000
CXUS53 KMQT 100128 AAA
CLMMQT

CLIMATE REPORT...PRELIMINARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARQUETTE MI
830 PM EST SUN DEC 9 2012

...................................

...THE MARQUETTE MI CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 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              73   11/09/1999
 LOW              -13   11/29/1976
HIGHEST            58   11/22        35      23       53  11/06
                                                          11/01
LOWEST             12   11/27        22     -10       14  11/22
AVG. MAXIMUM     38.1              37.6     0.5     40.1
AVG. MINIMUM     27.0              23.0     4.0     26.9
MEAN             32.6              30.3     2.3     33.5
DAYS MAX >= 90      0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS MAX <= 32     10               9.2     0.8        5
DAYS MIN <= 32     22              25.8    -3.8       22
DAYS MIN <= 0       0               0.5    -0.5        0

PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
 MAXIMUM         8.25   1988
 MINIMUM         0.81   1962
TOTALS           2.05              3.18   -1.13     2.38
DAILY AVG.       0.07              0.11   -0.04     0.08
DAYS >= .01        13              15.2    -2.2       11
DAYS >= .10         4               7.1    -3.1        4
DAYS >= .50         2               1.7     0.3        2
DAYS >= 1.00        0               0.5    -0.5        1
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL    0.75   11/11 TO 11/11

SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
 TOTAL           48.9   1991
TOTALS           14.8              24.4    -9.6     20.7
SINCE 7/1        20.9              30.5    -9.6     20.7
SNOWDEPTH AVG.      1                 4      -3        2
DAYS >= 1.0         3               6.3    -3.3        3
GREATEST
 SNOW DEPTH         4   11/25                         11  11/10
                        11/24
 24 HR TOTAL     10.0   11/23 TO 11/23

DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL     963              1041     -78      935
 SINCE 7/1       2102              2202    -100     1859
COOLING TOTAL       0                 0       0        0
 SINCE 1/1        345               242     103      324
.................................................................

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              MM
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    MM        DATE   MM
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    38/315    DATE  11/23

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               2
HEAVY RAIN                0     RAIN                       1
LIGHT RAIN               10     FREEZING RAIN              0
LT FREEZING RAIN          1     HAIL                       0
HEAVY SNOW                1     SNOW                       1
LIGHT SNOW               18     SLEET                      0
FOG                       9     FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE      1
HAZE                      0

-  INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R  INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T  INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.

&&

...NOVEMBER 2012 MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR UPPER MICHIGAN...
(THIS DISCUSSION DOES NOT INCLUDE CHIPPEWA AND MACKINAC COUNTIES)

...MEAN MONTHLY TEMPERATURE GENERALLY A BIT ABOVE NORMAL...

...GENERALLY DRY WITH BELOW NORMAL SNOWFALL...
...SEVENTH DRIEST NOVEMBER AT MANISTIQUE...

NOVEMBER CLIMATE STATISTICS FOR THE MARQUETTE NWS IN NEGAUNEE TOWNSHIP

                                    NORMAL   DEPARTURE
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE         32.6     30.3   PLUS    2.3
AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE    38.1     37.6   PLUS    0.5
AVERAGE LOW TEMPERATURE     27.0     23.0   PLUS    4.0
HEATING DEGREE DAYS          963     1041  MINUS     78
COOLING DEGREE DAYS            0        0             0
TOTAL PRECIPITATION         2.05     3.18  MINUS   1.13
TOTAL SNOWFALL              14.8     24.4  MINUS    9.6

HIGHEST TEMPERATURE:                    58 ON 11/22
LOWEST TEMPERATURE:                     12 ON 11/27
GREATEST CALENDAR DAY PRECIPITATION:  0.75 ON 11/11
GREATEST 24 HOUR PRECIPITATION:       0.75 ON 11/11
GREATEST CALENDAR DAY SNOWFALL:       10.0 ON 11/23
GREATEST 24 HOUR SNOWFALL:            10.0 ON 11/23
PEAK WIND SPEED: 38 MPH FROM THE NORTHWEST ON 11/23

DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE ON 11/19...40 (OLD RECORD
                                                     39...1982)
DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE ON 11/20...38 (37...1982)
DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE ON 11/22...41 (37...1966)
DAILY RECORD HIGH MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE ON 11/22...58 (54...1963)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
...SEPTEMBER THROUGH NOVEMBER CLIMATE STATS FOR THE MARQUETTE NWS...

