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Climatological Report (Monthly)
Issued by NWS Marquette, MI
Issued by NWS Marquette, MI
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000
CXUS53 KMQT 301522 CCA
CLMMQT
CLIMATE REPORT...FINAL
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARQUETTE MI
1020 AM EST WED JAN 30 2013
...................................
...THE MARQUETTE MI CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 2012...
CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1961 TO 2013
WEATHER OBSERVED NORMAL DEPART LAST YEAR`S
VALUE DATE(S) VALUE FROM VALUE DATE(S)
NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
HIGH 59 12/03/1998
12/03/1982
LOW -28 12/20/1983
HIGHEST 53 12/03 24 29 43 12/26
LOWEST 2 12/12 10 -8 -4 12/10
AVG. MAXIMUM 29.4 25.9 3.5 28.9
AVG. MINIMUM 18.0 11.2 6.8 15.9
MEAN 23.7 18.5 5.2 22.4
DAYS MAX >= 90 0 0.0 0.0 0
DAYS MAX <= 32 20 22.7 -2.7 22
DAYS MIN <= 32 29 30.5 -1.5 31
DAYS MIN <= 0 0 6.2 -6.2 2
PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
MAXIMUM 6.91 1968
MINIMUM 0.37 1994
TOTALS 3.14 2.57 0.57 1.89
DAILY AVG. 0.10 0.08 0.02 0.06
DAYS >= .01 15 17.1 -2.1 17
DAYS >= .10 4 7.1 -3.1 7
DAYS >= .50 2 1.1 0.9 0
DAYS >= 1.00 1 0.2 0.8 0
GREATEST
24 HR. TOTAL 2.24 12/20 TO 12/21
SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
TOTAL 89.5 2000
TOTALS 28.4 42.8 -14.4 24.7
SINCE 7/1 49.3 73.3 -24.0 45.4
SNOWDEPTH AVG. 6 11 -5 6
DAYS >= 1.0 5 10.0 -5.0 9
GREATEST
SNOW DEPTH 15 12/26 10 12/06
12/25
12/24
24 HR TOTAL 16.4 12/20 TO 12/21
DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL 1271 1440 -169 1312
SINCE 7/1 3373 3642 -269 3171
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 44/360 DATE 12/21
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 0 RAIN 0
LIGHT RAIN 7 FREEZING RAIN 0
LT FREEZING RAIN 4 HAIL 0
HEAVY SNOW 0 SNOW 2
LIGHT SNOW 25 SLEET 1
FOG 6 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.
&&
...DECEMBER 2012 MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR UPPER MICHIGAN...
(THIS DISCUSSION DOES NOT INCLUDE CHIPPEWA AND MACKINAC COUNTIES)
...MEAN MONTHLY TEMPERATURE WELL ABOVE NORMAL...
...SEVENTH WARMEST DECEMBER AT THE MARQUETTE NWS AND ONTONAGON...
...SEVENTH WARMEST DECEMBER AT MANISTIQUE...
...EIGHTH WARMEST DECEMBER AT MUNISING...
...TENTH WARMEST DECEMBER AT MARQUETTE CITY...
...DRY TO THE WEST BUT WETTER OVER THE EAST...
...SECOND LOWEST DECEMBER PRECIPITATION AT ONTONAGON...
...NINTH LOWEST DECEMBER PRECIPITATION AT HOUGHTON...
...WELL BELOW NORMAL SNOWFALL...
...RECORD LOW DECEMBER SNOWFALL AT ONTONAGON AND MARQUETTE CITY...
...SIXTH LOWEST DECEMBER SNOWFALL AT MUNISING...
...EIGHTH LOWEST DECEMBER SNOWFALL AT HOUGHTON...
DECEMBER CLIMATE STATISTICS FOR THE MARQUETTE NWS IN NEGAUNEE TOWNSHIP
NORMAL DEPARTURE
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 23.7 18.5 PLUS 5.2
AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE 29.4 25.9 PLUS 3.5
AVERAGE LOW TEMPERATURE 18.0 11.2 PLUS 6.8
HEATING DEGREE DAYS 1271 1440 MINUS 169
COOLING DEGREE DAYS 0 0 0
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 3.14 2.57 PLUS 0.57
TOTAL SNOWFALL 28.4 42.8 MINUS 14.4
HIGHEST TEMPERATURE: 53 ON 12/3
LOWEST TEMPERATURE: 2 ON 12/12
GREATEST CALENDAR DAY PRECIPITATION: 1.69 ON 12/20
GREATEST 24 HOUR PRECIPITATION: 2.24 ON 12/20-12/21
GREATEST CALENDAR DAY SNOWFALL: 11.9 ON 12/20
GREATEST 24 HOUR SNOWFALL: 16.4 ON 12/20-12/21
PEAK WIND SPEED: 44 MPH FROM THE NORTH ON 12/21
DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE ON 12/16...32 (OLD RECORD
31...1977)
DAILY RECORD PRECIPITATION ON 12/20...1.69 (0.50...1978)
DAILY RECORD SNOWFALL ON 12/20...11.9 (7.2...1976)
SEVENTH HIGHEST DECEMBER MEAN TEMPERATURE...23.7 (RECORD 27.5...1994)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
GREAT LAKES WATER LEVELS (FEET/METERS ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL)
LAKE SUPERIOR LAKE MICHIGAN-HURON
12/01/12 DAILY MEAN 600.61/183.06 576.16/175.61
12/31/12 DAILY MEAN 600.51/183.03 576.11/175.60
AVG NOV 2012 DAILY MEAN 600.76/183.11 576.36/175.67
AVG DEC 2011 DAILY MEAN 600.68/183.09 577.56/176.04
LONG TERM DEC DAILY MEAN 601.70/183.40 578.50/176.33
MAXIMUM DEC DAILY MEAN 603.10/183.81 581.60/177.26
(1985) (1986)
MINIMUM DEC DAILY MEAN 600.10/182.92 576.20/175.62
(1925) (1964)
...RECORD LOW LEVEL REACHED ON LAKES MICHIGAN-HURON IN DECEMBER...
