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Climatological Report (Monthly)
Issued by NWS Marquette, MI
Issued by NWS Marquette, MI
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CXUS53 KMQT 151128 AAB
CLMMQT
CLIMATE REPORT...PRELIMINARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARQUETTE MI
630 AM EDT THU NOV 15 2012
...................................
...THE MARQUETTE MI CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2012...
CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1961 TO 2012
WEATHER OBSERVED NORMAL DEPART LAST YEAR`S
VALUE DATE(S) VALUE FROM VALUE DATE(S)
NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
HIGH 87 10/02/1992
LOW 9 10/23/1969
HIGHEST 72 10/03 51 21 81 10/08
LOWEST 21 10/29 34 -13 23 10/30
AVG. MAXIMUM 50.4 52.1 -1.7 56.4
AVG. MINIMUM 34.9 34.2 0.7 38.2
MEAN 42.6 43.2 -0.6 47.3
DAYS MAX >= 90 0 0.0 0.0 0
DAYS MAX <= 32 0 0.7 -0.7 0
DAYS MIN <= 32 13 13.4 -0.4 12
DAYS MIN <= 0 0 0.0 0.0 0
PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
MAXIMUM 7.59 1979
MINIMUM 0.94 1975
TOTALS 5.20 3.84 1.36 1.88
DAILY AVG. 0.17 0.12 0.05 0.06
DAYS >= .01 15 15.2 -0.2 14
DAYS >= .10 11 8.3 2.7 6
DAYS >= .50 2 2.2 -0.2 1
DAYS >= 1.00 1 0.9 0.1 0
GREATEST
24 HR. TOTAL 2.21 10/25 TO 10/25
SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
TOTAL 18.6 1979
TOTALS 6.1 6.0 0.1 T
SINCE 7/1 6.1 6.1 0.0 T
SNOWDEPTH AVG. 0 MM MM 0
DAYS >= 1.0 2 1.7 0.3 0
GREATEST
SNOW DEPTH 2 10/31 0 MM
10/11
24 HR TOTAL 3.6 10/30 TO 10/31
DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL 688 679 9 549
SINCE 7/1 1139 1161 -22 924
COOLING TOTAL 0 1 -1 6
SINCE 1/1 345 242 103 324
.................................................................
WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED MM
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION MM DATE MM
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION 36/180 DATE 10/08
SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT) MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER MM
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR MM
NUMBER OF DAYS PC MM
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY MM
AVERAGE RH (PERCENT) MM
WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM 0 MIXED PRECIP 0
HEAVY RAIN 2 RAIN 1
LIGHT RAIN 17 FREEZING RAIN 0
LT FREEZING RAIN 0 HAIL 1
HEAVY SNOW 0 SNOW 1
LIGHT SNOW 7 SLEET 1
FOG 8 FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE 0
HAZE 0
- INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.
&&
...OCTOBER 2012 MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR UPPER MICHIGAN...
(THIS DISCUSSION DOES NOT INCLUDE CHIPPEWA AND MACKINAC COUNTIES)
...MEAN MONTHLY TEMPERATURE NEAR TO A BIT BELOW NORMAL...
...ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION AT MOST PLACES...
...EIGHTH WETTEST OCTOBER AT THE MARQUETTE NWS...
...NINTH WETTEST OCTOBER AT MUNISING AND ONTONAGON...
...TENTH WETTEST OCTOBER AT NEWBERRY...
OCTOBER CLIMATE STATISTICS FOR THE MARQUETTE NWS IN NEGAUNEE TOWNSHIP
NORMAL DEPARTURE
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 42.6 43.2 MINUS 0.6
AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE 50.4 52.1 MINUS 1.7
AVERAGE LOW TEMPERATURE 34.9 34.2 PLUS 0.7
HEATING DEGREE DAYS 688 679 PLUS 9
COOLING DEGREE DAYS 0 1 MINUS 1
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 5.20 3.84 PLUS 1.36
TOTAL SNOWFALL 6.1 6.0 PLUS 0.1
HIGHEST TEMPERATURE: 72 ON 10/3
LOWEST TEMPERATURE: 21 ON 10/29
GREATEST CALENDAR DAY PRECIPITATION: 2.21 ON 10/25
GREATEST 24 HOUR PRECIPITATION: 2.21 ON 10/25
GREATEST CALENDAR DAY SNOWFALL: 2.9 ON 10/30
GREATEST 24 HOUR SNOWFALL: 3.6 ON 10/30-10/31
PEAK WIND SPEED: 36 MPH FROM THE SOUTH ON 10/8
DAILY RECORD PRECIPITATION ON 10/25...2.21 (OLD RECORD 0.32...2001)
SECOND HIGHEST OCTOBER DAILY PRECIPITATION ON 10/25...2.21 (RECORD
2.89...10/4/1985)
DAILY RECORD SNOWFALL ON 10/31...2.9 (OLD RECORD 1.0...1962/88/93)
EIGHTH HIGHEST OCTOBER PRECIPITATION...5.20 (RECORD 7.59...1979)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
GREAT LAKES WATER LEVELS (FEET/METERS ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL)
LAKE SUPERIOR LAKE MICHIGAN-HURON
10/01/12 DAILY MEAN 600.86/183.14 576.68/175.77
10/31/12 DAILY MEAN 600.97/183.17 576.42/175.70
AVG SEP 2012 DAILY MEAN 601.07/183.21 576.97/175.86
AVG OCT 2011 DAILY MEAN 601.08/183.21 577.70/176.08
LONG TERM OCT DAILY MEAN 602.10/183.51 578.90/176.44
MAXIMUM OCT DAILY MEAN 603.40/183.91 582.30/177.50
(1985) (1986)
MINIMUM OCT DAILY MEAN 600.70/183.10 576.40/175.70
(1925) (1964)
...RECORD LOW OCTOBER LAKE LEVEL REACHED ON LAKES MICHIGAN-HURON...
