000
CXUS53 KMQT 221900 CCA
CLMMQT

CLIMATE REPORT...FINAL
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARQUETTE MI
300 PM EDT MON OCT 22 2012

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

...THE MARQUETTE MI CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 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              93   09/09/2002
 LOW               21   09/27/1965
HIGHEST            84   09/04        63      21       86  09/12
LOWEST             29   09/27        44     -15       29  09/16
AVG. MAXIMUM     64.0              65.8    -1.8     65.5
AVG. MINIMUM     42.3              45.8    -3.5     44.9
MEAN             53.2              55.8    -2.6     55.2
DAYS MAX >= 90      0               0.1    -0.1        0
DAYS MAX <= 32      0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS MIN <= 32      3               1.6     1.4        2
DAYS MIN <= 0       0               0.0     0.0        0

PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
 MAXIMUM         7.60   1968
 MINIMUM         1.21   1989
TOTALS           4.21              3.72    0.49     6.75
DAILY AVG.       0.14              0.12    0.02     0.22
DAYS >= .01        15              13.4     1.6       17
DAYS >= .10        10               7.8     2.2       11
DAYS >= .50         3               2.5     0.5        3
DAYS >= 1.00        1               0.7     0.3        2
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL    1.52   09/17 TO 09/18

SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
 TOTAL            1.7   1993
                        0
                        0
TOTALS            0.0               0.1    -0.1        T
SINCE 7/1         0.0               0.1    -0.1        T
SNOWDEPTH AVG.      0                MM      MM        0
DAYS >= 1.0         0               0.0     0.0        0
GREATEST
 SNOW DEPTH         0   MM                             0  MM
 24 HR TOTAL      0.0   09/18 TO 09/18

DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL     361               297      64      309
 SINCE 7/1        451               482     -31      375
COOLING TOTAL      12                21      -9       22
 SINCE 1/1        345               241     104      318
.................................................................

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              MM
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    MM        DATE   MM
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    40/270    DATE  09/04

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                1     RAIN                       4
LIGHT RAIN               17     FREEZING RAIN              0
LT FREEZING RAIN          0     HAIL                       0
HEAVY SNOW                0     SNOW                       0
LIGHT SNOW                0     SLEET                      1
FOG                       5     FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE      2
HAZE                      0

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

&&

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

...MEAN MONTHLY TEMPERATURE BELOW NORMAL...

...BELOW NORMAL RAINFALL EXCEPT WET OVER THE NORTH CENTRAL...

...SIXTH WETTEST SEPTEMBER AT MUNISING

SEPTEMBER CLIMATE STATISTICS FOR THE MARQUETTE NWS IN NEGAUNEE TOWNSHIP

                                    NORMAL   DEPARTURE
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE         53.2     55.8  MINUS    2.6
AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE    64.0     65.8  MINUS    1.8
AVERAGE LOW TEMPERATURE     42.3     45.8  MINUS    3.5
HEATING DEGREE DAYS          361      297   PLUS     64
COOLING DEGREE DAYS           12       21  MINUS      9
TOTAL PRECIPITATION         4.21     3.72   PLUS   0.49
TOTAL SNOWFALL               0.0      0.1  MINUS    0.1

HIGHEST TEMPERATURE:                    84 ON 9/4
LOWEST TEMPERATURE:                     29 ON 9/27
GREATEST CALENDAR DAY PRECIPITATION:  1.42 ON 9/17
GREATEST 24 HOUR PRECIPITATION:       1.52 ON 9/17-9/18
GREATEST CALENDAR DAY SNOWFALL:          0
GREATEST 24 HOUR SNOWFALL:               0
PEAK WIND SPEED:      40 MPH FROM THE WEST ON 9/4

DAILY RECORD HIGH MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE ON 9/16...79 (OLD RECORD
                                                    78...1994)
DAILY RECORD PRECIPITATION ON 9/17...1.42 (0.71...1974)
DAILY RECORD LOW MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE ON 9/18...45 (52...1980)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
GREAT LAKES WATER LEVELS (FEET/METERS ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL)

