March 18
1925: The Tri-State Tornado kills 695 people and injures over 2,000 along its 219 mile-long damage path through Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. It is by far the worst tornado in United States history. The weather in Lower Michigan is relatively tranquil with highs in the 50s and rain changing to snow during the night.
March 19
1885: Lansing falls to 11 below zero during a string of eight straight days with low temperatures below zero. It is the coldest March on record there.
March 20
1976: A tornado outbreak strikes from Michigan to Mississippi. In Michigan, two people are killed, one each in Oakland and Macomb Counties.
March 21
1983: Spring starts on a snowy note with record daily snowfall of 6 to 8 inches from Muskegon to Lansing.
2008: A record 6.6 inches of snow fell at Grand Rapids on the first day of Spring. Muskegon had a record 7 inches, while 8 to 14 inches of snow fell south of a line from Holland to Jackson.
March 22
1938: Temperatures soar into the 80s during one of the warmest March days in Lower Michigan. Grand Rapids ties their record high for the month at 82 degrees and Lansing sets a record for the date of 81 degrees.
March 23
1956: A snowstorm drops from 6 to 10 inches across southwest Lower Michigan. Jackson picks up 10 inches of snow and Grand Rapids a record 8.4 inches
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.
What is CoCoRaHS?
CoCoRaHS is an acronym for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network. CoCoRaHS is a unique, non-profit, community-based network of volunteers of all ages and backgrounds working together to measure and map precipitation (rain, hail and snow). By using low-cost measurement tools, stressing training and education, and utilizing an interactive Web-site, our aim is to provide the highest quality data for natural resource, education and research applications. We are now in all fifty states.
Download the updated “CoCoRaHS Brochure” as a PDF (12.4 MB)
CoCoRaHS Wanted Flyer PDF (164 KB)
Where did the CoCoRaHS Network originate?
The network originated with the Colorado Climate Center at Colorado State University in 1998 thanks in part to the Fort Collins flood a year prior. In the years since, CoCoRaHS now includes thousands of volunteers nationwide. Click here for a look at the order of states admission to the network.
Who can participate?
This is a community project. Everyone can help, young, old, and in-between. The only requirements are an enthusiasm for watching and reporting weather conditions and a desire to learn more about how weather can affect and impact our lives.
What will our volunteer observers be doing?
Each time a rain, hail or snow storm crosses your area, volunteers take measurements of precipitation from as many locations as possible (see equipment). These precipitation reports are then recorded on our Web site www.cocorahs.org. The data are then displayed and organized for many of our end users to analyze and apply to daily situations ranging from water resource analysis and severe storm warnings to neighbors comparing how much rain fell in their backyards.
Who uses CoCoRaHS?
CoCoRaHS is used by a wide variety of organizations and individuals. The National Weather Service, other meteorologists, hydrologists, emergency managers, city utilities (water supply, water conservation, storm water), insurance adjusters, USDA, engineers, mosquito control, ranchers and farmers, outdoor & recreation interests, teachers, students, and neighbors in the community are just some examples of those who visit our Web site and use our data.
What do we hope to accomplish?
CoCoRaHS has several goals (as stated in our mission statement). 1) provide accurate high-quality precipitation data for our many end users on a timely basis; 2) increasing the density of precipitation data available throughout the country by encouraging volunteer weather observing; 3) encouraging citizens to have fun participating in meteorological science and heightening their awareness about weather; 4) providing enrichment activities in water and weather resources for teachers, educators and the community at large to name a few.
Who is sponsoring this network?
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) are major sponsors of CoCoRaHS. Other organizations have contributed either financially, and/or with supplies and equipment. Our list of sponsors continues to grow. Click here to visit our sponsor’s page. Many other organizations and individuals have pitched in time and resources to help keep the network up and running. We are grateful to all of you, as CoCoRaHS would not be possible without your help.
What benefits are there in volunteering?
One of the neat things about participating in this network is coming away with the feeling that you have made an important contribution that helps others. By providing your daily observation, you help to fill in a piece of the weather puzzle that affects many across your area in one way or another. You also will have the chance to make some new friends as you do something important and learn some new things along the way. In some areas, activities are organized for network participants including training sessions, field trips, special speakers, picnics, pot-luck dinners, and photography contests just to name a few.