INCREASED EVAPORATION DUE TO VERY WARM LAKE WATERS HAS RESULTED IN
WELL BELOW NORMAL GREAT LAKES WATER LEVELS FOR THE PAST SEVERAL
YEARS. IN COMBINATION WITH DROUGHT THAT PLAGUED THE LOWER LAKES
THROUGH MUCH OF 2012...LAKES MICHIGAN-HURON REACHED A RECORD LOW
LEVEL FOR OCTOBER OF 176.39 FEET/175.68 METERS ON 10/30...A STAGE
THAT IS ABOUT 30 INCHES BELOW THE LONG TERM AVERAGE. SINCE
PRECIPITATION DURING RECENT MONTHS IN THE LAKE SUPERIOR DRAINAGE
BASIN HAS BEEN HEAVIER...THE LEVEL OF LAKE SUPERIOR ACTUALLY ROSE
ALMOST 5 INCHES THROUGH OCTOBER. HOWEVER...LAKE SUPERIOR WATER
LEVELS WERE STILL ABOUT 13 INCHES BELOW NORMAL AT THE END OF THE
MONTH.
OBTAIN GREAT LAKES WATER LEVEL DATA AS REPORTED BY THE U.S. ARMY
CORPS OF ENGINEERS AT
HTTP://WWW.LRE.USACE.ARMY.MIL/GREATLAKES/HH/GREATLAKESWATERLEVELS/
CURRENTCONDITIONS/GREATLAKESWATERLEVELS (ALL LOWER CASE).
---------------------------------------------------------------------
OCTOBER CLIMATE HIGHLIGHTS
HIGHEST REPORTED TEMPERATURE...78 JUST INLAND FROM ONTONAGON ON 10/3
LOWEST REPORTED TEMPERATURE...14 AT STAMBAUGH IN IRON COUNTY ON 10/12
AND 10/29
HIGHEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE...47.4 DEGREES AT MARQUETTE CITY
LOWEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE...40.4 DEGREES AT CLARKSBURG-CHAMPION
IN MARQUETTE COUNTY
HIGHEST MONTHLY PRECIPITATION...6.06 INCHES AT MUNISING
LOWEST MONTHLY PRECIPITATION...2.37 INCHES AT AMASA IN IRON COUNTY
HIGHEST MONTHLY SNOWFALL...14.4 INCHES AT HERMAN IN BARAGA COUNTY
A VERY CHANGEABLE WEATHER PATTERN PREVAILED DURING OCTOBER...WITH
ALTERNATING PERIODS OF WARM AND CHILLY WEATHER WHEN AN UPPER RIDGE
OR TROUGH DOMINATED THE EAST AND GREAT LAKES. SINCE THE TROUGH AND
COOLER WEATHER WERE A BIT MORE PERSISTENT...DOMINATING FROM 10/5
UNTIL 10/16 AND 10/26 THROUGH HALLOWEEN...THE MEAN OCTOBER
TEMPERATURE ENDED UP BELOW AVERAGE AT MOST SPOTS FOR A SECOND MONTH
IN A ROW...RANGING FROM NEARLY 2 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL OVER WESTERN
UPPER MICHIGAN TO NEAR NORMAL AT MARQUETTE AND NEWBERRY. THE AVERAGE
TEMPERATURE IN OCTOBER WAS ABOUT 9 TO 12 DEGREES LOWER THAN IN
SEPTEMBER. THE MERCURY REACHED THE BALMY 70S EVERY DAY FROM 10/1
THROUGH 10/4 BEFORE THE PASSAGE OF A STRONG COLD FRONT BROUGHT THE
FIRST MAJOR SHIFT IN PATTERN. AT LEAST A FEW OF THE INTERIOR COLD
SPOTS LOGGED A MINIMUM TEMPERATURE IN THE TEENS ON 10/8...10/12...
10/27...10/28 AND 10/29.
WITH THE CHANGING ACTIVE UPPER PATTERN OVER NORTH AMERICA...A NUMBER
OF LARGE SCALE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS AND THEIR ATTENDANT WARM AND
COLD FRONTS IMPACTED THE GREAT LAKES DURING OCTOBER. THE RESULT WAS
ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION AT MOST SPOTS. EXCEPT FOR SOME DRIER
LOCATIONS NEAR THE WISCONSIN BORDER...MOST SPOTS PICKED UP AT LEAST
4 INCHES OR MORE OF WATER EQUIVALENT PRECIPITATION DURING THE MONTH.
FOR THE SECOND MONTH IN A ROW...THE GREATEST TOTALS OCCURRED ACROSS
THE NORTH CENTRAL AROUND MUNISING...WHERE MOISTENING OFF LAKE
SUPERIOR ENHANCED THE PRECIPITATION. MUNISING REPORTED 6.06 INCHES
IN OCTOBER...NEARLY 150 PERCENT OF THE MEAN PRECIPITATION FOR THAT
LOCATION AND AFTER RECORDING 6.41 INCHES IN SEPTEMBER. THE ONLY
PLACES THAT MEASURED LESS THAN 3 INCHES AND 75 PERCENT OF NORMAL
PRECIPITATION WERE IN PORTIONS OF IRON COUNTY...FARTHER FROM THE
INFLUENCE OF LAKE SUPERIOR.
THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION IN OCTOBER OCCURRED ON 10/23 INTO
10/25...WHEN A DEEP SOUTHWEST FLOW BETWEEN A WESTERN TROUGH AND AN
EASTERN RIDGE ADVECTED A VERY WARM...MOIST AIRMASS INTO THE GREAT
LAKES. EXCEPT FOR THE SOUTHEAST...MOST PLACES PICKED UP 1 TO 2
INCHES OF RAIN DURING THIS 3-DAY PERIOD...WITH OVER 3 INCHES OF RAIN
NEAR WATERSMEET IN GOGEBIC COUNTY. SOME LOCATIONS REPORTED DAILY
RECORD RAINFALL ON SOME OF THESE DAYS...INCLUDING 2.21 INCHES AT
NEGAUNEE IN MARQUETTE COUNTY ON 10/25. SINCE THE AIRMASS WAS SO WARM
AND RELATIVELY UNSTABLE...THERE WERE ALSO A NUMBER OF THUNDERSTORMS
DURING THIS EVENT. SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS DROPPED HAIL...
INCLUDING ONE THAT CAUSED QUARTER-SIZED HAIL AT NEGAUNEE IN THE
MORNING ON 10/25. ANOTHER DEEP LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVING THROUGH
THE GREAT LAKES BROUGHT NEARLY 2 INCHES OF RAIN TO SOME PLACES NEAR
LAKE SUPERIOR EAST OF MARQUETTE ON 10/14 INTO 10/15.
MANY PLACES...ESPECIALLY OVER THE NORTH NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR...SAW THE
FIRST ACCUMULATING SNOWS OF THE SEASON IN OCTOBER. THE EARLIEST
EVENT WAS DURING THE NIGHT OF 10/5-10/6 INTO THE DAY ON 10/6...WHEN
A LOW PRESSURE TROUGH PASSING THROUGH THE UPPER GREAT LAKES CAUSED
ACCUMULATING SNOW OVER THE INTERIOR HIGHER TERRAIN. HERMAN IN BARAGA
COUNTY MEASURED 4.7 INCHES OF WET SNOW. HERMAN PICKED UP ANOTHER 5.3
INCHES OF THE WHITE STUFF DURING THE NIGHT ON 10/10-10/11 AS A
STRONG DISTURBANCE ROTATING THROUGH THE DEEP UPPER TROUGH IN THE
GREAT LAKES PASSED OVERHEAD AND DROPPED MORE ACCUMULATING SNOW OVER
THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE NORTH. WITH THE 10.0 INCHES OF SNOW AT
THAT LOCATION DURING THESE TWO EVENTS AND ANOTHER 4.4 INCHES THAT
FELL LATE IN THE MONTH AS THE REMNANTS OF SUPER STORM SANDY BACKED
TOWARD THE GREAT LAKES...HERMAN LED REPORTING SITES FOR TOTAL
OCTOBER SNOWFALL IN UPPER MICHIGAN.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
...JANUARY 2012-OCTOBER 2012 AVERAGE TEMPERATURE...
OBSERVED NORMAL DEPARTURE PREVIOUS RECORD 2011-12 RANK
/OR RECORD/
NEWBERRY 48.9 44.8 +4.1 48.9 /1998/ RECORD WARMEST
MARQUETTE NWS 47.1 43.2 +3.9 46.7 /2010/ RECORD WARMEST
MANISTIQUE 47.8 44.5 +3.3 47.3 /2010/ RECORD WARMEST
MUNISING 47.9 44.6 +3.3 47.4 /1998/ RECORD WARMEST
/2010/
MARQUETTE CITY 50.1 46.0 +4.1 50.5 /1998/ SECOND WARMEST
IRON MOUNTAIN 49.6 45.6 +4.0 50.4 /1921/ SECOND WARMEST
IRONWOOD 47.3 43.4 +3.9 49.0 /1931/ THIRD WARMEST
HOUGHTON 47.1 43.4 +3.7 48.0 /1998/ FOURTH WARMEST
---------------------------------------------------------------------
SOME OTHER TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION OBSERVATIONS ACROSS UPPER
MICHIGAN IN OCTOBER 2012 INCLUDE:
IRONWOOD...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 41.8 (1.6 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL)
PRECIPITATION 3.73 INCHES (0.25 INCH BELOW NORMAL)
SNOWFALL 1.8 INCHES (4.8 INCHES BELOW NORMAL)
WATERSMEET (GOGEBIC COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 4.84 INCHES
SNOWFALL 0.6 INCH
ONTONAGON...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 44.9 (1.9 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL)
(6 MILES PRECIPITATION 4.97 INCHES (1.47 INCHES ABOVE NORMAL)
INLAND) SNOWFALL TRACE (2.5 INCHES BELOW NORMAL)
ROCKLAND (ONTONAGON COUNTY)...SNOWFALL 2.3 INCHES
GREENLAND (ONTONAGON COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 43.6 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 4.51 INCHES
SNOWFALL TRACE
BERGLAND DAM (ONTONAGON COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 41.4 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 4.63 INCHES
SNOWFALL 2.5 INCHES
TWIN LAKES (HOUGHTON COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 41.9 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 4.66 INCHES
SNOWFALL 0.8 INCH
HOUGHTON COUNTY...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 42.7 (0.7 DEGREE BELOW NORMAL)
AIRPORT PRECIPITATION 4.05 INCHES (1.06 INCHES ABOVE NORMAL)
SNOWFALL 3.2 INCHES (1.5 INCHES BELOW NORMAL)
ATLANTIC MINE (HOUGHTON COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 4.48 INCHES
SNOWFALL 3.0 INCHES
MOHAWK (KEWEENAW COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 5.19 INCHES
SNOWFALL 1.8 INCHES