                            LAKE SUPERIOR  LAKE MICHIGAN-HURON
09/01/12 DAILY MEAN          601.2/183.25     577.2/175.92
09/30/12 DAILY MEAN          600.9/183.15     576.7/175.77
AVG AUG 2012 DAILY MEAN      601.3/183.27     577.3/175.97
AVG SEP 2011 DAILY MEAN      601.2/183.23     577.9/176.13
LONG TERM SEP DAILY MEAN     602.1/183.53     579.1/176.51
MAXIMUM SEP DAILY MEAN       603.2/183.86     582.0/177.38
                                (1985)           (1986)
MINIMUM SEP DAILY MEAN       600.5/183.02     576.6/175.76
                                (2007)           (1964)

DESPITE SOME HEAVY RAINS IN THE LAKE SUPERIOR DRAINAGE BASIN FROM
LATE MAY THROUGH JULY AND AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER...INCREASED EVAPORATION
DUE TO THE VERY WARM LAKE WATERS RELATED TO A YEAR OF PERSISTENT
WARMTH RESULTED IN STEADILY FALLING LAKE LEVELS IN AUGUST AND
SEPTEMBER. AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER...THE LAKE SUPERIOR WATER LEVEL
WAS AROUND 15 INCHES BELOW THE LONG TERM MEAN. SINCE THE LAKE
MICHIGAN/HURON DRAINAGE BASIN HAS BEEN DRIER FOR SEVERAL MONTHS...
THE LEVEL OF THOSE TWO LAKES FELL EVEN FASTER THROUGH SEPTEMBER...
TO ALMOST 30 INCHES BELOW THE LONG TERM AVERAGE BY 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).
---------------------------------------------------------------------
                      SEPTEMBER CLIMATE HIGHLIGHTS

HIGHEST REPORTED TEMPERATURE...92 AT A SITE NEAR THE HOIST DAM NORTH
                                OF ISHPEMING IN MARQUETTE COUNTY
                                ON 9/4

LOWEST REPORTED TEMPERATURE...21 AT WATERSMEET IN GOGEBIC COUNTY
                                ON 9/27

HIGHEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE...58.6 DEGREES AT MARQUETTE CITY

LOWEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE...50.9 DEGREES AT HERMAN IN BARAGA COUNTY

HIGHEST MONTHLY PRECIPITATION...6.41 INCHES AT MUNISING

LOWEST MONTHLY PRECIPITATION...1.32 INCHES AT BARAGA

HIGHEST MONTHLY SNOWFALL...TRACE AT HERMAN

ALTHOUGH THE FIRST HALF OF SEPTEMBER FEATURED A CHANGEABLE WEATHER
PATTERN THAT INCLUDED SOME MID-SUMMER WARMTH AND THUNDERSTORMS
AROUND LABOR DAY...THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DEEP UPPER TROUGH IN EASTERN
NORTH AMERICA AROUND MID-MONTH WAS THE CAUSE OF TO A TURN TOWARD
MUCH COOLER WEATHER MORE TYPICAL OF OCTOBER. SO DESPITE THE FIRST
WEEK WARMTH AND SOME 90-DEGREE MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES ON 9/4...THE
MEAN SEPTEMBER TEMPERATURE ENDED UP BETWEEN AROUND 1 TO ALMOST 3
DEGREES BELOW THE 30-YEAR MEAN AND 9 TO 12 DEGREES LOWER THAN THE
AUGUST AVERAGE. IN FACT...SEPTEMBER 2012 IS THE FIRST MONTH SINCE
SEPTEMBER 2011 TO FEATURE OVERALL COOLER THAN NORMAL CONDITIONS...
BREAKING A STRING OF 11 STRAIGHT MONTHS WITH ABOVE AVERAGE WARMTH.
THE MERCURY BOTTOMED OUT IN THE CHILLY 20S AT AT LEAST A FEW OF THE
INTERIOR COLD SPOTS ON 9/15...9/19...9/22...AND EVERY DAY FROM 9/24
THROUGH 9/30.