               OBSERVED NORMAL DEPARTURE   RECORD         RANK

AVERAGE TEMP     42.8    43.1    -0.3    38.3 (1976)  29TH COOLEST

PRECIPITATION   11.46   10.74   +0.72   17.23 (1988)  16TH WETTEST

SNOWFALL         20.9    30.5    -9.6     6.6 (2009)   25TH LOWEST
---------------------------------------------------------------------
GREAT LAKES WATER LEVELS (FEET/METERS ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL)

                            LAKE SUPERIOR  LAKE MICHIGAN-HURON
11/01/12 DAILY MEAN         600.87/183.14     576.48/175.71
11/30/12 DAILY MEAN         600.67/183.08     576.21/175.63
AVG OCT 2012 DAILY MEAN     600.80/183.12     576.57/175.74
AVG NOV 2011 DAILY MEAN     600.91/183.16     577.65/176.07
LONG TERM NOV DAILY MEAN    601.90/183.46     578.70/176.38
MAXIMUM NOV DAILY MEAN      603.30/183.89     582.00/177.38
                                (1985)           (1986)
MINIMUM NOV DAILY MEAN      600.40/183.01     576.30/175.65
                                (1925)           (1964)

...RECORD LOW NOVEMBER 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 NOVEMBER OF 576.21 FEET/175.63 METERS ON 11/30...A STAGE
THAT IS ALMOST 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 FELL ONLY SLOWLY
IN NOVEMBER. 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).
---------------------------------------------------------------------
                     NOVEMBER CLIMATE HIGHLIGHTS

HIGHEST REPORTED TEMPERATURE...63 AT BIG BAY IN MARQUETTE COUNTY
                                ON 11/11 AND AT NUMEROUS SITES ON
                                11/22

LOWEST REPORTED TEMPERATURE...-3 AT STAMBAUGH IN IRON COUNTY ON 11/27

HIGHEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE...36.5 DEGREES AT MARQUETTE CITY

LOWEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE...29.5 DEGREES AT CLARKSBURG-CHAMPION
                              IN MARQUETTE COUNTY

HIGHEST MONTHLY PRECIPITATION...4.31 INCHES AT TWIN LAKES IN
                                 HOUGHTON COUNTY

LOWEST MONTHLY PRECIPITATION...0.88 INCH AT MENOMINEE

HIGHEST MONTHLY SNOWFALL...35.2 INCHES AT TWIN LAKES

LOWEST MONTHLY SNOWFALL...2.1 INCHES AT GLADSTONE IN DELTA COUNTY

GREATEST SNOW DEPTH...15 INCHES AT TWIN LAKES ON 11/26

ALTHOUGH THE WEATHER OVER THE UPPER GREAT LAKES DURING THE FIRST AND
LAST WEEKS OF NOVEMBER WAS DOMINATED BY AN UPPER TROUGH AND COLDER
CANADIAN AIRMASSES...CONDITIONS WERE SO WARM DURING THE MIDDLE OF
THE MONTH WHEN AN UPPER RIDGE PREDOMINATED THAT THE MEAN NOVEMBER
TEMPERATURE ACROSS UPPER MICHIGAN ENDED UP BETWEEN 0.5 AND 1.5
DEGREES ABOVE THE 30-YEAR NORMAL AT MOST LOCATIONS. THE AVERAGE
NOVEMBER TEMPERATURE FROM ABOUT 30 TO 36 DEGREES RAN AROUND 9 TO 11
DEGREES LOWER THAN REPORTED IN OCTOBER. THE THERMOMETER PEAKED IN
THE BALMY 60S AT AT LEAST A FEW SPOTS ON 11/11 AND THANKSGIVING DAY
ON 11/22...HIGH ENOUGH TO BREAK SOME DAILY RECORD HIGH MAXIMUM AND
MINIMUM TEMPERATURES ON THANKSGIVING. READINGS FELL UNDER 10 ABOVE
AT SOME OF THE INTERIOR COLD SPOTS ON 11/27...11/29...AND 11/30 AND
EVEN AS LOW AS -3 ON 11/27 AT STAMBAUGH IN IRON COUNTY.