COPPER HARBOR...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 44.5 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 4.27 INCHES
SNOWFALL TRACE
JACOBSVILLE (HOUGHTON COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 44.0 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 4.55 INCHES
SNOWFALL 0.1 INCH
BARAGA...PRECIPITATION 4.34 INCHES
SNOWFALL TRACE
WATTON (BARAGA COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 41.9 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 3.93 INCHES
SNOWFALL 3.1 INCHES
HERMAN (BARAGA COUNTY)...SNOWFALL 13.8 INCHES
CLARKSBURG (MARQUETTE COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 40.4 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 4.24 INCHES
SNOWFALL 5.5 INCHES
WITCH LAKE (MARQUETTE COUNTY)...SNOWFALL 3.0 INCHES
BIG BAY (MARQUETTE COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 45.3 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 3.43 INCHES
SNOWFALL 0.4 INCH
MARQUETTE CITY...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 47.4 (0.1 DEGREE ABOVE NORMAL)
PRECIPITATION 4.54 INCHES (1.41 INCHES ABOVE NORMAL)
SNOWFALL TRACE (1.0 INCH BELOW NORMAL)
HARVEY (MARQUETTE COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 46.3 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 4.53 INCHES
SNOWFALL TRACE
GWINN (MARQUETTE COUNTY)...SNOWFALL 4.4 INCHES
CHATHAM (ALGER COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 45.2 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 5.55 INCHES
SNOWFALL 1.0 INCH
MUNISING...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 45.0 (0.6 DEGREE BELOW NORMAL)
PRECIPITATION 6.06 INCHES (1.83 INCHES ABOVE NORMAL)
SNOWFALL TRACE (1.4 INCHES BELOW NORMAL)
WETMORE (ALGER COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 4.59 INCHES
SNOWFALL TRACE
NEWBERRY...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 45.4 (0.1 DEGREE ABOVE NORMAL)
PRECIPITATION 5.41 INCHES (1.84 INCHES ABOVE NORMAL)
SNOWFALL TRACE (1.2 INCHES BELOW NORMAL)
STAMBAUGH (IRON COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 40.9 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 2.97 INCHES
SNOWFALL 0.8 INCH
AMASA (IRON COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 41.9 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 2.37 INCHES
SNOWFALL 0.2 INCH
IRON MOUNTAIN...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 44.1 (0.9 DEGREE BELOW NORMAL)
PRECIPITATION 3.69 INCHES (0.55 INCH ABOVE NORMAL)
SNOWFALL TRACE (0.3 INCH BELOW NORMAL)
NORWAY (DICKINSON COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 3.63 INCHES
SNOWFALL 0.1 INCH
MENOMINEE...PRECIPITATION 3.58 INCHES
GLADSTONE (DELTA COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 4.56 INCHES
SNOWFALL TRACE
GARDEN CORNERS (DELTA COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 44.0 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 4.30 INCHES
SNOWFALL TRACE
MANISTIQUE...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 44.9 (0.7 DEGREE BELOW NORMAL)
PRECIPITATION 4.41 INCHES (1.09 INCH ABOVE NORMAL)
SNOWFALL TRACE (0.2 INCH BELOW NORMAL)
OCTOBER WEATHER SUMMARY
A WARM SOUTHWEST FLOW BETWEEN A TROUGH IN WESTERN CANADA AND A RIDGE
OVER THE EAST DOMINATED THE UPPER GREAT LAKES ON 10/1 INTO 10/4...
BRINGING WEATHER MORE TYPICAL FOR LABOR DAY THAN EARLY OCTOBER TO
UPPER MICHIGAN. MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURES ON 10/1 THROUGH 10/4
AVERAGED 5 TO 10 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.
THE PASSAGE OF A STRONG COLD FRONT LATER ON 10/4 WAS ACCOMPANIED BY
ONLY ISOLATED SHOWERS...BUT THE SURGE OF COLDER AIR ON THE HEELS OF
WEST WIND GUSTS UP TO 35 TO 45 MPH BEHIND THE FRONTAL PASSAGE
HERALDED A MAJOR CHANGE IN THE UPPER PATTERN THAT WOULD FEATURE A
DEEP TROUGH AND ACTIVE WEATHER IN THE NORTHERN GREAT LAKES UNTIL MID
MONTH. THE DAY-TO-DAY CONDITIONS IN THE WEEK FROM 10/5 INTO 10/12
WERE DOMINATED BY SEVERAL DISTURBANCES ROTATING THROUGH THE LARGER
TROUGH AND WHICH BROUGHT PERIODS OF RAIN SHOWERS. WITH THE ARRIVAL
OF COLDER AIR...THESE SHOWERS WERE MIXED WITH SNOW OVER THE HIGHER
TERRAIN OF THE INTERIOR. PRECIPITATION TENDED TO BE HEAVIEST NEAR
LAKE SUPERIOR BECAUSE THE WARM LAKE WATERS TENDED TO ENHANCE THE
INTENSITY OF THE SHOWERS CLOSE TO SUPERIOR. OVER AN INCH OF WATER
EQUIVALENT PRECIPITATION FELL AT MANY SPOTS IN THESE AREAS...