LARGER SCALE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS THAT IMPACTED THE UPPER GREAT
LAKES WERE FEW IN SEPTEMBER...BUT THE CHILLY AND MOIST NORTH TO
NORTHWEST FLOW THAT DOMINATED WHEN THE UPPER TROUGH WAS DEEPEST OVER
THE GREAT LAKES THE WEEK AROUND THE AUTUMNAL EQUINOX CAUSED SOME
HEAVY LAKE EFFECT RAIN SHOWERS AT MANY LOCATIONS IN NORTHERN UPPER
MICHIGAN NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR. ALMOST 6.5 INCHES OF RAIN FELL AT
MUNISING IN SEPTEMBER...OVER 150 PERCENT OF NORMAL. WHERE THE LAKE
EFFECT RAIN SHOWERS WERE LESS NUMEROUS OVER THE SOUTH CENTRAL...
MANY PLACES PICKED UP LESS THAN 2 INCHES OF RAIN...AS LITTLE AS 55
PERCENT OF NORMAL AT IRON MOUNTAIN. THE FIRST SNOWFLAKES AND ICE
PELLETS OF THE SEASON FELL UNDER THE HEAVIER LAKE EFFECT RAIN
SHOWERS AT SOME HIGHER TERRAIN LOCATIONS OVER THE NORTH CENTRAL ON
9/18 THROUGH 9/23. BUT SINCE AIR TEMPERATURES WERE GENERALLY ABOVE
FREEZING AND THE GROUND STILL RELATIVELY WARM...THERE WAS LITTLE IF
ANY SNOW ACCUMULATION.

THERE WERE SOME SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ON 9/3 AND 9/4 WHEN AN
APPROACHING UPPER DISTURBANCE AND ITS ATTENDANT COLD FRONT
INTERACTED WITH THE SUMMER-LIKE AIRMASS THAT DOMINATED UPPER
MICHIGAN AND CAUSED TEMPERATURES TO REACH AS HIGH AS 92 ON 9/4. A
LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS STRUCK THE KEWEENAW PENINSULA JUST BEFORE
SUNRISE ON LABOR DAY...CAUSING WINDS AS HIGH AS 40 MPH AT FREDA IN
HOUGHTON COUNTY AND PENNY-SIZED HAIL AT HUBBELL IN HOUGHTON COUNTY.
A MUCH STRONGER CLUSTER OF STORMS STRUCK FARTHER EAST IN THE
AFTERNOON. THESE STORMS CAUSED SIGNIFICANT WIND DAMAGE AT SEVERAL
LOCATIONS IN ALGER AND DELTA COUNTIES. THE STRONGEST WINDS IMPACTED
A LOCATION NEAR CORNELL IN DELTA COUNTY...MOVING A LARGE TRAILER UP
TO 100 FEET AND SNAPPING TREES AS LARGE AS 3 FEET IN DIAMETER. AS
MUCH AS 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN INUNDATED ESCANABA IN JUST HALF AN
HOUR...CAUSING SOME MINOR FLOODING THERE. ON 9/4...THE PASSAGE OF
THE COLD FRONT THAT ENDED THE LATE SUMMER WARMTH CAUSED MORE EVENING
THUNDERSTORMS OVER MAINLY THE WEST HALF OF THE U.P. ONE OF THESE
STORMS WAS SEVERE...BRINGING DAMAGING WINDS OVER 60 MPH NEAR MASS
CITY IN ONTONAGON COUNTY.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
        ...OCTOBER 2011-SEPTEMBER 2012 AVERAGE TEMPERATURE...

