January 2013 was a rather wet month with 4.01” of total precipitation. February was snowy (33.1”) and wet (3.05”) while March was dryer with just 0.94” of precipitation. Then came April with 11.10” of rain and melted snow. That 11.10” is by far the wettest for any April. And is the 3rd wettest for any month at Grand Rapids. All that precipitation in January, February and April led to the big flood of April 2013.
West Michigan saw weeks of heavy rainfall caused widespread flooding and led the Grand River to crest at record levels.
Grand Rapids already had shattered its longstanding April rainfall record, but just crept into the top three wettest of any month of the year.
The No. 1 spot goes to June 1892, when 13.22 inches of rain fell. Second place gs to September 1986, when 11.85 inches fell.
On April 21, in Comstock Park, the Grand River crested at 17.8 feet, 5.8 feet above the 12-foot flood stage while in Grand Rapids, the river rose to 21.85 feet, or 3.85 feet above the 18-foot flood stage. A storm deemed “catastrophic” that had the potential to drop 3 to 4 inches of rain had also barely missed the Grand Rapids area on the day that the water crested in the Grand River, so we kind of lucked out on that.
I work for the West Michigan Whitecaps and there were several home games during that flood. A large section on the north parking lot was flooded and the road along the river was closed. The only way in and out of the park was thru the secondary way under the overpass for US 131. On the east side of the ballpark there was water that was up to the top of the stop signs and during one game there were huge logs floating through the parking lot.
here is some video about the flood of 2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee56qwN9wcs
The official H/L yesterday at Grand Rapids was 51/42. As has been the case many times this spring it was a windy day with the average wind of 15.3 MPH and the highest wind of 39 MPH out of the W. That wind made it feel much colder than that 51. There was a reported 0.12″ of rainfall and the sun was out 94% of the time. For today the average H/L is now up to 60/39 the record high of 83 was set n 1987 and the record low of 13 was set in 1897. (good 4 digit lottery numbers for today) The most rain fall of 2.45″ fell in 2000 the most snow fall of 0.4″ fell in 1943 the most snow on the ground was a trace in 2013. Last year the H/L was 73/41 and there was 0.16″ of rainfall.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
308 AM EDT SAT APR 20 2024
KEY MESSAGES
– COLD TONIGHT AND BREEZY SUNDAY
– SHOWERS/ISOLATED STORMS TUESDAY
– FROST/FREEZE POTENTIAL WEDNESDAY NIGHT
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 307 AM EDT SAT APR 20 2024
– COLD TONIGHT AND BREEZY SUNDAY
THE WEEKEND WILL BE DOMINATED BY COOL WEATHER AS CYCLONIC FLOW
WITHIN UPPER-LEVEL TROUGHING DOMINATES THE FORECAST. THE CURRENT
POCKET OF MID-LEVEL CLOUD ASSOCIATED WITH A 500MB SHORTWAVE WILL
EXIT THIS MORNING. HOWEVER, SKIES WILL BE PARTLY SUNNY TODAY GIVEN
AN EXPECTED BKN DIURNAL CUMULUS FIELD THIS AFTERNOON.
ATTENTION THEN TURNS TO TONIGHT WHERE A RISK OF A FROST/FREEZE
EXISTS AS TEMPERATURES FALL INTO THE LOW TO MID 30S AND WINDS CALM
TO NEAR OR BELOW 5 MPH. IN COORDINATION WITH DTX AND IWX, HAVE
ELECTED TO DEFER POSSIBLE FROST/FREEZE HEADLINE DECISIONS TO THE DAY
SHIFT.REASON BEING (LIKE THE HRRR/RAP) WHICH SEEM TO BE INITIALIZING
WELL ON CLOUD COVER TONIGHT SUGGEST WE MAY NOT CLEAR OUT WHICH WOULD
BE NEEDED FOR TEMPS TO TRULY FALL. GIVEN THIS UNCERTAINTY IN CLOUD
COVER HEADLINES WILL NOT BE ISSUED WITH THIS FORECAST PACKAGE.
SUNDAY WILL THEN BE BREEZY WITH WIND GUSTS AROUND 25 MPH. GIVEN
SEVERAL DAYS OF A DRY AIRMASS AND RH VALUES FORECAST TO FALL INTO
THE 30S, THIS LEADS TO FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS GIVEN THE AVAILABLE
FUELS. CONDITIONS SUNDAY MAY APPROACH RED FLAG WARNING CRITERIA AS A
RESULT. OTHERWISE LOOK FOR PLENTY OF SUNSHINE WITH HIGHS REBOUNDING
INTO THE 50S AS THE UPPER-LEVEL COLD POOL BEGINS TO SHIFT EAST.
– SHOWERS/ISOLATED STORMS LATE MON NIGHT INTO TUESDAY
MODELS CONTINUE TO ADVERTISE A STRONG MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE DIGGING
INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION DURING THIS TIME. PWAT VALUES CLIMB UP
CLOSE TO AN INCH AS THIS WAVE MOVES IN. MODELS DO SHOW TWO PERIODS
OF DEEPER MOISTURE. THE FIRST IS LATER MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY
MORNING. THAT IS WHEN THE NOSE OF A 50 KNOT LOW LEVEL JET ARRIVES.