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...THE WATER LEVEL ON LAKES MICHIGAN-HURON IN
DECEMBER HOVERED ABOUT 2 INCHES BELOW THE PREVIOUS RECORD LOW LEVEL
FOR THE MONTH THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN DECEMBER 1964. THE STAGE NEAR
576.1 FEET/175.6 METERS AVERAGED ALMOST 30 INCHES BELOW THE
LONG-TERM NORMAL. SINCE PRECIPITATION DURING 2012 IN THE LAKE
SUPERIOR DRAINAGE BASIN WAS HEAVIER...THE LEVEL OF THAT LAKE FELL
ONLY SLOWLY IN DECEMBER. HOWEVER...LAKE SUPERIOR WATER LEVELS WERE
STILL ALMOST 15 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).
---------------------------------------------------------------------
DECEMBER CLIMATE HIGHLIGHTS
HIGHEST REPORTED TEMPERATURE...58 AT MARQUETTE CITY AND BIG BAY IN
MARQUETTE COUNTY ON 12/3
LOWEST REPORTED TEMPERATURE...-16 AT WAKEFIELD IN GOGEBIC COUNTY ON
12/26
HIGHEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE...29.9 DEGREES AT MARQUETTE CITY
LOWEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE...21.7 DEGREES AT CLARKSBURG-CHAMPION
IN MARQUETTE COUNTY
HIGHEST MONTHLY PRECIPITATION...3.12 INCHES A SITE 10 MILES SOUTH OF
GRAND MARAIS IN ALGER COUNTY
LOWEST MONTHLY PRECIPITATION...0.64 INCH AT ONTONAGON
HIGHEST MONTHLY SNOWFALL...26.5 INCHES SOUTH OF GRAND MARAIS
LOWEST MONTHLY SNOWFALL...3.2 INCHES AT MARQUETTE CITY
GREATEST SNOW DEPTH...16 INCHES SOUTH OF GRAND MARAIS ON 12/21
A PREVAILING WEST-TO-EAST FLOW OF MILD PACIFIC AIR DOMINATED THE
FIRST THREE WEEKS OF DECEMBER 2012. ALTHOUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN
UPPER TROUGH INTO THE GREAT LAKES ALLOWED A RETURN OF MORE
SEASONABLE CHILL THE LAST WEEK AND A HALF OF THE MONTH...THE
DECEMBER MEAN TEMPERATURE THAT RANGED THROUGH THE 20S ENDED UP 4 TO
6 DEGREES ABOVE THE 30-YEAR AVERAGE AND ONLY 6 TO 9 DEGREES BELOW
THE NOVEMBER MEAN EVEN THOUGH THE DIFFERENCE IN MONTHLY NORMALS
BETWEEN THE 11TH AND 12TH MONTHS IS 12 TO 13 DEGREES. IN FACT AT A
NUMBER OF LOCATIONS...DECEMBER 2012 WILL GO DOWN IN THE RECORD BOOKS
AS ONE OF THE TOP 10 WARMEST DECEMBERS.
THE DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL OF THE MEAN MINIMUM TEMPERATURES IN
DECEMBER WAS MUCH GREATER THAN THE MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES ANOMALY. ON
AVERAGE...LOW TEMPERATURES IN DECEMBER WERE 6 TO 8 DEGREES ABOVE
NORMAL...AS COMPARED TO A 3 TO 4 DEGREE DEPARTURE OF THE HIGHS.