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

NEWBERRY        46.4    42.0    +4.4    45.5 /1997-98/ RECORD WARMEST

IRONWOOD        44.5    40.1    +4.4    44.9 /1930-31/    2ND WARMEST

MARQUETTE CITY  47.5    43.2    +4.3    47.3 /1877-78/ RECORD WARMEST

IRON MOUNTAIN   46.5    42.3    +4.2    46.0 /1997-98/ RECORD WARMEST

MARQUETTE NWS   44.3    40.1    +4.2    42.8 /1997-98/ RECORD WARMEST

HOUGHTON        44.6    40.5    +4.1    44.4 /1997-98/ RECORD WARMEST

MANISTIQUE      45.2    41.7    +3.5    44.1 /2009-10/ RECORD WARMEST

MUNISING        45.3    42.0    +3.3    44.3 /2005-06/ RECORD WARMEST
---------------------------------------------------------------------
SOME OTHER TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION OBSERVATIONS ACROSS UPPER
MICHIGAN IN SEPTEMBER 2012 INCLUDE:

IRONWOOD...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 53.8 (1.9 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL)
           PRECIPITATION 3.09 INCHES (0.97 INCH BELOW NORMAL)

WATERSMEET (GOGEBIC COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 2.86 INCHES

ONTONAGON...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 56.7 (1.8 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL)
 (6 MILES   PRECIPITATION 3.55 INCHES (0.27 INCH ABOVE NORMAL)
  INLAND)

ROCKLAND (ONTONAGON COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 3.77 INCHES

GREENLAND (ONTONAGON COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 53.0 DEGREES
                               PRECIPITATION 4.36 INCHES

BERGLAND DAM (ONTONAGON COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 3.32 INCHES

TWIN LAKES (HOUGHTON COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 52.2 DEGREES
                               PRECIPITATION 4.35 INCHES

HOUGHTON COUNTY...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 53.0 (2.4 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL)
 AIRPORT          PRECIPITATION 3.12 INCHES (0.33 INCH BELOW NORMAL)

ATLANTIC MINE (HOUGHTON COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 4.35 INCHES

MOHAWK (KEWEENAW COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 4.23 INCHES

COPPER HARBOR...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 57.8 DEGREES
                PRECIPITATION 2.44 INCHES

JACOBSVILLE (HOUGHTON COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 53.9 DEGREES
                                PRECIPITATION 2.81 INCHES

BARAGA...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 53.7 DEGREES
         PRECIPITATION 1.32 INCHES

WATTON (BARAGA COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 52.2 DEGREES
                         PRECIPITATION 3.33 INCHES

HERMAN (BARAGA COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 50.9 DEGREES
                         PRECIPITATION 3.45 INCHES
                         SNOWFALL TRACE

CLARKSBURG (MARQUETTE COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 51.2 DEGREES
                                PRECIPITATION 3.82 INCHES

WITCH LAKE (MARQUETTE COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 2.18 INCHES

BIG BAY (MARQUETTE COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 55.7 DEGREES
                             PRECIPITATION 4.37 INCHES

MARQUETTE CITY...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 58.6 (0.8 DEGREE BELOW NORMAL)
                 PRECIPITATION 4.33 INCHES (1.17 INCH ABOVE NORMAL)

HARVEY (MARQUETTE COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 55.7 DEGREES
                            PRECIPITATION 5.18 INCHES

CHATHAM (ALGER COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 55.7 DEGREES
                         PRECIPITATION 5.13 INCHES

MUNISING...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 55.4 (1.9 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL)
           PRECIPITATION 6.41 INCHES (2.34 INCHES ABOVE NORMAL)

NEWBERRY...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 55.6 (1.5 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL)
           PRECIPITATION 3.54 INCHES (0.27 INCH BELOW NORMAL)

STAMBAUGH (IRON COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 51.4 DEGREES
                          PRECIPITATION 2.34 INCHES

AMASA (IRON COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 2.18 INCHES

IRON MOUNTAIN...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 56.0 (1.6 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL)
                PRECIPITATION 1.97 INCHES (1.65 INCHES BELOW NORMAL)

NORWAY (DICKINSON COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 2.16 INCHES

DAGGETT (MENOMINEE COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 1.92 INCHES

MENOMINEE...PRECIPITATION 1.70 INCHES

GLADSTONE (DELTA COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 2.79 INCHES

GARDEN CORNERS (DELTA COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 54.0 DEGREES
                                PRECIPITATION 3.16 INCHES

COOKS (SCHOOLCRAFT COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 2.88 INCHES