RELATIVELY FEW LARGER-SCALE...MOISTURE-LADEN LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS
IMPACTED THE UPPER GREAT LAKES IN NOVEMBER. THE RESULT WAS BELOW
NORMAL MONTHLY PRECIPITATION AT MOST LOCATIONS...ESPECIALLY AWAY
FROM LAKE SUPERIOR. AVERAGE PRECIPITATION IN THESE AREAS WAS BETWEEN
1 AND 2 INCHES...AND EVEN UNDER 1 INCH OVER THE FAR SOUTH CENTRAL
NEAR MENOMINEE. MANISTIQUE REPORTED ONLY 1.11 INCHES...ABOUT 45
PERCENT OF THE TYPICAL NOVEMBER PRECIPITATION. NOVEMBER SNOWFALL AT
MANY LOCATIONS FROM CRYSTAL FALLS AND IRON MOUNTAIN TO MENOMINEE...
ESCANABA AND MANISTIQUE WAS GENERALLY NO MORE THAN 2 TO 4 INCHES.
CLOSER TO THE BIG LAKE...SOME LOCALLY HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOWS DURING
THE LAST WEEK OF NOVEMBER COINCIDENT WITH THE PASSAGE OF ARCTIC
AIRMASSES ACROSS THE RELATIVELY WARM LAKE WATERS BOOSTED MONTHLY
WATER EQUIVALENT PRECIPITATION AND SNOWFALL TO AT LEAST CLOSE TO
NORMAL. SINCE THE WIND DURING THE BULK OF THESE LAKE EFFECT SNOW
OUTBREAKS WAS GENERALLY NORTHWEST...THOSE AREAS THAT TYPICALLY SEE
HEAVIER SNOW WITH THAT FLOW REPORTED THE HIGHEST TOTALS. TWIN LAKES
OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF HOUGHTON COUNTY IS ONE OF THESE PLACES
AND LOGGED THE GREATEST NOVEMBER PRECIPITATION...SNOWFALL...AND PEAK
SNOW DEPTH WITH 4.31 INCHES...35.2 INCHES...AND 15 INCHES
RESPECTIVELY.

THE TRANSITION AWAY FROM SUNSHINE AND SOME RECORD WARMTH ON
THANKSGIVING ACROSS UPPER MICHIGAN TO MORE TYPICAL LATE NOVEMBER
WEATHER A DAY LATER ON 11/23 WAS QUITE DRAMATIC. NORTH WINDS GUSTING
AS HIGH AS 45 TO 55 MPH NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR ON 11/23 ADVECTED MUCH
COLDER AIR INTO THE AREA BEHIND A SHARP COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE...WITH
TEMPERATURES FALLING UP TO 40 DEGREES IN A 24-HOUR PERIOD FOLLOWING
THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOWS DROPPED 10 INCHES OR
MORE OF THE WHITE STUFF ON SOME LOCATIONS ON 11/23 INTO 11/24...
INCLUDING 14.0 INCHES AT TWIN LAKES...12.3 INCHES AT IRONWOOD...AND
11.4 INCHES AT BERGLAND DAM IN ONTONAGON COUNTY. LITTLE SNOW FELL
OVER THE FAR SOUTH CENTRAL.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
         ...JANUARY 2012-NOVEMBER 2012 AVERAGE TEMPERATURE...