THE MERCURY FELL BELOW ZERO AT SOME OF THE INTERIOR COLD SPOTS ONLY
ON SOME OF THE DAYS WHEN COLDER CANADIAN AIR RETURNED AROUND
CHRISTMAS...WITH SUB ZERO MINIMUMS REPORTED ON 12/24...12/25...12/26
AND 12/29. SOME OF THE TRADITIONAL COLD SPOTS SUCH AS CLARKSBURG-
CHAMPION IN MARQUETTE COUNTY DID NOT REPORT ANY SUB-ZERO
TEMPERATURES IN DECEMBER. THE THERMOMETER TOPPED OUT IN THE BALMY
50S AT SOME PLACES WHEN THE WARMTH PEAKED ON 12/3 AND 12/4. HIGH
TEMPERATURES ABOVE 40 WERE FAIRLY INFREQUENT...OCCURRING AT SOME OF
THE WARMER LOCATIONS OVER THE SOUTH CENTRAL ON SOME OTHER DAYS IN
THE FIRST WEEK AND AGAIN AROUND MID MONTH.
SINCE THE FLOW ALOFT WAS WEST-TO-EAST MOST OF THE MONTH...FEW LARGER
SCALE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS IMPACTED UPPER MICHIGAN IN DECEMBER 2012.
WITH THE UNSEASONABLE WARMTH THE FIRST THREE WEEKS...LAKE EFFECT
SNOW WAS RELATIVELY INFREQUENT. IN FACT...MANY LOCATIONS OVER UPPER
MICHIGAN REPORTED NO SNOW ON THE GROUND AROUND THE MIDDLE OF THE
MONTH. EVEN WHEN AN UPPER TROUGH BECAME ESTABLISHED LATER IN
DECEMBER AND SEASONABLY CHILLY ARCTIC AIRMASSES RETURNED OVER THE
UPPER GREAT LAKES...NO HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOWS OCCURRED SINCE
SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEMS DOMINATED. DECEMBER 2012 IS NOW ONE OF
THE TOP TEN DRIEST AND LEAST SNOWY DECEMBERS AT A NUMBER OF PLACES.
BECAUSE THE ONLY LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OF SIGNIFICANCE IMPACTED MAINLY
THE EAST HALF OF THE UPPER PENINSULA ON 12/20 INTO 12/21...
PRECIPITATION AND SNOWFALL WERE BELOW NORMAL...ESPECIALLY OVER MOST
OF THE WEST WITHOUT MUCH LAKE EFFECT SNOW. A SITE JUST INLAND FROM
ONTONAGON MEASURED ONLY 0.73 INCH OF WATER EQUIVALENT PRECIPITATION
AND 11.0 INCHES OF SNOW IN DECEMBER...VALUES THAT ARE JUST 25
PERCENT AND 20 PERCENT OF NORMAL RESPECTIVELY. ONLY 3.2 INCHES OF
SNOW FELL NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR IN THE CITY OF MARQUETTE THE WHOLE
MONTH BECAUSE SOME OF THE PRECIPITATION DURING THE 12/20-12/21 STORM
WAS IN THE FORM OF RAIN. THIS MONTHLY SNOWFALL IS A MEAGER 13
PERCENT OF NORMAL AND THE LOWEST ON RECORD FOR MARQUETTE. IN THE
AREA HIT HARD BY THE MAJOR STORM SYSTEM JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS...
MONTHLY PRECIPITATION REACHED 3.12 INCHES AT GRAND MARAIS IN ALGER
COUNTY AND 3.02 INCHES AT NEWBERRY...NOT FAR FROM THE DECEMBER
NORMAL. MANISTIQUE RECORDED 2.12 INCHES OF LIQUID EQUIVALENT
PRECIPITATION IN DECEMBER...A HEALTHY 170 PERCENT OF THE MONTHLY
AVERAGE. BUT BECAUSE THERE WAS RELATIVELY LITTLE SNOW THE REST OF
DECEMBER IN THESE LOCATIONS...THE MONTHLY SNOWFALL AT NEWBERRY AND
MANISTIQUE ENDED UP JUST 20.9 INCHES AND 12.5 INCHES RESPECTIVELY...
ABOUT 65 PERCENT OF THE MONTHLY NORMAL FOR THOSE TOWNS. AREAS FROM
IRON MOUNTAIN TO ESCANABA AND MENOMINEE SAW NEAR NORMAL MONTHLY
PRECIPITATION AND SNOWFALL DUE TO THE INFLUENCE OF THE PRE-CHRISTMAS
SNOW STORM.