MANISTIQUE...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 56.2 (0.9 DEGREE BELOW NORMAL)
             PRECIPITATION 3.63 INCHES (0.11 INCH ABOVE NORMAL)

                      SEPTEMBER WEATHER SUMMARY

AN UPPER RIDGE DOMINATED THE WEATHER PATTERN IN THE GREAT LAKES THE
FIRST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER...SO LABOR DAY WEEKEND FEATURED CONDITIONS
TYPICAL OF MID SUMMER. ALTHOUGH THERMOMETERS ON 9/1 READ NEAR
NORMAL...MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURES ON LABOR DAY AND THE DAY AFTER ON
9/4 PEAKED AT AROUND 10 DEGREES ABOVE AVERAGE. IN FACT...MAXIMUM
TEMPERATURES ON 9/3 AND 9/4 ROSE WELL INTO THE 80S AT MOST
LOCATIONS...WITH A FEW 90-DEGREE READINGS AT SOME LOCATIONS AWAY
FROM THE MODERATING INFLUENCE OF THE GREAT LAKES.

SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE MOVING OVER THE AREA BROUGHT A GOOD DEAL OF
SUNSHINE ON 9/1 AND 9/2...BUT THE WEATHER ON 9/3 AND 9/4 TURNED
STORMY AT TIMES AS AN UPPER TROUGH MOVING SLOWLY EAST THROUGH THE
PLAINS LIFTED THE WARM AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS ADVECTED INTO THE AREA
BY THE SOUTHWEST FLOW ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE RETREATING HIGH TO THE
EAST. RESIDENTS OF THE KEWEENAW WERE AWAKENED EARLY ON LABOR DAY AS
A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVED IN OFF LAKE SUPERIOR. SOME OF
THE STRONGER STORMS BUFFETED FREDA IN HOUGHTON COUNTY WITH WIND
GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND BOMBARDED A FEW OTHER LOCATIONS WITH DIME- TO
PENNY-SIZED HAIL. MORE NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED
WITH DAYTIME HEATING MAINLY OVER THE SOUTH CENTRAL AND EAST ON LABOR
DAY AFTERNOON. SOME OF THESE STORMS CAUSE SIGNIFICANT WIND DAMAGE AT
A FEW LOCATIONS IN ALGER AND DELTA COUNTIES...BLOWING DOWN TREES AS
LARGE AS 36 TO 40 INCHES IN DIAMETER NEAR CORNELL AND PERKINS IN
DELTA COUNTY. UP TO 1.50 INCHES OF RAIN FELL AT ESCANABA IN JUST 30
TO 45 MINUTES...CAUSING SOME MINOR FLOODING THERE. MANY PLACES OVER
THE EAST HALF OF UPPER MICHIGAN MEASURED AN INCH OR MORE OF RAIN ON
9/3 BEFORE THE STORMS DIMINISHED IN THE EVENING AND GAVE WAY TO
PATCHY DENSE FOG EARLY ON 9/4. ALTHOUGH THE MORNING FOG AND LOW
CLOUDS SLOWED THE DEVELOPMENT OF MORE STORMS ON 9/4...ANOTHER ROUND
OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACCOMPANIED BY GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL
HAIL MOVED INTO THE WEST IN THE EVENING. THE STRONGEST STORM CAUSED
WINDS TO GUST AS HIGH AS 63 MPH AT MASS CITY IN ONTONAGON COUNTY
LATE IN THE EVENING ON 9/4. SILVER CITY IN ONTONAGON COUNTY LOGGED
AS MUCH AS 1.85 INCHES OF RAIN. BUT THE SHOWERS AND STORMS TENDED TO
WEAKEN AS THEY MOVED TO THE EAST...SO GENERALLY LIGHTER
PRECIPITATION FELL ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND EAST.