              OBSERVED NORMAL DEPARTURE PREVIOUS RECORD 2011-12 RANK
                                          /OR RECORD/

MARQUETTE NWS   45.8    42.1    +3.7      45.5 /2010/  RECORD WARMEST

MANISTIQUE      46.5    43.6    +2.9      46.3 /2010/  RECORD WARMEST

MUNISING        46.6    43.8    +2.8      46.5 /1998/  RECORD WARMEST

NEWBERRY        47.6    43.8    +3.8      47.8 /1998/  SECOND WARMEST

MARQUETTE CITY  48.7    45.0    +3.7      49.3 /1998/  SECOND WARMEST

IRON MOUNTAIN   48.0    44.4    +3.6      48.4 /1921/   THIRD WARMEST

IRONWOOD        45.8    42.3    +3.5      48.1 /1931/   THIRD WARMEST

HOUGHTON        45.8    42.4    +3.4      46.7 /1998/  FOURTH WARMEST
---------------------------------------------------------------------
SOME OTHER TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION OBSERVATIONS ACROSS UPPER
MICHIGAN IN NOVEMBER 2012 INCLUDE:

IRONWOOD...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 31.0 (1.2 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL)
           PRECIPITATION 2.41 INCHES (0.29 INCH BELOW NORMAL)
           SNOWFALL 21.4 INCHES (3.1 INCHES BELOW NORMAL)

ONTONAGON...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 34.5 (0.8 DEGREE ABOVE NORMAL)
 (6 MILES   PRECIPITATION 2.57 INCHES (0.12 INCH BELOW NORMAL)
  INLAND)   SNOWFALL 21.0 INCHES (2.5 INCHES BELOW NORMAL)

ROCKLAND (ONTONAGON COUNTY)...SNOWFALL 32.3 INCHES

GREENLAND (ONTONAGON COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 34.2 DEGREES
                               PRECIPITATION 2.98 INCHES
                               SNOWFALL 19.2 INCHES

BERGLAND DAM (ONTONAGON COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 3.56 INCHES
                                  SNOWFALL 24.5 INCHES

TWIN LAKES (HOUGHTON COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 31.2 DEGREES
                               PRECIPITATION 4.31 INCHES
                               SNOWFALL 35.2 INCHES

HOUGHTON COUNTY...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 32.5 (1.1 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL)
 AIRPORT          PRECIPITATION 2.99 INCHES (0.86 INCH ABOVE NORMAL)
                  SNOWFALL 19.6 INCHES (2.6 INCHES BELOW NORMAL)

ATLANTIC MINE (HOUGHTON COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 3.46 INCHES
                                  SNOWFALL 27.0 INCHES


MOHAWK (KEWEENAW COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 3.79 INCHES
                           SNOWFALL 15.8 INCHES

COPPER HARBOR...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 34.5 DEGREES
                PRECIPITATION 2.66 INCHES
                SNOWFALL 12.1 INCHES

JACOBSVILLE (HOUGHTON COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 35.1 DEGREES
                                PRECIPITATION 2.50 INCHES
                                SNOWFALL 14.0 INCHES

BARAGA...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 33.3 DEGREES
         PRECIPITATION 3.04 INCHES
         SNOWFALL 18.7 INCHES

WATTON (BARAGA COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 31.4 DEGREES
                         PRECIPITATION 1.72 INCHES
                         SNOWFALL 15.0 INCHES

HERMAN (BARAGA COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 29.6 DEGREES
                         PRECIPITATION 2.78 INCHES
                         SNOWFALL 23.0 INCHES

CLARKSBURG (MARQUETTE COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 29.5 DEGREES
                                PRECIPITATION 1.68 INCHES
                                SNOWFALL 12.8 INCHES

WITCH LAKE (MARQUETTE COUNTY)...SNOWFALL 4.0 INCHES

BIG BAY (MARQUETTE COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 34.9 DEGREES
                             PRECIPITATION 2.11 INCHES
                             SNOWFALL 17.0 INCHES

MARQUETTE CITY...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 36.5 (1.7 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL)
                 PRECIPITATION 1.63 INCHES (0.99 INCH BELOW NORMAL)
                 SNOWFALL 7.2 INCHES (3.7 INCHES BELOW NORMAL)

CHATHAM (ALGER COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 34.6 DEGREES
                         PRECIPITATION 1.33 INCHES
                         SNOWFALL 8.5 INCHES

MUNISING...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 34.3 (0.3 DEGREE ABOVE NORMAL)
           PRECIPITATION 3.55 INCHES (0.19 INCH BELOW NORMAL)
           SNOWFALL 21.4 INCHES (0.8 INCH BELOW NORMAL)