THE STORM SYSTEM THAT HIT JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS IMPACTED UPPER
MICHIGAN WHEN THE WEATHER PATTERN WAS EVOLVING TOWARD A TROUGH IN
THE GREAT LAKES. A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TAKING SHAPE IN THE MID
MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY ON 12/19 MOVED NORTHEAST AND THROUGH LOWER
MICHIGAN AND THEN INTO SOUTHEAST ONTARIO ON 12/21. THIS LOW POUNDED
MOST OF THE EAST HALF WITH HEAVY SNOW OF 8 TO 12 INCHES OR MORE IN
SOME PLACES AND GUSTY WINDS AS HIGH AS 64 MPH AT MENOMINEE THAT
CAUSED CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW ALONG WITH NEAR
BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. NEGAUNEE IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF MARQUETTE
COUNTY LED REPORTING STATIONS WITH 16.7 INCHES OF THE WHITE STUFF
AND 2.31 INCHES OF LIQUID EQUIVALENT PRECIPITATION DURING THIS
EVENT. ALTHOUGH SOME LAKE EFFECT SNOW ENHANCED STORM TOTALS TO NEAR
12 INCHES AT LOCATIONS OVER THE FAR WEST NEAR IRONWOOD...PARTS OF
WESTERN UPPER MICHIGAN FROM BARAGA TO IRON RIVER FARTHER FROM THE
STORM TRACK ENDED UP WITH NO MORE THAN 2 TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW. BUT
THIS STORM BROUGHT WIDESPREAD SNOW JUST IN TIME TO DELIVER A WHITE
CHRISTMAS TO THE ENTIRE U.P.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
...JANUARY 2012-DECEMBER 2012 AVERAGE TEMPERATURE...
OBSERVED NORMAL DEPARTURE PREVIOUS RECORD 2012 RANK
/OR RECORD/
MARQUETTE CITY 47.3 43.2 +4.1 47.2 /1998/ RECORD WARMEST
MARQUETTE NWS 43.9 42.1 +3.8 43.4 /1998/ RECORD WARMEST
MUNISING 45.1 42.0 +3.1 44.7 /1998/ RECORD WARMEST
NEWBERRY 45.9 42.0 +3.9 46.0 /1998/ SECOND WARMEST
IRON MOUNTAIN 46.1 42.3 +3.8 46.3 /1998/ SECOND WARMEST
MANISTIQUE 45.1 41.8 +3.3 45.2 /1998/ SECOND WARMEST
HOUGHTON 44.0 40.5 +3.5 46.4 /1931/ FOURTH WARMEST
IRONWOOD 43.7 40.1 +3.6 46.4 /1931/ SIXTH WARMEST
---------------------------------------------------------------------
SOME OTHER TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION OBSERVATIONS ACROSS UPPER
MICHIGAN IN DECEMBER 2012 INCLUDE:
IRONWOOD...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 21.8 (5.2 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL)
PRECIPITATION 1.56 INCHES (0.55 INCH BELOW NORMAL)
SNOWFALL 18.5 INCHES (27.8 INCHES BELOW NORMAL)
WATERSMEET (GOGEBIC COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 0.71 INCH
SNOWFALL 4.9 INCHES
ONTONAGON...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 26.3 (4.7 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL)
(6 MILES PRECIPITATION 0.73 INCH (2.31 INCHES BELOW NORMAL)
INLAND) SNOWFALL 11.0 INCHES (43.2 INCHES BELOW NORMAL)
ROCKLAND (ONTONAGON COUNTY)...SNOWFALL 18.4 INCHES
GREENLAND (ONTONAGON COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 26.9 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 0.99 INCH
SNOWFALL 8.8 INCHES
TWIN LAKES (HOUGHTON COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 22.9 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 1.56 INCHES
SNOWFALL 16.7 INCHES
HOUGHTON COUNTY...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 25.2 (5.0 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL)
AIRPORT PRECIPITATION 1.37 INCHES (0.52 INCH BELOW NORMAL)
SNOWFALL 18.5 INCHES (34.4 INCHES BELOW NORMAL)
ATLANTIC MINE (HOUGHTON COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 1.71 INCHES
SNOWFALL 22.5 INCHES
MOHAWK (KEWEENAW COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 1.86 INCHES
SNOWFALL 16.0 INCHES
COPPER HARBOR...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 27.6 DEGREES
JACOBSVILLE (HOUGHTON COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 28.0 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 1.03 INCHES
SNOWFALL 6.2 INCHES
BARAGA...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 26.2 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 0.86 INCH
SNOWFALL 7.8 INCHES
WATTON (BARAGA COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 23.4 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 1.00 INCH
SNOWFALL 10.6 INCHES
HERMAN (BARAGA COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 22.2 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 1.62 INCHES
SNOWFALL 22.0 INCHES
CLARKSBURG (MARQUETTE COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 21.7 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 1.17 INCHES
SNOWFALL 24.5 INCHES
WITCH LAKE (MARQUETTE COUNTY)...SNOWFALL 13.0 INCHES
BIG BAY (MARQUETTE COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 27.9 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 1.16 INCHES
SNOWFALL 11.6 INCHES
MARQUETTE CITY...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 29.9 (6.4 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL)
