I am making this a new tradition at the Weather Center – once per week I will post the historical information for South West Michigan for your reading pleasure.
October 8
1871: The worst wildfires in the history of the Great Lakes region occur as strong south winds combine with tinder dry conditions. The fires leveled several areas of Michigan and Wisconsin, including the cities of Peshtigo, Holland, Manistee, and Port Huron. At least 1200 people died, about half of them in the Peshtigo, Wisconsin fire. That same night, the Great Chicago Fire erupted, destroying much of the city.
October 9
1989: Record cold temperatures put the freeze on southwest Lower Michigan for the second day in a row. Records include 23 degrees at Grand Rapids and Lansing and 24 degrees at Muskegon. The record cold is accompanied by scattered snow flurries.
October 10
1879: Southwest Lower Michigan is in the midst of a long spell of warm weather. Lansing rises into the 80s for seven out of the eight days from October 5th through the 12th. This includes the record high of 84 degrees on October 10th, which was preceded by a record 83 degrees on the 9th and followed by 85 degrees on the 11th.
1906: An early season snowstorm drops 4 to 8 inches of snow from Ludington to South Haven. Temperatures plunge into the teens the next morning, killing thousands of fruit trees, enough to alter the agricultural economy of southwest Lower Michigan.
October 11
1912: A late evening tornado hit Gratiot County. Five farms sustained damage along a five mile-long path. An elderly woman was killed and her son injured as their home was blown apart southwest of Alma.
October 12
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2006: A record early season snowstorm brings up to eight inches of snow to southwest Lower Michigan. Tree damage and power outages were extensive around Hastings in Barry County as the wet, heavy snow clings to the tree branches, which still had leaves on them. (I remember this one – I lost a maple in my front yard.)
1874: A record cold snap struck Lower Michigan with Lansing plunging to 16 degrees.
1975: Record warmth occurred with highs in the 80s. The 87 degrees at Grand Rapids was a record for the date and the highest temperature for so late in the season.
October 13
1874: A record cold snap struck Lower Michigan with Lansing plunging to 16 degrees.
1975: Record warmth occurred with highs in the 80s. The 87 degrees at Grand Rapids was a record for the date and the highest temperature for so late in the season.
October 14
1954: A tornado destroyed an empty schoolhouse at Ashley in Gratiot County. It also took the roof off one house and a porch off of another.
We should see ran moving in this evening lasting through Wednesday afternoon giving us another good soaking over most of the area – another wet pattern is moving in for the weekend giving us the possibility of another good soaking rain. All in all we could see over 2 inches by next Monday.
With a high of 80° yesterday October 2017 now has had 4 days in the 80’s the last time an October had 4 days in the 80’s was in 2011. (there were 5 days in the 80’s in October 2011) and now this October is +8.6°. Looking back at the fall and winter of 2011/12 well it did NOT flip that year and the fall and winter were much warmer than average and don’t forget what happened in March of 2012.
Slim