WETMORE (ALGER COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 1.88 INCHES
                         SNOWFALL 6.5 INCHES

GRAND MARAIS...SNOWFALL 19.9 INCHES
(10 MILES SOUTH)

NEWBERRY...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 34.9 (1.0 DEGREE ABOVE NORMAL)
           PRECIPITATION 1.75 INCHES (1.21 INCHES BELOW NORMAL)
           SNOWFALL 10.7 INCHES (3.4 INCHES BELOW NORMAL)

STAMBAUGH (IRON COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 30.4 DEGREES
                          PRECIPITATION 1.33 INCHES
                          SNOWFALL 7.0 INCHES

AMASA (IRON COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 31.0 DEGREES
                      PRECIPITATION 1.45 INCHES
                      SNOWFALL 7.5 INCHES

IRON MOUNTAIN...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 33.0 (1.0 DEGREE ABOVE NORMAL)
                PRECIPITATION 1.36 INCHES (0.58 INCH BELOW NORMAL)
                SNOWFALL 2.2 INCHES (3.7 INCHES BELOW NORMAL)

NORWAY (DICKINSON COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 33.9 DEGREES
                            PRECIPITATION 1.09 INCHES
                            SNOWFALL 2.5 INCHES

DAGGETT (MENOMINEE COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 1.39 INCHES
                             SNOWFALL 2.5 INCHES

MENOMINEE...PRECIPITATION 0.88 INCH
            SNOWFALL 2.5 INCHES

GLADSTONE (DELTA COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 1.33 INCHES
                           SNOWFALL 2.1 INCHES

GARDEN CORNERS (DELTA COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 35.0 DEGREES
                                PRECIPITATION 1.92 INCHES
                                SNOWFALL 7.2 INCHES

COOKS (SCHOOLCRAFT COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 1.96 INCHES
                             SNOWFALL 8.8 INCHES

MANISTIQUE...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 35.3 (0.8 DEGREE ABOVE NORMAL)
             PRECIPITATION 1.11 INCHES (1.29 INCHES BELOW NORMAL)
             SNOWFALL 4.0 INCHES (0.5 INCH BELOW NORMAL)

                     NOVEMBER WEATHER SUMMARY

MORE TO COME LATER.

                        DECEMBER FORECAST

THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER (CPC) IS FORECASTING A GREATER THAN
CLIMATOLOGICAL CHANCE OF A BELOW NORMAL MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMPERATURE
OVER WESTERN UPPER MICHIGAN BUT AN EQUAL CHANCE OF AN ABOVE AND
BELOW NORMAL MEAN TEMPERATURE OVER THE REST OF THE UPPER PENINSULA
IN DECEMBER 2012. THE CPC FORECAST SHOWS AN EQUAL CHANCE OF ABOVE
AND BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION OVER ALL OF UPPER MICHIGAN IN
DECEMBER.

                      DECEMBER CLIMATOLOGY

TEMPERATURES CONTINUE THEIR DOWNWARD SLIDE IN DECEMBER AS WINTER
ARRIVES IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE.  AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURES IN
DECEMBER ACROSS UPPER MICHIGAN ARE AS MUCH AS 12 DEGREES LOWER THAN
IN NOVEMBER AS TOTAL POSSIBLE SUNSHINE DECLINES TO 514 MINUTES
AROUND THE WINTER SOLSTICE. WINTER OFFICIALLY BEGINS THIS YEAR AT
6:12 AM EST ON 12/21. ON THAT DAY...THE SUN RISES TO ONLY ABOUT 20
DEGREES ABOVE THE SOUTHERN HORIZON AT LOCAL NOON IN UPPER MICHIGAN.