INCLUDING UP TO 1.47 INCHES AT MUNISING ON 10/5 INTO 10/12. GUSTY
WINDS ALSO FREQUENTLY BUFFETED LOCATIONS NEAR THE DESTABILIZING
INFLUENCE OF THE LAKES AS WELL. IN THE EVENING ON 10/8...PARENT BAY
ON THE LAKE MICHIGAN SHORE OF SCHOOLCRAFT COUNTY CLOCKED A SOUTH
WIND GUST UP TO 55 MPH AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH ONE
OF THESE DISTURBANCES.
MANY SPOTS OVER THE INTERIOR HIGHER TERRAIN ALSO REPORTED THEIR
FIRST ACCUMULATING SNOWS DURING THIS WEEK. THE EARLIEST EVENT WAS
DURING THE NIGHT OF 10/5-10/6 INTO THE DAY ON 10/6...WHEN HERMAN IN
BARAGA COUNTY MEASURED 4.7 INCHES OF WET SNOW. HERMAN PICKED UP
ANOTHER 5.3 INCHES OF THE WHITE STUFF DURING THE NIGHT ON
10/10-10/11 WHEN THE NEXT STRONG DISTURBANCE ROTATED THROUGH THE
DEEP UPPER TROUGH AND DROPPED MORE ACCUMULATING SNOW OVER THE HIGHER
TERRAIN OF THE NORTH.
ALTHOUGH THE UPPER TROUGH IN THE GREAT LAKES BEGAN TO WEAKEN AFTER
10/11...THE PASSAGE OF ANOTHER DEEP LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM THROUGH THE
GREAT LAKES ON 10/14 AND 10/15 BROUGHT ANOTHER ROUND OF HEAVY RAIN
TO UPPER MICHIGAN...MAINLY OVER THE CENTRAL AND EAST CLOSER TO THE
PATH OF THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM. DUE TO THE DESTABILIZING INFLUENCE
OF LAKE SUPERIOR...LOCATIONS NEAR THAT BODY OF WATER AND EAST OF
MARQUETTE SAW THE HEAVIEST RAIN IN EXCESS OF AN INCH THAT SET NEW
DAILY RECORD RAINFALL AT SOME LOCATIONS. UP TO 1.82 INCHES AND 1.77
INCHES OF RAIN FELL AT NEWBERRY AND WETMORE IN ALGER COUNTY
RESPECTIVELY ON 10/14 INTO 10/15. ACROSS THE SOUTH CENTRAL CLOSER TO
THE LOW TRACK...MENOMINEE PICKED UP 1.67 INCHES. OVER THE FAR
WEST...RAINFALL WAS GENERALLY NO MORE THAN 0.10 TO 0.25 INCH DURING
THIS EVENT. AS THE LOW PASSED JUST TO THE SOUTH OF UPPER MICHIGAN
LATE ON 10/14 AND THROUGH THE NIGHT OF 10/14-10/15...NORTH WINDS
GUSTED AS HIGH AS 35 TO 45 MPH NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR. MEAN DAILY
TEMPERATURES ON 10/13 THROUGH 10/15 AVERAGED FROM NEAR TO AS MUCH AS
10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL ON 10/15....WHEN A CHILLY CANADIAN AIRMASS
SPILLED INTO THE UPPER GREAT LAKES IN THE WAKE OF THE DEPARTING LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HEAVY RAIN.
AFTER 10/15...AN UPPER TROUGH BEGAN TO DEEPEN IN THE PLAINS. THE
STRENGTHENING SOUTHERLY FLOW AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE BROUGHT A RETURN
OF MUCH MILDER AIR THAT WOULD PERSIST FOR THE MOST PART THROUGH
10/25. SINCE THIS SOUTHERLY FLOW ALSO ADVECTED COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF
MOISTURE INTO THE GREAT LAKES...THERE WERE ALSO FREQUENT SHOWERS
WITH SOME PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN DURING THIS TIME.
AN APPROACHING WARM FRONT THAT MARKED THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WARMER
WEATHER BROUGHT A ROUND OF SHOWERS TO MUCH OF THE AREA ON 10/16.
PRECIPITATION TOTALS RANGED FROM AROUND 0.05 INCH OVER THE SOUTH
CENTRAL TO 0.25 TO 0.50 INCH OVER THE NORTHWEST. MOHAWK IN KEWEENAW
COUNTY LED REPORTING STATIONS WITH 0.54 INCH OF RAIN. WITH ABUNDANT
CLOUD COVER AND THE SHOWERS ON THE COOL SIDE OF THE WARM FRONT...
MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURES ON 10/16 WERE NEAR NORMAL.
