Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers from the loyal bloggers here for my wife and myself. There is nothing like a bad case of the flu to sweep one off their feet. My wife should be coming home today from Borgess which should give me the opportunity to get some much needed rest. We have been struggling with this strain of flu for over a week now which brought about high temperatures and issues with breathing. The older we get the harder it is to fight these things and it could take up to a month for our bodies to fight the thing off.
Thanks to Slim for filling in the void, don’t know what I would do with out you – I appreciate your covering for me.
Today you may or may not hear sirens go off at 1pm. This is our yearly state wide tornado drill which gives the opportunity to test your ability to seek shelter and check your severe weather action plan. Checklists can be found on our MIReady page.
I am still planning on getting out thunderstorm posts this week as I get to feeling better…..
Weather History
March 24
1901: A tornado killed one person and injured four others in Kalamazoo County as it moved from Vicksburg to Scott.
1904: Tornadoes hit Muskegon and Grand Rapids. In Muskegon, five homes were unroofed or torn apart on the lake front at Harrison Street. In Grand Rapids, ten people were injured as the tornado damaged a church and several barns.
March 25
1954: Heavy rain and high winds occur as a cold front moves through. Grand Rapids measures 2.82 inches of rain for their wettest March day on record. Flooding of streams is widespread and winds gusting over 70 mph causes roof damage and uproots trees.
1974: Grand Rapids falls to one below zero for its latest subzero reading on record.
March 26
1934: A record snowstorm began across southeast Lower Michigan with around a foot of snow falling at Jackson, Lansing and Battle Creek. Snow totals dropped off quickly to the northwest with Grand Rapids getting only about an inch.
1993: Dense fog caused a fatal airplane crash at Ludington. The pilot was trying to land in near zero visibility and collided with trees and terrain on his second approach to the airport. The pilot was seriously injured and his wife, the only passenger, was killed.
March 27
1991: A tornado outbreak hits the Midwest, wreaking havoc from Iowa to Ohio. In Michigan, at least seven tornadoes strike. Eighteen people were injured in Calhoun County as eight homes were destroyed there.
March 28
1904: Heavy rain and temperatures in the 50s during the last week of March combined with the melting of a deep snowpack to cause some of the worst flooding on record along the Grand and Kalamazoo Rivers. About half the city of Grand Rapids is underwater as the river reaches an all-time record crest of 19.6 feet, which was 2 feet higher than the previous record and 4.6 feet above flood stage. Water covered half of the city and flood waters reached 2,500 houses and 14,000 people. Many people suffered from hunger and exposure. Several factories and between 200 and 300 business were flooded. Loses totaled $1,800,000. Lansing has the worst flood in 135 years of record. Battle Creek is also inundated by floodwaters.
1920: One of the worst tornado outbreaks in U.S. history strikes from Wisconsin to Georgia, killing more than 150 people. In Michigan, at least a dozen people were killed and hundreds of homes were either damaged or destroyed. The worst hit areas in Michigan included Saint Johns in Clinton County, Maple Grove and Orangeville in Barry County, and Fenton in Genesee County.
March 29
1910: Temperatures peak in the upper 70s to lower 80s during one of the warmest months of March on record across Lower Michigan. The high of 82 degrees sets a record for the warmest ever recorded in March at Grand Rapids.
1954: A snowstorm drops from 5 to 10 inches of snow across southern Lower Michigan. Kalamazoo records 8 inches of snow and Grand Rapids a record 7.5 inches.
March 30
1977: A tornado struck four miles north of Hart in Oceana County, injuring three people as it destroyed four trailers and damaged a business
It looks like yesterday ended up with below normal temps! The cool pattern keeps going and going!
Not here. Gorgeous day out. Lots of warm sun. Motorcycles were out. People fertilizing their lawns and cleaning flower beds – which is on my to-do list.
Everyone get ready for a cold weekend with some snow!
Hey Michael – I’m glad to hear you and the Mrs. are on the mend. I hear ya, brother. We don’t bounce back like we used to. Ah, the joys of getting older.
I did not hear the tornado sirens to day so not sure if the did the test here or not. Also the temperature has now officially reached 52° at GRR so it has reached 50° or better now 4 days this month. The average high for today is 49° and the average low is 31°
Slim
Moolie keps bringing up winter, so with that said! This was an awesome winter with above normal snowfall! 16 weeks of skiing me! Incredible!
That was a great winter for you & you enjoyed it!! Now on to Spring. I love seeing my flowers coming up. (Just kidding you).
Yes in a couple weeks or so I will be ready for golf and yard work!
For the most part I do not step in on people’s comments and everyone is entitled to their opinion and I am sure MV feels the same. When I post something and use weather event related numbers, I use for the most part the official readings taken at the NWS office in Grand Rapids. I the numbers are mine or from somewhere else I will post that, As it how valid the readings are that one can take up with the NWS. As to if some one can “feel” the difference between one or two degrees or so probably not… Read more »
Slim I like what you said. Your posts are always interesting & I enjoy reading them. Great job stepping in for MV while he gets feeling better.
Nothing wrong with stats. Stats are truth, and I enjoy them. Where stats can be misused is if we selectively pick certain criteria based on past data to frame an argument or when we give more credence to a single statistical point than every other point in the data set. Stating time and time again how long it’s been since GR hit 60 degrees seems to fail both of these common manipulations, especially since GR hit 59 degrees. It’s the same as saying “no 90 degree days” in the summer when we repeatedly hit 89. Technically, this is true, but… Read more »
Very glad to hear you both are doing somewhat better…continued prayers coming your way! Glad to see you back on though I did appreciate Slim’s narrative.
Get ready for three days of 50’s!
It looks like this March could be the 2nd one in a row that it has not officially reached 60 or better at Grand Rapids. Today would be the best chance of it happening. If this happens it would be a rather rare occurrence as this will be the first time that has happened since 1941, 1942. And this March looks to end up well below average temperature wise as well. The official low at Grand Rapids was 23 but here at my house I have fallen down to 20.4 the current temperature here is 24.3
Slim
That’s like saying we didn’t hit 90 in summer when we had multiple days at 89. Never understood stats like those that are used to frame a narrative.
No these are just the facts and facts are something that eludes you on a regular basis!
Fact: one cannot tell the difference between 59 and 60. To frame a narrative over a single degree seems disingenuous. Also, don’t take it out on me that we had a short winter and your snow has been gone for weeks! Embrace the spring warmth and sunshine.
Glad that you and your wife are feeling a little better. As you said as we get older the flu and such can take a big toll on us.
Slim
Sunny thought first time we have had sunshine 3 days straight since September 6 months ago…We are slowly getting there …Have a good Wednesday! INDY!
It’s been mostly sunny here since Saturday. I can’t remember the last time we had a stretch of sunny skies like this. It’s been awesome!
With a few days left in March it is clear that GR will not even see a temperature of 60 degrees or higher and we will end the month well below normal for temps and near normal for snowfall! The season will be above for snowfal, so another spot on prediction for the RDB model! When you are good your are good! Just the facts!
This will be the 2nd March in a row that it has not officially reached 60 or better in March.
Slim
Get ready for a COLD weekend and a rain snow mix! Just another typical March weekend in MI!
Ignoring nice temps all week to focus on two days of cold? Now that’s some serious cold bias!