ARCTIC INVASIONS ARE COMMON ACROSS THE NORTHWEST GREAT LAKES IN
DECEMBER...RESULTING IN CONSIDERABLE CLOUD COVER AND LAKE EFFECT
SNOW. AS THE COLD AIR PASSES OVER THE RELATIVELY WARM WATERS OF LAKE
SUPERIOR...THE AIRMASS BECOMES INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE. THE RESULT IS
A GREATER FREQUENCY OF LOW CLOUD AND SNOW SHOWERS...WHICH ARE
TYPICALLY HEAVIER AND MORE WIDESPREAD OVER HIGHER TERRAIN JUST
DOWNWIND OF LAKE SUPERIOR. THE LOCATION OF MAXIMUM SNOWFALL IS VERY
DEPENDENT ON THE LOW LEVEL WIND DIRECTION BECAUSE THE LONGEST WIND
FETCH ACROSS THE WATER RESULTS IN GREATEST DESTABILIZATION. A WEST
WIND FAVORS THE KEWEENAW PENINSULA; A NORTHWEST WIND USUALLY RESULTS
IN HEAVIER SNOW AROUND ONTONAGON AND IN ALGER AND LUCE COUNTIES; AND
A NORTH TO NORTHEAST WIND CAUSES THE HEAVIEST SNOW AROUND IRONWOOD
AND IN THE NORTH CENTRAL HIGHLANDS OF BARAGA AND MARQUETTE COUNTIES.
ALTHOUGH LARGE SCALE STORM SYSTEMS THAT TYPICALLY MOVE NORTHEAST
FROM THE PLAINS STATES INTO THE GREAT LAKES CAN ALSO BRING HEAVY
SNOW TO INLAND LOCATIONS...AVERAGE DECEMBER PRECIPITATION IS QUITE A
BIT LESS AWAY FROM LAKE SUPERIOR.  FOR INSTANCE...THE HOUGHTON
COUNTY AIRPORT PICKS UP 52.9 INCHES OF SNOW AND 3.25 INCHES OF
LIQUID EQUIVALENT PRECIPITATION DURING A TYPICAL DECEMBER. IRON
MOUNTAIN WILL RECEIVE ONLY 14.7 INCHES OF SNOW AND 1.48 INCHES OF
LIQUID EQUIVALENT PRECIPITATION ON AVERAGE. THE HOUGHTON COUNTY
AIRPORT WAS BURIED UNDER 119 INCHES OF SNOW IN DECEMBER 1978. RECORD
SNOWS AT INLAND LOCATIONS ARE CLOSER TO 36 INCHES. IN MORE RECENT
YEARS...HEAVY SNOW FELL IN DECEMBER IN 2008...2000...1996 AND 1995
AT MANY LOCATIONS. ROCKLAND IN ONTONAGON COUNTY MEASURED 127 INCHES
OF THE WHITE STUFF IN DECEMBER 2000. IN DECEMBER 2008...TWIN LAKES
IN HOUGHTON COUNTY LOGGED ALMOST 106 INCHES.

ALTHOUGH LAKE SUPERIOR OFTEN MODERATES THE CHILL OF THE ARCTIC
AIR...BELOW ZERO READINGS ARE COMMON DURING THE TWELFTH MONTH.
RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES ARE AS LOW AS 36 BELOW ZERO AT IRONWOOD...
OBSERVED DURING A BRUTAL COLD SNAP IN MID DECEMBER 1983 THAT ALSO
DROPPED THE TEMPERATURE TO A MONTHLY RECORD 28 BELOW ZERO AT THE
MARQUETTE NWS. THE LOWEST TEMPERATURES RECORDED AT MANY LOCATIONS IN
UPPER MICHIGAN OCCURRED DURING AN ARCTIC OUTBREAK AT THE END OF
DECEMBER 1976...INCLUDING 26 BELOW ZERO AT IRON MOUNTAIN...25 BELOW
ZERO AT MANISTIQUE...21 BELOW ZERO AT MUNISING AND 15 BELOW ZERO AT
THE HOUGHTON COUNTY AIRPORT. DECEMBER 1985 AND DECEMBER 1989 ALSO
SAW FREQUENT ARCTIC INVASIONS WITH MONTHLY TEMPERATURES AVERAGING AS
MUCH 10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. A COLD WAVE ARRIVED IN DECEMBER 2004
JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS. MORNING LOWS ON CHRISTMAS DAY THAT YEAR FELL
AS LOW AS 34 BELOW ZERO AT CHAMPION IN MARQUETTE COUNTY.