MUCH WARMER AIR FOLLOWED THE WARM FRONTAL PASSAGE INTO THE GREAT
LAKES ON 10/17...WHEN MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURES ROSE TO 10 TO 15
DEGREES ABOVE AVERAGE. THIS AIRMASS WAS ALSO DRIER...SO THERE WAS NO
RAIN MOST OF THE DAY ON 10/17 AFTER THE FRONT EXITED. THE DRYING WAS
SHORT-LIVED BECAUSE THE DEEPENING TROUGH MOVING SLOWLY EAST FROM THE
PLAINS IMPACTED THE GREAT LAKES ON 10/18 THROUGH 10/19. RAINFALL
TOTALS ON THESE TWO DAYS WERE GENERALLY 0.25 TO 1.00 INCH. SOME OF
THE HIGHER AMOUNTS WERE 1.27 INCHES AT GLADSTONE IN DELTA COUNTY...
1.15 INCHES AT BERGLAND DAM IN ONTONAGON COUNTY...1.13 INCHES AT
WATERSMEET IN GOGEBIC COUNTY...AND 1.12 INCHES AT GARDEN CORNERS IN
DELTA COUNTY. SINCE THE MOIST AIRMASS THAT SUPPORTED THIS RAIN WAS
ALSO RELATIVELY WARM...THE MERCURY AVERAGED ABOUT 5 DEGREES ABOVE
NORMAL ON 10/18 AND 10/19.
THE ONLY SUSTAINED DRY WEATHER FROM 10/16 THROUGH 10/25 OCCURRED ON
10/20 INTO 10/22...WHEN A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE MOVING THROUGH THE
GREAT LAKES IN THE WAKE OF THE DEPARTING TROUGH BROUGHT CLEAR TO
PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES AND SEASONABLE TEMPERATURES.
AS THE RIDGE MOVED PAST THE UPPER GREAT LAKES ON 10/22...AN UPPER
TROUGH DEEPENED AGAIN IN THE PLAINS...INCREASING THE SOUTH FLOW OF
WARM...MOIST AIR INTO THE GREAT LAKES AND SETTING THE STAGE FOR SOME
UNSEASONABLY STRONG CONVECTION AND RECORD RAINS ON 10/23 THROUGH
10/25. MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURES ON THESE THREE DAYS ROSE TO 10 TO 15
DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. THE FIRST WAVE OF RAIN AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS
AHEAD OF AN ADVANCING WARM FRONT HIT MAINLY WESTERN UPPER MICHIGAN
ON 10/23. AS MUCH AS 1.94 INCHES OF RAIN INUNDATED A LOCATION JUST
EAST OF HOUGHTON. BESIDES THE HEAVY RAIN OVER THE WEST...AREAS OF
DENSE FOG AHEAD OF THE WARM FRONT RESTRICTED VISIBILITY TO UNDER ONE
QUARTER MILE AT SOME LOCATIONS UNTIL THE FRONT PASSED TO THE NORTH
ON 10/25.
ANOTHER ROUND OF HEAVY RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS ARRIVED OVER THE WEST
LATE ON 10/24 AHEAD OF A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVING NORTHEAST ON A
SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT JUST TO THE WEST. THUNDERSTORMS WERE EMBEDDED
IN THIS RAIN AREA...AND SOME OF THESE STORMS TURNED SEVERE IN THE
MORNING ON 10/25. THERE WERE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF SMALL HAIL...AND
SOME HAIL AS LARGE AS QUARTERS BOMBARDED NEGAUNEE IN MARQUETTE
COUNTY. TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS DROPPED 2 INCHES OR MORE OF RAIN AT
MANY PLACES IN JUST 12 TO 24 HOURS LATE ON 10/24 INTO 10/25. THE
HEAVIEST RAIN FELL OVER THE WEST...WHERE PRECIPITATION REACHED 3.50
INCHES AT MARENISCO IN GOGEBIC COUNTY...3.29 INCHES AT ROCKLAND IN
ONTONAGON COUNTY...AND 3.09 INCHES AT WATERSMEET. THE SOUTH CENTRAL
WAS THE ONLY AREA THAT SAW LESS THAN AN INCH OF RAIN DURING THIS
TIME. NO MORE THAN 0.50 TO 1.00 INCH FELL AT MOST PLACES THERE. ONCE
THE LOW PRESSURE CENTER RIDING NORTHEAST ALONG THE INCOMING COLD
FRONT PASSED INTO ONTARIO LATER ON 10/25...WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS
UP TO 35 TO 40 MPH DROVE THE COLD FRONT THROUGH UPPER MICHIGAN AND
OPENED THE DOOR TO ENOUGH COLD AIR TO CHANGE SOME OF THE LINGERING
SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS TO SNOW OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE WEST.