THIS FEATURE, COMBINED WITH FALLING MID LEVEL HEIGHTS COULD LEAD TO
SOME SHOWER ACTIVITY. THE NEXT ROUND OF PRECIPITATION OCCURS IN THE
LATE AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING HOURS. THIS IS WHEN THE MID LEVEL
TROUGH AXIS ARRIVES. MODELS ARE GENERATING GENERALLY WEAK
INSTABILITY AS THIS FEATURE MOVES IN. THE GFS SHOWS THE MOST
INSTABILITY WITH VALUES OVER 500 J/KG. DEEP LAYER SHEAR WILL BE
DIMINISHING AS THIS WAVE MOVES IN BUT MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES WILL
BE STEEPENING UP. THUS IF WE DO SEE SOME CONVECTION, SMALL HAIL MAY
BE A CONCERN. WE WILL MAINTAIN THE SHOWER/ISOLATED STORM RISK FOR
THIS PERIOD.
– FROST/FREEZE POTENTIAL WEDNESDAY NIGHT
ON THE BACKSIDE OF THIS DEPARTING WAVE, ANOTHER SURGE OF COOL AIR
DROPS DOWN FROM CANADA. THIS TIME, THE WINDS WILL BE FROM THE
NORTH NORTHEAST GOING INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT. WE COULD END UP WITH
CLEAR/CLEARING SKIES AND LITTLE PROTECTION FROM THE LAKES WARMTH
GIVEN THIS FLOW. IT APPEARS THIS WILL BE A COLD NIGHT FOR MUCH OF
THE REGION WITH A HIGH POTENTIAL FOR SUB FREEZING TEMPERATURES, EVEN
FOR THE LAKESHORE REGION. ENSEMBLE TEMPERATURE TRENDS ARE A LITTLE
LOWER WITH THIS MODEL RUN AS WELL. WE WILL MAINTAIN A FORECAST THAT
FEATURES MUCH OF THE AREA DROPPING INTO THE UPPER 20S.
Detailed Forecast for Grand Rapids
Today
Mostly sunny, with a high near 46. West wind 10 to 17 mph.
Tonight
Areas of frost before midnight, then areas of frost after 3am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 33. West southwest wind 6 to 10 mph.
Sunday
Areas of frost before 9am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 54. West wind 7 to 12 mph increasing to 13 to 18 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 26 mph.
Sunday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 34. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light west southwest after midnight.
Monday
Sunny, with a high near 62. South wind 5 to 15 mph becoming west southwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 23 mph.
Monday Night
A 50 percent chance of showers after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. Breezy.
Tuesday
Showers likely, mainly after 8am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Tuesday Night
A chance of showers before 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Breezy.
Wednesday
Sunny, with a high near 53.
Wednesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 31.
Thursday
Sunny, with a high near 60.
Thursday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 37.
Friday
A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 63.
Below normal temps – yesterday, today and every day next week except for Tuesday. Definitely a cold pattern!
Looks cool this week and warm next week. But nothing too far off from average (besides today). Pretty typical mid-late April pattern. I’m definitely looking forward to the warmer temps!
Cold, cold, cold this week! Get ready!
I’m seeing 80’s coming for May!! INDY is ready! LETS GO!! INDY!!
Heck yeah INDY!! Now you’re talking!!
What a COLD morning. It sure seems like the opening of turkey season is always cold nowadays. As a kid for some reason I always remember it warmer but maybe I’m wrong.
Back in 2011 I do remember picking up probably a good 2” of snow. Snowing heavily opening day that year in Barry county.
Very cold week! Facts are facts people!
Great day for lawn work!! Suns out, cool and perfect for mowing and working on the flower beds! LETS GOOO!!
I mowed again last night. Having to do it every three days right now. Last night was perfect to mow. Shorts and a hoodie and no sweating.
Hubby mowed yesterday 1st time. We were picking up sticks…then I decided probably not good to be under trees with wind blowing.
And now the sun is out!
Very interesting article on the benefits of global warming!
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/why-climate-change-is-good-for-the-world/
Speaking of trolling! Posting an article from 11 years ago that is total garbage! Anybody that understands science and data realizes that global warming is the biggest threat the World has ever faced!
Too funny that your cult actually believes that!
It is not what I believe, it is what the facts, data and science clearly show! The data is indisputable! Only ignorant people could think otherwise!
And it was settled science that we were heading into the next ice age in the 70’s.
I currently have snow flurries flying at my location
Yes and snowing here also! Incredible!
Better late than never, I guess.😃
Lol!! More snow now than we got for most of the winter! Which is saying something!
We are locked into a cold pattern or as some would say, seasonal temps! Many nights this weekend and next week near or below freezing! Cold, cold, cold! Incredible pattern?
https://www.accuweather.com/en/winter-weather/potentially-damaging-frosts-and-freezes-coming-to-midwest-northeast/1642234