PRECIPITATION 0.96 INCH (1.01 INCHES BELOW NORMAL)
SNOWFALL 3.2 INCHES (22.1 INCHES BELOW NORMAL)
HARVEY (MARQUETTE COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 29.3 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 1.20 INCHES
SNOWFALL 10.1 INCHES
GWINN (MARQUETTE COUNTY)...SNOWFALL 13.3 INCHES
CHATHAM (ALGER COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 27.4 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 1.50 INCHES
SNOWFALL 16.0 INCHES
MUNISING...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 28.0 (5.1 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL)
PRECIPITATION 1.96 INCHES (1.79 INCHES BELOW NORMAL)
SNOWFALL 15.4 INCHES (25.8 INCHES BELOW NORMAL)
GRAND MARAIS...PRECIPITATION 3.12 INCHES
(10 MILES SOUTH) SNOWFALL 26.5 INCHES
NEWBERRY...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 27.3 (5.1 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL)
PRECIPITATION 3.02 INCHES (0.17 INCH ABOVE NORMAL)
SNOWFALL 20.9 INCHES (12.4 INCHES BELOW NORMAL)
STAMBAUGH (IRON COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 22.0 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 0.50 INCH
SNOWFALL 5.0 INCHES
AMASA (IRON COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 0.73 INCH
SNOWFALL 7.0 INCHES
IRON MOUNTAIN...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 25.0 (5.6 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL)
PRECIPITATION 1.55 INCHES (NORMAL)
SNOWFALL 13.5 INCHES (0.4 INCH BELOW NORMAL)
NORWAY (DICKINSON COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 1.42 INCHES
SNOWFALL 10.9 INCHES
MENOMINEE...PRECIPITATION 1.32 INCHES
SNOWFALL 5.9 INCHES
GLADSTONE (DELTA COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 1.87 INCHES
SNOWFALL 13.5 INCHES
GARDEN CORNERS (DELTA COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 35.0 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 2.34 INCHES
SNOWFALL 13.0 INCHES
COOKS (SCHOOLCRAFT COUNTY)...PRECIPITATION 2.74 INCHES
MANISTIQUE...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 29.1 (5.7 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL)
PRECIPITATION 2.12 INCHES (0.88 INCH ABOVE NORMAL)
SNOWFALL 12.5 INCHES (6.8 INCHES BELOW NORMAL)
DECEMBER WEATHER SUMMARY
A WEST-TO-EAST FLOW OF PACIFIC AIR DOMINATED THE UPPER GREAT LAKES
THE FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER...CAUSING MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURES TO RUN
FROM 10 TO AS MUCH AS 20 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL OVER UPPER MICHIGAN ON
12/1 INTO 12/7. THE WARMEST DAY WAS ON 12/3...WHEN THE MERCURY
PEAKED IN THE 50S AT MANY LOCATIONS AND AS HIGH AS 58 AT MARQUETTE
AND BIG BAY IN MARQUETTE COUNTY. SINCE THIS ZONAL FLOW ALOFT DID NOT
ALLOW ANY MOISTURE LADEN LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS TO IMPACT THE UPPER
GREAT LAKES AND ALSO PREVENTED ANY SIGNIFICANT LAKE EFFECT SNOW BY
CUTTING OFF THE FLOW OF ARCTIC AIR...SNOWFALL AND LIQUID EQUIVALENT
PRECIPITATION THE FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER WERE GENERALLY ON THE LIGHT
SIDE. THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION TO IMPACT THE U.P. DURING
THIS TIME OCCURRED AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THAT PASSED ON 12/4. THERE
WERE NUMEROUS RAIN SHOWERS AND EVEN A RARE DECEMBER THUNDERSTORM OR
TWO IN THE EVENING ON 12/3 OVER THE EAST. THESE SHOWERS DROPPED UP
TO AROUND 0.50 INCH OF RAIN IN A SWATH FROM MANISTIQUE TO
NEWBERRY...BUT MOST PLACES WEST OF A LINE FROM MUNISING TO ESCANABA
PICKED UP LESS THAN 0.10 INCH. ALTHOUGH WEST WIND GUSTS IN THE WAKE
OF THE COLD FRONT REACHED 52 MPH AT HOUGHTON IN THE EARLY MORNING OF
12/4...THE TRAILING AIRMASS WAS ONLY MARITIME POLAR IN ORIGIN. SO
MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURES FELL OFF TO ONLY ABOUT 5 DEGREES ABOVE
AVERAGE BY 12/5.
AN UPPER TROUGH DEVELOPING IN CENTRAL NORTH AMERICA DURING THE
SECOND WEEK OF DECEMBER ALLOWED FOR A RETURN OF MORE SEASONABLE
CHILL TO THE GREAT LAKES. MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURES ON 12/8 THROUGH
12/12 ENDED UP NO MORE THAN A FEW DEGREES FROM NORMAL. A LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM DEVELOPING ON 12/9 OVER THE PLAINS UNDER THE
DEEPENING TROUGH MOVED NORTHEAST THROUGH THE CENTRAL GREAT LAKES AND
INTO SOUTHEAST CANADA ON 12/10...BRINGING A WIDESPREAD LIGHT TO
MODERATE SNOWFALL MAINLY DURING THE NIGHT OF 12/9-12/10. AS A
SEASONABLY COLD AIRMASS FOLLOWED...SOME LAKE EFFECT SNOW IMPACTED
MAINLY THE NORTH CENTRAL BEFORE A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE ARRIVED AND
SNOW SHOWERS DIMINISHED TO NOTHING MORE THAN FLURRIES. SNOWFALL
DURING THIS EVENT RANGED FROM 1 TO 3 INCHES WEST OF A LINE FROM THE
HURON MOUNTAINS TO MENOMINEE TO 3 TO 6 INCHES TO THE EAST.