A DEEP UPPER TROUGH DOMINATED THE GREAT LAKES ON 10/26 THROUGH
HALLOWEEN AS MUCH COLDER AIR FOLLOWED THE DEPARTING LOW INTO EASTERN
UNITED STATES. OVER UPPER MICHIGAN...THE THERMOMETER READ AROUND 5
DEGREES BELOW NORMAL DURING THESE LAST 6 DAYS OF OCTOBER. SCATTERED
RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS LINGERED NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR INTO 10/27...BUT
THE ARRIVAL OF HIGH PRESSURE BROUGHT A DRIER PERIOD ON 10/28 INTO
EARLY 10/30. BEGINNING ON 10/30...THE REMNANTS OF SUPER STORM SANDY
THAT DEVASTATED PARTS OF THE MID-ATLANTIC STATES BEGAN TO IMPACT
EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN AS THE LOW PRESSURE CENTER MOVED INTO
SOUTHEAST ONTARIO. A GUSTY NORTH WIND AS HIGH AS 40-50 MPH BUFFETED
AREAS OVER THE EAST NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR ON 10/30 INTO 10/31 BEFORE
THE LOW WEAKENED SUFFICIENTLY. SHOWERS OF RAIN AND SNOW ALSO FELL
MAINLY OVER THE EAST AND NORTH CENTRAL ON 10/30 THROUGH HALLOWEEN AS
THE DEEP MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH SANDY BACKED WEST INTO THE UPPER
LAKES. WATER EQUIVALENT PRECIPITATION FROM THE HURON MOUNTAINS EAST
THROUGH NEWBERRY WAS 0.10 TO 0.50 INCH AT MOST PLACES ON 10/30
THROUGH 10/31. MUNISING AND CHATHAM IN ALGER COUNTY TOPPED THE LIST
WITH 0.78 AND 0.69 INCH RESPECTIVELY. WHILE MOST PLACES WERE TOO
WARM TO SEE SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATION...A FEW INCHES OF SNOW
ACCUMULATED OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE NORTH CENTRAL. HERMAN SAW
4.4 INCHES OF THE WHITE STUFF. THERE WAS LITTLE IF ANY PRECIPITATION
ALONG THE WISCONSIN BORDER FROM IRONWOOD TO IRON RIVER...IRON
MOUNTAIN AND MENOMINEE.
NOVEMBER FORECAST
THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER (CPC) IS FORECASTING AN EQUAL CHANCE
OF AN ABOVE AND BELOW NORMAL MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMPERATURE BUT A
GREATER CHANCE OF ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION OVER ALL OF UPPER
MICHIGAN IN NOVEMBER 2012.
NOVEMBER CLIMATOLOGY
RESIDENTS OF UPPER MICHIGAN FEEL WINTER`S TIGHTENING GRIP MORE AND
MORE OFTEN DURING NOVEMBER AS THE SUN`S WARMING RAYS BECOME
INCREASINGLY FEEBLE. POSSIBLE SUNSHINE DECLINES FROM 605 MINUTES ON
11/1 TO 533 MINUTES ON 11/30. AS A RESULT...THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE
DURING NOVEMBER IS AS MUCH AS 15 DEGREES LOWER THAN IN OCTOBER.
DESPITE THE INEVITABLE DECLINE TOWARD WINTER...PLEASANTLY MILD
WEATHER OFTEN MAKES AN APPEARANCE DURING THE ELEVENTH MONTH. MANY
RECENT NOVEMBERS HAVE BEEN QUITE MILD. IN FACT...NOVEMBER 2001 GOES
DOWN IN THE RECORD BOOKS AS THE WARMEST EVER AT ALL REPORTING
STATIONS WITH A MEAN TEMPERATURE 10 OR MORE DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.
MANY STATIONS REPORTED MORE DAYS WITH A HIGH TEMPERATURE OVER 50
THAN IN ANY OTHER ELEVENTH MONTH...18 DAYS AT IRONWOOD AND IRON
MOUNTAIN AND 13 DAYS AT THE MARQUETTE NWS. AT THE MARQUETTE NWS...13
DAILY RECORD HIGH MAXIMUM OR MINIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORDS WERE EITHER
BROKEN OR TIED. NOVEMBER 2009 FEATURED UNSEASONABLY WARM WEATHER AND
A MEAN MONTHLY TEMPERATURE 6 TO 9 DEGREES ABOVE AVERAGE...ENOUGH TO
QUALIFY THE MONTH AS THE WARMEST NOVEMBER ON RECORD AT HOUGHTON AND
ONE OF THE TOP THREE WARMEST THROUGHOUT UPPER MICHIGAN. NOVEMBER
1999 IS ALSO AMONG THE TOP FIVE WARMEST ON RECORD AT MANY PLACES.
BETWEEN 11/8/99 AND 11/10/99...HIGH TEMPERATURES OVER MUCH OF UPPER
MICHIGAN REACHED NEAR OR ABOVE 70. RESIDENTS OF IRON MOUNTAIN
ENJOYED A MONTHLY-RECORD-TYING 75-DEGREE AFTERNOON ON 11/9/99. THE
73-DEGREE READING AT THE MARQUETTE NWS ON 11/9/99 WAS THE HIGHEST
NOVEMBER TEMPERATURE EVER RECORDED AT THAT STATION. IRONWOOD REACHED
72 ON THAT DAY...ONLY TWO DEGREES SHY OF THE MONTHLY RECORD 74.
OTHER WARM SPELLS OCCURRED IN EARLY NOVEMBER 1990...1978 AND 1975.
THE RECORD WARMTH THAT ENVELOPED UPPER MICHIGAN DURING THE FIRST
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 1975 AND SPREAD TO THE EAST COAST DURING THE SECOND
WEEK CONTRIBUTED TO THE INTENSITY OF THE STORM THAT ROARED OVER LAKE
SUPERIOR ON 11/10/75 AND SANK THE EDMUND FITZGERALD.
BUT NOVEMBER CAN ALSO FEATURE ALMOST MID WINTER CHILL. NOVEMBER
1995...1976...AND 1959 ARE AMONG THE TOP THREE COLDEST NOVEMBERS AT
MOST LOCATIONS. TEMPERATURES AVERAGED AS MUCH AS 5 TO 8 DEGREES
BELOW NORMAL DURING THESE MONTHS...WITH READINGS MORE TYPICAL OF
DECEMBER. ONE OF THE COLDEST AIRMASSES EVER TO INVADE UPPER MICHIGAN
DURING NOVEMBER IMPACTED THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES BETWEEN 11/28/76
AND 11/30/76. THE LOWEST NOVEMBER TEMPERATURE EVER OBSERVED AT
IRONWOOD (-18)...THE MARQUETTE NWS (-13)...IRON MOUNTAIN (-10)...