A PERIOD OF COOLER WEATHER PREVAILED ON 9/5 INTO 9/10 AS THE TROUGH
IN THE PLAINS EDGED SLOWLY THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES. THE COLD FRONT
LEADING THE WAY FOR THE MORE SEASONABLE AIRMASS PASSED ON 9/5
ACCOMPANIED BY SOME SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...WHICH WERE MOST
NUMEROUS AWAY FROM THE SOUTH CENTRAL. SEVERAL LOCATIONS OVER THE
NORTH CENTRAL REPORTED UP TO 0.50 TO 0.75 INCH OF RAIN DURING THIS
EVENT. A PAIR OF DISTURBANCES MOVING THROUGH THE UPPER TROUGH CAUSED
NUMEROUS SHOWERS ON 9/7 AND 9/8. THE HEAVIEST RAIN ON 9/7 FELL NEAR
MARQUETTE...WHERE AS MUCH AS 2.57 INCHES INUNDATED A SPOT JUST
SOUTHEAST OF TOWN. PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS ELSEWHERE WERE GENERALLY
UNDER 0.50 INCH. THE SHOWERS ON 9/8 WERE LIGHTER AND MORE
SCATTERED...WITH MOST LOCATIONS PICKING UP LESS THAN 0.25 INCH OF
RAIN. MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURES ON 9/5 THROUGH 9/8 AND AGAIN ON 9/10
WERE WITHIN A FEW DEGREES OF NORMAL. THE COOLEST DAY DURING THIS
WEEK WAS ON 9/9...WHEN THE MERCURY DIPPED INTO THE 30S AND AS LOW AS
THE 20S AT SOME OF THE INTERIOR COLD SPOTS AS CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE
BUILT TOWARD THE GREAT LAKES AND DROPPED THE MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURE
TO AROUND 5 DEGREES BELOW AVERAGE.

ONCE THE CANADIAN HIGH SHIFTED TO THE EAST ON 9/10...A GUSTY
SOUTHWEST WIND DREW WARMER AIR BACK INTO THE UPPER LAKES FOR A FEW
DAYS. WITH A GOOD DEAL OF SUNSHINE...THE MERCURY TOPPED OUT IN THE
80S AT MANY PLACES ACROSS THE WEST HALF AWAY FROM LAKE MICHIGAN
MODERATION ON 9/11...LIFTING THE MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURE TO AROUND 10
DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL ON THIS DAY MORE TYPICAL OF MID SUMMER. THE
PASSAGE OF A DRY COLD FRONT DURING THE NIGHT ON 9/11-9/12 ENDED THIS
PERIOD OF LATE SEASON WARMTH...BUT MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURES ON 9/12
WERE STILL UP TO 5 DEGREES ABOVE AVERAGE. AS AN UPPER DISTURBANCE
TRACKED NORTHEAST ALONG THE COLD FRONT THAT STALLED JUST TO THE
EAST...SOME SCATTERED SHOWERS FELL ON 9/12 INTO 9/13. RAINFALL WAS
GENERALLY UNDER 0.10 INCH. THE ARRIVAL OF COOLER AIR IN THE WAKE OF
THIS DISTURBANCE THAT DROPPED MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURES UP TO 5
DEGREES BELOW NORMAL ON 9/14 LED TO SOME SCATTERED LAKE EFFECT RAIN
SHOWERS THAT DAY...BUT RAINFALL AT ANY SPOT WAS NO MORE THAN THE
0.25 INCH THAT FELL AT NEWBERRY. AFTER A COOL OVERNIGHT ON 9/14-9/15
WITH THE PASSAGE OF HIGH PRESSURE ACROSS UPPER MICHIGAN...A STEADY
SOUTHWEST WIND AROUND THE DEPARTING RIDGE BROUGHT A RETURN OF WARMER
AIR AGAIN. ALTHOUGH THE MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURE ON 9/15 WAS NOT FAR
FROM NORMAL BECAUSE OF THE MORNING CHILL...THE DAY ON 9/16 FEATURED
READINGS THAT WERE ABOUT 10 DEGREES ABOVE AVERAGE WITH HIGH
TEMPERATURES BREAKING THE 80 MARK AT A FEW PLACES.