ALTHOUGH ONLY LIGHT SNOW ACCOMPANIED THE PASSAGE OF ANOTHER COLD
FRONT AT MOST PLACES ACROSS UPPER MICHIGAN ON 12/11...THE SOUTH WIND
AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE OFF LAKE MICHIGAN RESULTED IN SOME HEAVIER
LAKE ENHANCED SNOW OVER THE FAR EAST AROUND NEWBERRY. MCMILLAN IN
LUCE COUNTY LOGGED AS MUCH AS 7 INCHES OF THE WHITE STUFF ON 12/11.
AFTER THE FRONT PASSED...A WEST WIND CAUSED MORE LAKE EFFECT SNOW
OVER MAINLY THE NORTHWEST DURING THE NIGHT OF 12/11-12/12. MANY
PLACES OVER THE KEWEENAW REPORTED 3 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW...BUT
ATLANTIC MINE IN HOUGHTON COUNTY PICKED UP AS MUCH AS 10.5 INCHES
DURING THAT NIGHT.
AS AN UPPER TROUGH DEEPENED OVER WESTERN NORTH AMERICA BY THE START
OF THE THIRD WEEK OF DECEMBER...AN UPPER RIDGE BUILT TO THE EAST.
THE RESULT WAS MORE RELATIVE WARMTH OVER THE GREAT LAKES THAT
PERSISTED UNTIL 12/21...WHEN THE TROUGH SHIFTED THROUGH THE PLAINS
TOWARD THE GREAT LAKES. MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURES ACROSS UPPER
MICHIGAN WERE 5 TO 15 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL ON 12/13 TO 12/21. TWO
LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS OF SIGNIFICANCE INFLUENCED THE WEATHER OVER UPPER
MICHIGAN DURING THIS WEEK. THE FIRST MOVED FROM THE PLAINS ON 12/15
INTO THE UPPER GREAT LAKES ON 12/16. SINCE TEMPERATURES WERE MAINLY
IN THE 30S...THE ACCOMPANYING PRECIPITATION WAS RAIN...MIXED WITH
SNOW AWAY FROM THE WARMING INFLUENCE OF LAKE MICHIGAN. WATER
EQUIVALENT PRECIPITATION RANGED FROM AS MUCH AS 0.50 TO 0.75 INCH
OVER THE NORTHERN TIP OF THE KEWEENAW AND THE SOUTHEAST TO NO MORE
THAN ABOUT 0.10 INCH FROM BARAGA TO MARQUETTE. GARDEN CORNERS IN
DELTA COUNTY LED REPORTING STATIONS WITH 0.81 INCH. THE MOST SNOW UP
TO 2 INCHES FELL OVER THE WEST AT ATLANTIC MINE AND IRONWOOD ON
12/15 INTO 12/16. MANY SPOTS WHICH SAW LITTLE OR NO SNOW DURING THIS
EVENT REPORTED BARE OR NEARLY BARE GROUND IN THE DAYS JUST BEFORE
THE OFFICIAL START OF WINTER.
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT STORM STORM SYSTEM OF THE MONTH HIT UPPER
MICHIGAN JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS WHEN THE WEATHER PATTERN WAS EVOLVING
TOWARD A TROUGH IN THE GREAT LAKES. A LOW PRESSURE CENTER TAKING
SHAPE IN THE MID MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY ON 12/19 MOVED NORTHEAST
AND THROUGH LOWER MICHIGAN AND THEN INTO SOUTHEAST ONTARIO ON 12/21.
THIS LOW POUNDED MOST OF THE EAST HALF WITH HEAVY SNOW OF 8 TO 12
INCHES OR MORE IN SOME PLACES AND GUSTY WINDS AS HIGH AS 64 MPH AT
MENOMINEE THAT CAUSED CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW ALONG
WITH NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. NEGAUNEE IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF
MARQUETTE COUNTY LED REPORTING STATIONS WITH 16.7 INCHES OF THE
WHITE STUFF AND 2.31 INCHES OF LIQUID EQUIVALENT PRECIPITATION
DURING THIS EVENT. ALTHOUGH SOME LAKE EFFECT SNOW ENHANCED STORM
TOTALS TO NEAR 12 INCHES AT LOCATIONS OVER THE FAR WEST NEAR
IRONWOOD...PARTS OF WESTERN UPPER MICHIGAN FROM BARAGA TO IRON RIVER
FARTHER FROM THE STORM TRACK ENDED UP WITH NO MORE THAN 2 TO 3
INCHES OF SNOW. BUT THIS STORM BROUGHT WIDESPREAD SNOW JUST IN TIME
TO DELIVER A WHITE CHRISTMAS TO THE ENTIRE U.P.
