When my grandfather was still alive he kept every Michigan license plate he owned nailed to a wall in his shed from the first plate Michigan released through 1990. It wasn’t until 1910 that Michigan issued its first official license plates. They were made out of heavy cast iron then sealed with a glossy porcelain finish. It carried the seal of the state. That lasted until about 1915. Then embossed steel plates replaced them. Prisoners had the duty of making plates in 1918. Production became privatized in 1919. The job then went back to the prisons in 1920. When the Great Depression hit, many people could no longer afford to pay for their car registration. Michigan offered half-year registration to car owners until about 1946. During this time, they also started issuing metal tabs to attach to their plates to avoid issuing new ones to conserve metal during the war. In the early 30s, they also began using Vv on plates to honor our nation’s veterans.
When the post-war era rang in and baby boomers flooded the economy, tourism also picked up. Michigan started printing WATER WONDERLAND on license plates, proclaiming one of our greatest attractions. This was the slogan from 1954 to 1964. Then it changed to WATER-WINTER WONDERLAND until 1967. With this slogan change, the plates were produced with galvanized steel in order to survive the Michigan winters. Water-Winter Wonderland remained on plates until 1982. (With the exception of 1976-1978 which had red, white and blue plates for the centennial.)
The only plate I have held onto is a 1955 plate (the year I was born) which was a dark green with white lettering, Sadly all the plates my grandfather had saved remained with the property when is was sold after he passed. The only weather related story to all of this was the Water/Winter Wonderland inscriptions on the plates. I remember a childhood of skiing and sledding on the hill on his property. It seems Michigan was a winter wonderland through the 70’s until the climatic cycle slowly gave us less snow in the winter. Or, it could just be as I grew in size and height it just seemed that way.
It definitely looks like a winter wonderland out there this morning.
The winter weather advisory is set to expire at noon today for Mason-Lake-Osceola-Oceana-Newaygo-Mecosta-Muskegon-Montcalm-Ottawa-Kent and Allegan counties.
Ionia-Clinton-Barry-Eaton-Ingham-Van Buren-Kalamazoo-Calhoun and Jackson counties it is set to expire at 5pm.
An Arctic cold front will drop south through the Lower Peninsula this morning, pushing out of the southwest quarter of the state by about 100pm. Temperatures will drop into the teens and 20s behind the front. The front will also bring an end to the heavier snow. An additional 1 to 3 inches is possible through early afternoon. High pressure will build into the region behind the cold front bringing some light lake effect snow showers and cold temperatures. Tonight`s lows will dip into the single digits. Monday`s highs will only top out around 20 degrees, which is about 10 degrees below normal. Another chance for accumulating snow is expected Monday night associated with an upper trough moving through the region. 1 to 3 inches of snow look possible with that system. Additional snow, possibly heavy is forecast for late in the upcoming work week on Friday.
I am going to get out and blow out the snow before the temperatures drop and create a frozen nightmare.
Great half time tonight.
I did Not Like If.
My Favorite half time SB Show of All Time IS
The Genius RIP..”PRINCE”
We have over 7″ of snow out there. More on the way!
I’m OUTTA My Head on Monday MOANIN!!!
I HEAR YA.”….MOAN!!!!!!
Little Feat – Fat Man In The Bathtub – YouTube
▶ 4:34
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U49Y_RmJ7Xw
Great band! we listened to a few of them last night when you posted the other one.
Love My …..FEATS FEATS!!
ADA – midnight to midnight – 2 inches. 5 inches since Friday.
WOW!!! WHAT A GREAT SUPER BOWL!!!!
Bring it!
http://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=MIZ057&warncounty=MIC081&firewxzone=MIZ057&local_place1=Cedar%20Springs%20MI&product1=Winter+Weather+Advisory&lat=43.23&lon=-85.55
The snow keeps coming!
http://wxcaster.com/gis-gfs-snow-overlays2.php?STATIONID=GRR
What a storm! The GR area picked up 8 to 10 inches of SNOW!
Great post on the history of Michigan license plates Michael! Thank you.
Happy Superbowl Sunday everyone! We didn’t get much snow overnight, definitely less than 2 inches, but it has been snowing all day with bigger flakes in the morning and now at 4:30 p.m. down to the tiny flakes, but it has been slowly piling up and the wind is causing some drifting.
Still getting light snow here with a temperature of 18° Looking out the basement windows they are covered over half way up that is only the 2nd time that has happened this year. when the windows are completely covered then I know we have well over 15″ on the ground. Nor feeling well with that flu so have not took a reading since I cleared the drive but looks to be at least a inch or more since then so might be getting close to 9 to 10 inches
Slim
See that heavy band of lake effect at the south end of lake michigan? We are driving through it right now. Everyone is driving about 20 mph. Can’t see more than 50 yards ahead.
For the record, I am a passenger and not driving. 🙂
take care
Slim
I just came in from clearing the driveway. I have 7” of new snow and with the 1.5” that fell Friday night there is now around 8.5” of snow on the ground here. There was some blowing so there are some drifts in the 12” plus range. Still getting light snow here now with a temperature of 19°
Slim
Reminds me of CHRISTMAS day very snowy on this SUPERBOWL day INDYDOG14!
Over 7 inches of snow now at there YARDofBRICKS and still snowing very hard .. INDYDOG14!!
Rock On INDY!
Let it snow let it snow let it snow!! INDYDOG14!
WOW more snow to come! What a monster of a snow pattern is setting up!
http://wxcaster.com/gis-snow-overlays.php?STATIONID=GRR
GREAT STORM!!!!!!!!!!! So far we have picked up 5.5 inches of SNOW and currently it is snowing at a moderate to heavy clip! Looks like another BINGO for the RDB model and by the end of the day we will be above normal for seasonal snowfall with no let up in sight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Almost exactly one month to the day since I have used the snow blower, looks like I finally get to use it today. I would guess we have about 5 inches on the ground. Last night after work I was rear ended at a stop sign in our new car. No one hurt, and I have full coverage insurance, but man does that make you feel sick when you see them coming in the rear view mirror then hear the crunch. While we were waiting for the police, 3 more cars slid past us and bit it. We don’t get… Read more »
6.4 inches of snow on the ground out at thee YARDofBRICKS and still snowing nice storm great day to sick back throw some Sprites down have some fire cracker wings and watch the Eagles win the Superbowl!! Out of the last 10 players name MVP to play in the Superbowl Brady there has been 1 Superbowl winner!! I’m thinking Brady just shot himself yeaaaa! Have a great super Sunday! Eagles 17-Pats 10.. Indy.
Climatology for today February 4th At Grand Rapids, MI
The average H/L is 31/18
The record high is 53° in 1962 the coldest maximum is 0° set in 1918
The record low is -17° set in 1996 the warmest minimum is 37° set in 1991
The record snow fall is 10.0” in 1900
The most snow on the ground is 20” in 1959
Last year the H/L was 30/4 a trace of snow was reported and 3” was reported on the ground.
Slim
My dad did the same with the old plates. I kept them for a while but now the only one I have is the one from 1976. The snow has picked up again here and now there is snow blowing snow as well, The temperature has dropped down to 21° here.
Slim
Took some measurements in the yard this morning and we have 4” of snow on the ground now. That’s on top of the roughly 1/2” we had on the ground from Friday night. Just goes to show how much of a snow drought we’ve had the past couple of years that people get so hyped up over 3.5” of snow in a system!!
Getting some blowing snow here now. I just measured 4.5″ on new snow and have a total of 6.5″ on the ground here.
Slim