NEWBERRY (-10) AND MANISTIQUE (-6) OCCURRED ON ONE OF THOSE THREE
DAYS.
SIGNIFICANT SNOW...ESPECIALLY LAKE EFFECT SNOW...BECOMES A GREATER
THREAT DURING NOVEMBER. AS MORE FREQUENT COLD AIR INVASIONS PASS
OVER THE RELATIVELY WARM WATERS OF LAKE SUPERIOR...THE AIRMASS
BECOMES INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE. THE RESULT IS A GREATER FREQUENCY OF
SNOW SHOWERS...WHICH ARE TYPICALLY HEAVIER AND MORE WIDESPREAD OVER
HIGHER TERRAIN JUST DOWNWIND OF LAKE SUPERIOR. THE AGGREGATE WARMTH
OF ALL THE GREAT LAKES ALSO INFLUENCES THE INTENSITY AND PATH OF
LARGE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS APPROACHING THE AREA. IN MOST CASES...
SURFACE LOWS INTENSIFY MORE QUICKLY AND TAKE A PATH FARTHER WEST
THAN THEY WOULD IF THE LAKES WERE ABSENT. THIS DEVIATION IN STORM
PATH IN GENERAL FAVORS HEAVIER SNOW ACROSS WESTERN UPPER MICHIGAN
THAN IN THE EAST. HIGHER TERRAIN AREAS ACROSS THE WEST THAT ALSO ARE
FAVORED FOR LAKE EFFECT SNOW THUS HAVE THE HIGHEST NORMAL NOVEMBER
SNOWFALL...AND LIQUID EQUIVALENT PRECIPITATION. IRONWOOD WAS
SMOTHERED UNDER 78 INCHES OF THE WHITE STUFF IN NOVEMBER 1989. ON
THE OTHER HAND...RECORD LOW SNOW FELL IN NOVEMBER 2009. DURING THAT
MONTH...THE COMBINATION OF UNSEASONABLE WARMTH THAT SHUT OFF THE
LAKE EFFECT SNOW MACHINE AND A DRY FLOW THAT PREVENTED LARGER SCALE
STORM SYSTEMS AND PRECIPITATION FROM MOVING INTO THE UPPER GREAT
LAKES RESULTED IN RECORD LOW SNOWFALL UNDER 1 TO 6 INCHES AT MOST
LOCATIONS. ONLY A TRACE OF SNOW FELL AT MUNISING IN NOVEMBER 2009.
AVERAGE NOVEMBER SNOW RANGES FROM NEARLY 24 INCHES AT HOUGHTON AND
IRONWOOD TO AROUND 6 INCHES OR LESS FROM IRON MOUNTAIN TO
MANISTIQUE.
DESTABILIZATION OF COLD AIR MASSES OVER LAKE SUPERIOR AND RAPIDLY
INTENSIFYING SURFACE LOWS HELP MAKE NOVEMBER ONE OF THE WINDIEST
MONTHS OF THE YEAR...ESPECIALLY NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR. THERE IS TRUTH
IN THE PHRASE...GALES OF NOVEMBER.
OUTLOOK FOR WINTER
THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER (CPC) IS FORECASTING AN EQUAL CHANCE
OF AN ABOVE AND BELOW NORMAL 3-MONTH AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OVER ALL OF
UPPER MICHIGAN IN DECEMBER 2012 THROUGH FEBRUARY 2013. THE CPC
FORECAST INDICATES THERE IS A GREATER CHANCE OF BELOW NORMAL 3-MONTH
PRECIPITATION OVER THE WEST HALF OF UPPER MICHIGAN...BUT AN EQUAL
CHANCE OF ABOVE AND BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION OVER THE EAST HALF.
GO TO HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/CLIMATE/L3MTO.PHP TO ACCESS DETAILED
LOCAL THREE-MONTH AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OUTLOOKS FOR A NUMBER OF SITES
IN UPPER MICHIGAN.
CHECK OUT HTTP://WWW.CPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT
THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER AND MORE LONG RANGE PREDICTIONS.
NOTE THAT STATISTICS FOR THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN
NEGAUNEE TOWNSHIP ARE BASED ON RECORDS WHICH BEGAN IN OCTOBER 1961.
THIRTY YEAR NORMALS USED ARE FOR THE PERIOD OF 1981 THROUGH 2010.
NOTE ALL TEMPERATURES ARE IN FAHRENHEIT AND PRECIPITATION IS IN
INCHES. ALL CLIMATE DATA LISTED IN THIS PRODUCT ARE UNOFFICIAL. FOR
OFFICIAL DATA...PLEASE REFER TO THE NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER.
ALSO NOTE THIS DISCUSSION DOES NOT INCLUDE DATA FROM CHIPPEWA AND
MACKINAC COUNTIES.
NWS MARQUETTE WEB PAGE IS AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MQT (ALL LOWER
CASE). CONTACT THE NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER AT (828) 271-4800
OR WWW.NCDC.NOAA.GOV.
$$
KC
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