AN UPPER TROUGH TENDED TO DOMINATE THE WEATHER PATTERN IN THE GREAT
LAKES AFTER 12/21...ALLOWING FOR THE RETURN OF SEASONABLY CHILLY
ARCTIC AIRMASSES AND MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURES WITHIN A FEW DEGREES OF
NORMAL ON 12/22 THROUGH 12/31. DESPITE THE PERSISTENCE OF ARCTIC
AIR...ONLY LIGHT LAKE EFFECT SNOWS OCCURRED BECAUSE SURFACE HIGH
PRESSURE SYSTEMS DOMINATED. ON THE COLDEST MORNING THE DAY AFTER
CHRISTMAS...SKIES CLEARED NEAR THE WISCONSIN BORDER WITH THE
APPROACH OF A SURFACE RIDGE. SINCE WINDS WERE ALSO LIGHT...THE
THERMOMETER RESPONDED BY FALLING UNDER 10 BELOW ZERO AT SOME PLACES
OVER THE INTERIOR WEST AND ALL THE WAY TO -16 AT WAKEFIELD IN
GOGEBIC COUNTY.
FEBRUARY FORECAST
THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER (CPC) IS FORECASTING A GREATER THAN
CLIMATOLOGICAL CHANCE OF A BELOW NORMAL MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMPERATURE
BUT AN EQUAL CHANCE OF ABOVE AND BELOW NORMAL MONTHLY PRECIPITATION
OVER ALL OF UPPER MICHIGAN IN FEBRUARY 2013.
FEBRUARY CLIMATOLOGY
ALTHOUGH DAYLIGHT LENGTHENS NOTICEABLY DURING FEBRUARY (580 MINUTES
OF POSSIBLE SUNSHINE ON 2/1 TO 664 MINUTES ON 2/28)...WINTER USUALLY
MAINTAINS ITS ICY GRIP ON UPPER MICHIGAN DURING THE MONTH. IN
FACT...THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE DURING THE YEAR OFTEN OCCURS IN THE
SECOND MONTH. HUMBOLDT IN MARQUETTE COUNTY OBSERVED A FRIGID -49 LOW
ON THE MORNING OF 2/10/1899...THE LOWEST READING EVER RECORDED IN
UPPER MICHIGAN. THE FREQUENT ARRIVAL OF ARCTIC AIRMASSES CAN STILL
CAUSE TEMPERATURES TO PLUNGE AS LOW AS 25 TO 35 BELOW ZERO EVEN
DURING THE LAST WEEK OF THE MONTH. THE COLDEST FEBRUARIES IN RECENT
MEMORY WERE IN 2003 AND 1994...WHEN TEMPERATURES ACROSS UPPER
MICHIGAN AVERAGED 6 TO 9 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. DURING FEBRUARY
1994...THE MEAN TEMPERATURE AT IRONWOOD WAS A BRUTAL 6.5 DEGREES.
BUT THAT WAS WARM COMPARED TO FEBRUARY 1936...WHEN IRONWOOD`S
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS -0.5 DEGREES. FEBRUARY 2003 RANKS AS THE
COLDEST AT MICHIGAN TECH UNIVERSITY (AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 8.7
DEGREES) AND IN THE TOP FIVE COLDEST AT MUNISING...THE MARQUETTE
NWS...AND IRON MOUNTAIN. MORE RECENTLY...INTENSE COLD PREVAILED
THROUGH MUCH OF FEBRUARY 2007...WHEN THE MONTHLY MEAN TEMPERATURE
RAN 4 TO 8 DEGREES BELOW AVERAGE. THAT MONTH WAS ONE OF THE TOP TEN
COLDEST FEBRUARYS AT ONTONAGON...IRONWOOD...MANISTIQUE...MUNISING...
MARQUETTE CITY AND THE MARQUETTE NWS.
BUT THE CONTINUED CLIMB OF THE SUN IN THE SOUTHERN SKY PROMISES THE
END OF WINTER IS IN SIGHT AND THAT SPRINGTIME IS GETTING CLOSER.