DECEMBER 1994 GOES DOWN IN THE RECORD BOOKS AS ONE OF THE WARMEST
AND LEAST SNOWY IN UPPER MICHIGAN HISTORY WITH TEMPERATURES AS MUCH
AS 10 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL AND MANY PLACES PICKING UP LESS THAN 10
INCHES OF TOTAL SNOW. THE MARQUETTE NWS AND NEWBERRY ALL OBSERVED
THEIR WARMEST DECEMBER EVER. ALTHOUGH BROWN CHRISTMASES ARE RARE IN
UPPER MICHIGAN (BEFORE 1994 DOWNTOWN MARQUETTE OBSERVED A BROWN
CHRISTMAS IN 1923...1931... 1941...1946...1957 AND 1982)...MANY
LOCATIONS THAT YEAR HAD LITTLE IF ANY SNOW ON THE GROUND TO GREET
SANTA CLAUS. TEMPERATURES ON CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY IN 1994
WERE NEAR 50 OR EVEN HIGHER AT IRONWOOD...IRON MOUNTAIN... NEWBERRY
AND MARQUETTE. MANY RECENT DECEMBERS HAVE ALSO BEEN ON THE MILD
SIDE. IN DECEMBER 2006...MONTHLY TEMPERATURES AVERAGED 5 TO 8
DEGREES ABOVE THE MEAN ACROSS UPPER MICHIGAN...AND THE MONTH ENDED
UP AS THE WARMEST DECEMBER ON RECORD AT THE HOUGHTON COUNTY AIRPORT.
SINCE SNOWFALL OVER MUCH OF UPPER MICHIGAN WAS ALSO BELOW NORMAL...
MANY AREAS EAST OF CRYSTAL FALLS AND THE HURON MOUNTAINS SAW A BROWN
CHRISTMAS IN 2006. DECEMBER 2001 WAS THE WARMEST ON RECORD AT
MUNISING...MANISTIQUE...AND ONTONAGON. ON 12/5/2001...RARE DECEMBER
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FORMED IN A RECORD WARM AIRMASS AHEAD OF A COLD
FRONT AND PUMMELED IRON AND DICKINSON COUNTIES WITH LARGE HAIL.
IRON MOUNTAIN RECORDED ITS WARMEST DECEMBER IN 1997. THE FIRST
SEVERAL DAYS OF DECEMBER 1998 FEATURED RECORD WARMTH. MONTHLY RECORD
HIGH TEMPERATURES WERE SET AT IRON MOUNTAIN (64 ON 12/4)...IRONWOOD
(59 ON 12/4)...MANISTIQUE (59 ON 12/1) AND THE MARQUETTE NWS (59 ON
12/3). BUT THE ARRIVAL OF COLDER AIR AND HEAVY SNOW THE LAST HALF OF
DECEMBER 1998 PREVENTED THE MONTH FROM GOING DOWN AS ONE OF THE
WARMEST ON RECORD. ALTHOUGH DECEMBER 2002 STARTED ON A COLD
NOTE...TEMPERATURES THE LAST THREE WEEKS OF THE MONTH AVERAGED 10
DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. MANY PLACES NOT IMPACTED BY LAKE EFFECT SNOW
HAD A BROWN CHRISTMAS IN 2002.

                        OUTLOOK FOR WINTER

THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER (CPC) IS FORECASTING A GREATER THAN
CLIMATOLOGICAL CHANCE OF A BELOW NORMAL 3-MONTH AVERAGE TEMPERATURE
OVER WEST AND CENTRAL UPPER MICHIGAN BUT AN EQUAL CHANCE OF AN ABOVE
AND BELOW NORMAL MEAN TEMPERATURE OVER THE EASTERN UPPER PENINSULA
IN DECEMBER 2012 THROUGH FEBRUARY 2013. THE CPC FORECAST SHOWS AN
EQUAL CHANCE OF ABOVE AND BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION OVER ALL OF
UPPER MICHIGAN IN DECEMBER THROUGH FEBRUARY.

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