How can I sign up?
Just click here to sign up as a CoCoRaHS Volunteer Observer or download a .pdf version of our application and return it as soon as possible.
Maybe I will be driving to IN for some skiing?
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/threats/hazards_d3_7_contours.png
Looking good! Bring on some April SNOW!!!
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/814day/814temp.new.gif
Florida is looking nice and WARM!! Can’t wait!!
Give me MI over FL any day! Fl is a _ll hole! Over populated, horrible traffic. too many bugs, hurricanes and horrible heat and humidity. An absolutely horrible place to live!
I’m not going to live there, going there for vacation! I would never live there either, I can’t stand hot & humid! Give me 65 to 75 year round and no humidity with some snow on Christmas and I’d be very happy!!
Funny to think 6 years ago we were in shorts and tshirts. Kiddos running in sprinklers because it was so warm!!!! Glad we didn’t get that… it was awful for our farmers!!!
Fun facts with just 10 days to go in March the highest temperature here in Grand Rapids so far is just 56° and NO forecasted high of 60° or better. Well in the last 30 years the coldest high for any March in Grand Rapids is 56° and that has happened 3 times (in the last 30 years) in 2013, 2002 and 2001. In fact the only years that it has NOT reached the 60’s in March going back to 1958 that is 60 years (I am still looking) are 2013 56°. 2008 59°. 2008 59°. 2002 56°. 2001 56°.… Read more »
It happens. We were in the 60’s three times in February, and yet March is going to end up several degrees warmer than February (as it should).
Cold…the only correct label for 2018. Unfortunately, with regard to “weather enthusiasts”, severe weather is obviously off the table. Oh well, maybe next year…
Actually, GR is ABOVE AVERAGE temperature wise so far into 2018.
Paul Pastelok the long range guy at Accuweather is thinking that there will be a slow start to spring this year with cold staying will into April this year. His guess is that April/June will be a solid -2° colder than last year.
And the CFSv2 continues to support a cold end of March and start of April.
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/people/mchen/CFSv2FCST/weekly/images/wk1.wk2_latest.NAsfcT.gif
and
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/people/mchen/CFSv2FCST/weekly/images/wk3.wk4_latest.NAsfcT.gif
Slim
Not seeing a cold end to March – neither is WOOD nor the CPC nor the model ensembles I look at. I wouldn’t trust that data set much, Slim.
Not seeing it real warm either. In fact it could be only the 6th time in the last 30 years it has not reached 60 in March and only the 12th time in the last 60 years. while not real rare not all that common either.
Slim
Average high is only 47. People are growing impatient this year it seems for whatever reason. It’s been a very pleasant March in my opinion. Not too hot, not too cold. Below average snow. Lots of sun!
At this time the facts point to March 2018 being a very typical March. A little below average temperature wise but more so in the dryer than average. In fact depending on how much rain and or snow falls in the next ten days it could be a top 5 driest.
Slim
Hey Slim, that’s weird, that is in direct contrast to what the CPC has!
http://www.cpc.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/lead01/off01_temp.gif
After one of the wettest February’s in Grand Rapids history so far this March is in 3rd place for one of the driest March’s in Grand Rapids history. February we had an official 4.93” of rain and snow and so far this March we are at only 0.51” The record driest March came in the very warm March of 1910 when only 0.5” fell. In 2nd place is 2001 when 0.54” fell there is a tie for 3rd place at 0.73” in 1911 and 1936. Then 0.74” in 1958 in 2013 0.94” fell and 0.96” fell in 1999. Every other… Read more »
Starting Sunday, WOOD has 47, 55, 55, 50!
There is a chance that 56° might end up being the warmest it gets this month. And the month ends up below average. I think the biggest issue this month will be how dry it might end up being.
Slim
Possibly, but I would bet we’ll get warmer than that. And the coldest it’s been was only 17 which isn’t bad either. Such a narrow temp spread this spring. I love it.
Rocky’s “big snowstorm” for this week was yet another bust!
“We will go with a dry fcst for Saturday through Saturday night in lieu of recent medium range guidance trends the past 24 hours which now suggest all pcpn with the TN Valley low pressure system will stay south of our area Saturday through Saturday night.” NWS GRR