AVERAGE TEMPERATURES RISE STEADILY AFTER THE FIRST WEEK OF THE
MONTH...FROM 12 ON 2/7 TO 17 ON 2/28 AT THE MARQUETTE NWS. DURING
THE LAST HALF OF FEBRUARY...RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES REACH WELL INTO
THE 50S AND 60S. AT MANY SITES...FEBRUARY 1998...1999...2000 AND
2002 ALL FALL INTO THE TOP 10 WARMEST ON RECORD. IN FEBRUARY 2000...
RECORD WARMTH AFTER 2/21 CAUSED RAPID SNOW MELT...AND ICE JAM
FLOODING WAS OBSERVED ON THE ONTONAGON RIVER. IN FACT...THE
TEMPERATURE AVERAGED 39.3 DEGREES BETWEEN 2/22/2000 AND 2/29/2000 AT
THE MARQUETTE NWS...MARKING THIS 8-DAY PERIOD AS THE WARMEST WEEK IN
THE SECOND MONTH SINCE RECORDS BEGAN IN 1961. BUT AT MOST LOCATIONS
IN UPPER MICHIGAN...FEBRUARY 1998 GOES DOWN IN THE RECORD BOOKS AS
THE WARMEST FEBRUARY EVER. TEMPERATURES AT SOME PLACES ENDED THE
MONTH AS MUCH AS 15 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL AS A STRONG EL NINO AND
ZONAL PACIFIC FLOW ALOFT PREVENTED THE NORMAL PARADE OF ARCTIC
AIRMASSES FROM INVADING THE UPPER GREAT LAKES.
AVERAGE SNOWFALL OVER UPPER MICHIGAN DURING FEBRUARY IS LESS THAN IN
JANUARY AS THE MEAN POSITION OF THE JET STREAM AND STORM TRACK MOVES
A BIT FARTHER SOUTH. FALLING LAKE SUPERIOR WATER TEMPERATURES AND
THE FORMATION OF ICE ON THE LAKE SOME YEARS ALSO REDUCE THE
INTENSITY OF LAKE EFFECT SNOW. EVEN SO...THERE IS A SHARP DECREASE
IN AVERAGE SNOWFALL FROM AREAS NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR TO INLAND
LOCATIONS ALONG THE WISCONSIN BORDER. WHILE HOUGHTON TYPICALLY
TALLIES ALMOST 33 INCHES OF THE WHITE STUFF...IRON MOUNTAIN WILL LOG
ONLY 10 INCHES DURING A TYPICAL FEBRUARY. ALTHOUGH MONTHLY
TEMPERATURES AVERAGED WELL ABOVE NORMAL...FEBRUARY 2002 WILL LONG BE
REMEMBERED FOR HEAVY PRECIPITATION AND SNOWFALL...ESPECIALLY IN THE
LAKE EFFECT SNOW BELTS. VERY MILD WEATHER INTO FEBRUARY THAT WINTER
MAINTAINED LAKE SUPERIOR TEMPERATURES WELL ABOVE NORMAL...SO THAT
HEAVIER THAN USUAL LAKE EFFECT AND LAKE ENHANCED SNOW ACCOMPANIED A
GREATER THAN AVERAGE NUMBER OF SYNOPTIC STORMS. THE 91.9 INCHES OF
SNOW THAT FELL AT THE MARQUETTE NWS THAT MONTH PUSHES FEBRUARY 2002
TO THE TOP OF THE LIST OF NOT ONLY THE SNOWIEST FEBRUARY...BUT ALSO
THE SNOWIEST CALENDAR MONTH. THE 5.35 INCHES OF LIQUID EQUIVALENT
PRECIPITATION THAT FELL AT THAT LOCATION EASILY ECLIPSED THE
PREVIOUS STANDARD OF 3.62 INCHES OBSERVED IN FEBRUARY 1971. MANY
LOCATIONS FROM IRONWOOD TO NEWBERRY ALSO RECORDED A TOP FIVE
SNOWIEST AND WETTEST FEBRUARY IN 2002. DURING THE COLD FEBRUARY OF
1989...THE HOUGHTON COUNTY AIRPORT RECORDED 89.8 INCHES OF SNOW. NOT
ONLY IS FEBRUARY 1998 THE WARMEST AT MANY LOCATIONS...IT IS ALSO THE
LEAST SNOWY AT MANISTIQUE (1.0 INCH)...IRONWOOD (2.8 INCHES)...
ONTONAGON (5.0 INCHES)...AND THE HOUGHTON COUNTY AIRPORT (5.5
INCHES). MONTHLY SNOWFALLS OF 3.0 INCHES AT NEWBERRY AND 8.8 INCHES
AT MUNISING PLACE FEBRUARY 1998 AMONG THE TOP FIVE LEAST SNOWY.
OUTLOOK FOR SPRING
THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER (CPC) IS FORECASTING A GREATER THAN
CLIMATOLOGICAL CHANCE OF AN ABOVE NORMAL 3-MONTH AVERAGE TEMPERATURE
OVER THE EAST HALF OF UPPER MICHIGAN BUT EQUAL CHANCES OF AN ABOVE
NORMAL AND BELOW NORMAL AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OVER THE WEST HALF
DURING MARCH THROUGH MAY 2013. THE CPC INDICATES THERE IS A GREATER
CHANCE OF ABOVE AVERAGE 3-MONTH PRECIPITATION OVER ALL OF UPPER
MICHIGAN IN MARCH THROUGH MAY.
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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