THE PASSAGE OF A SHARP COLD FRONT DURING THE NIGHT ON 9/16-9/17
HERALDED A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN WEATHER PATTERN TO ONE THAT
FEATURED A DEEP UPPER TROUGH OVER EASTERN NORTH AMERICAN AND
PERSISTENT COOLER-THAN-NORMAL WEATHER ACROSS THE UPPER GREAT LAKES
THE LAST HALF OF SEPTEMBER. MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURES THAT AVERAGED UP
TO 5 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL ON 9/17 DIPPED TO 5 TO AS MUCH AS 15
DEGREES BELOW THE MEAN ON 9/18 THROUGH 9/23. A WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE
RIDING ALONG THE PATTERN-CHANGING COLD FRONT BROUGHT WIDESPREAD
RAINFALL TO THE U.P. ON 9/17. BY THE TIME THIS LOW DEPARTED AND THE
PRECIPITATION PATTERN TRANSITIONED TO LAKE EFFECT RAIN SHOWERS WITH
THE FIRST SURGE OF COOLER AIR EARLY ON 9/18...OVER AN INCH OF RAIN
HAD INUNDATED PORTIONS OF CENTRAL UPPER MICHIGAN. A LOCATION NEAR
MARQUETTE REPORTED THE MOST WITH 1.62 INCHES. ALMOST EVERY PLACE
PICKED UP AT LEAST 0.25 TO 0.50 INCH OF PRECIPITATION EXCEPT OVER
THE FAR WEST...WHERE ONLY 0.16 INCH FELL AT COPPER HARBOR. RAIN
SHOWERS...WHICH WERE HEAVIEST IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN NEAR LAKE
SUPERIOR AND MIXED AT TIMES WITH GRAUPEL OR SMALL HAIL...THEN
CONTINUED MUCH OF THE TIME ON 9/18 THROUGH 9/23 UNDER THE COOL
AIRMASS ALOFT...ESPECIALLY NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR WHERE THE WARM LAKE
WATERS INTENSIFIED THE SHOWERS AND PRECIPITATION TOTALS. THE SHOWERS
TENDED TO BE HEAVIEST AND MOST WIDESPREAD ON 9/22. RAINFALL TOTALS
ON 9/18 THROUGH 9/23 REACHED 1 TO 2 INCHES OR MORE AT SOME LOCATIONS
NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR. MUNISING LOGGED 3.07 INCHES OF RAIN DURING THIS
6-DAY STRETCH...INCLUDING 0.93 INCH ON 9/21 INTO 9/22. SOME OTHER
NOTABLE PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS ON 9/18 THROUGH 9/23 INCLUDED 2.65
INCHES AT CHATHAM IN ALGER COUNTY AND 2.15 INCHES AT BIG BAY IN
MARQUETTE COUNTY.

ALTHOUGH THE UPPER TROUGH AXIS LINGERED OVER EASTERN NORTH AMERICA
THE LAST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER AND COOLER THAN NORMAL CONDITIONS
PERSISTED ACROSS UPPER MICHIGAN...A WEAKENING OF THE TROUGH ALLOWED
DRIER HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEMS TO DOMINATE THE WEATHER. EVEN WITH THE
PASSAGE OF DISTURBANCES ON 9/24...9/26...AND 9/28-9/29 THROUGH THE
UPPER TROUGH...ANY SHOWERS TENDED TO BE NO MORE THAN SCATTERED AND
LIGHT. WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS IN ADVANCE OF THE TROUGH PASSAGE ON
9/24 DID GUST AS HIGH AS 45 TO 50 MPH OVER THE KEWEENAW. MEAN DAILY
TEMPERATURES DURING THE LAST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER RANGED FROM NEAR
NORMAL ON 9/24 AND 9/28 TO AS MUCH AS 10 DEGREES BELOW AVERAGE ON
9/25 AND 9/26.

                        NOVEMBER FORECAST

THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER (CPC) IS FORECASTING EQUAL CHANCES OF
AN ABOVE AND BELOW NORMAL MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMPERATURE AND ABOVE AND
BELOW 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 LATE FALL INTO EARLY 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 NOVEMBER 2012 THROUGH JANUARY 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