlotte, Lansing, Battle Creek, and Jackson
326 PM EDT Mon Apr 24 2023
…FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO 8 AM EDT TUESDAY…
* WHAT…Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 28 expected.
* WHERE…Portions of central and south central Michigan.
* WHEN…From 2 AM to 8 AM EDT Tuesday.
* IMPACTS…Freeze conditions will kill crops, other sensitive
vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.
and now a video interlude from the best band ever:
https://youtu.be/X9DuDgzGjtE
I was just outside just in time to see a quick snow shower roll thru. The sun was out earlier but it has now became cloudy with a current temperature of 43. Not sure if this snow was reported at GRR or not but if so there has only been 12 years with snow reported on this date going back to 1893.
Slim
What? Snow in
Late April! What a cool pattern! Wow!
As several commenters including myself alluded to over a month ago on here, more solid spring weather generally arrives in the month of May around here. April can be a very iffy
In lower Michigan it is usually very nice from mid May to late September/early October. March and April can be like this year go from warm to cold.
Slim
Seeing signs of maybe temps getting closer to normal as we head into the first week of May possibly which would take us into the 60s which would be great. Of course it could change. In the meantime we are firmly entrenched in a cooler pattern.
After the ice box for this next week or so. There are some hints like you said near average temperatures and that would mean much nicer temperatures on most days. Even May can have cold days from time to time. There are no hints of a so called “blowtorch” at this time.
Slim
Wow this cool Spring we are having is rolling right into May our furnace is still cranking out heat probably biggest gas bill in Apri that I can remember in a long time great balls of fire …..INDY
You know it and the cold keeps coming!!!!!!
Graupel is falling with a temperature of 41
We are really entrenched in a below normal temp pattern! Incredible April cold and this follows GR having a below normal temp March and well above normal snowfall! Very snowy winter and now a cool Spring! Wow, just wow, WOW!!!!
LOL The last 4 days at Lansing are actually very close to average temps. And that’s after an incredible stretch of record high temps.
April has not only been warm but has had below average snowfall as well.
It sure has been a warm April. Lansing is at +5.8 degrees above average with 12 days between 60-85 degrees.
I could care less about temps in Lansing!
TWC has us back into the 60s starting May 3rd. So we might have about 10 more days of 40s and 50s before we are (probably) in the clear… we will see though!
What? 50’s till May 3rd, wow!
You know that by May 3rd the average high is in the mid 60’s
Slim
This is an incredible cold pattern and no change in sight! Wow!!
The next 7 days continue to look very cool for late April there are several chances of frost and freezing temperatures at night and daytime highs will also be very cool for the most part. There is even a chance of snow more snow early in the week. Remember we are now almost in May.
Slim
I’d imagine this cold spell will bring our monthly departure closer to average. We will probably still end up above average overall though, that warmup a couple weeks ago was very significant
Lansing has dropped from +10.0 to +5.8
The month of April will end up above average but much closer to average than it was a week ago.
Slim
For today the average H/L is now up to 62/41. The record high of 86 was set in 1915 and the record low of 25 was set in 2015 the record snow fall for today is 2.4” in 1980. The record rain fall of 1.46” fell in 1957. Last year it was a very pleasant 74/56 with 0.34” of rain fall.
Slim
Yesterday was yet another very cold late April day. The official H/L was 46/34. That 46 was the 8th coldest maximum for any April 23. There was a trace of snow fall and 17% of possible sunshine. The clouds kept the overnight low here a little warmer and the ow was just 37. That is also the current temperature.
Slim