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Climatological Report (Monthly)
Issued by NWS Marquette, MI
Issued by NWS Marquette, MI
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000
CXUS53 KMQT 130333 AAB
CLMMQT
CLIMATE REPORT...FINAL
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARQUETTE MI
1035 PM EST WED DEC 12 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)
HARVEY (MARQUETTE COUNTY)...AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 36.2 DEGREES
PRECIPITATION 1.51 INCHES
SNOWFALL 7.0 INCHES
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
THE NORTHWEST FLOW OVER THE UPPER GREAT LAKES ON THE WEST SIDE OF
UPPER TROUGH OVER EASTERN NORTH AMERICA DELIVERED CHILLY CANADIAN
AIR INTO THE UPPER GREAT LAKES DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF NOVEMBER.
MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURES ON 11/1 TO 11/7 RANGED AROUND 5 DEGREES
BELOW AVERAGE. THERE WERE ALSO SOME LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS AT
TIMES AS THE COLDER AIR STREAMED OVER THE RELATIVELY WARM WATERS OF
LAKE SUPERIOR...BUT ANY SNOW ACCUMULATION WAS GENERALLY NO MORE THAN
A FEW INCHES SINCE THE LAKE EFFECT EVENTS WERE NOT PERSISTENT.
AFTER 11/7...A RIDGE BEGAN TO BUILD OVER THE GREAT LAKES AS AN UPPER
TROUGH DEEPENED ACROSS WESTERN NORTH AMERICA. AS THE ARCTIC AIR
SLOWLY RETREATED...MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURES RECOVERED TO AROUND 5
DEGREES ABOVE AVERAGE ON 11/8 THROUGH 11/10. A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM
DEEPENING IN THE PLAINS TO THE EAST OF THE WESTERN TROUGH BEGAN TO
MOVE NORTHEAST ON 11/10 AND THROUGH MINNESOTA ON 11/11. TO THE NORTH
OF THE ACCOMPANYING WARM FRONT MOVING TOWARD UPPER MICHIGAN...
RAIN...SOME DENSE FOG...AND EVEN A FEW THUNDERSTORMS DOMINATED THE
AREA ON 11/10 INTO EARLY 11/11. FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF THE WARM
FRONT EARLY ON 11/11...THE STEADY RAIN ENDED AND THE THICKEST FOG
DISSIPATED AS TEMPERATURES SURGED INTO THE BALMY 50S. THE MERCURY
TOPPED OUT IN THE LOWER 60S AT A NUMBER OF SPOTS AND AS HIGH AS 63
AT BIG BAY IN MARQUETTE COUNTY ON 11/11 BEFORE THE COLD FRONT SURGED
INTO THE WEST IN THE AFTERNOON ON 11/11 AND CLEARED NEWBERRY IN THE
EARLY MORNING HOURS OF 11/12 AFTER THE LOW HAD TRACKED NORTHEAST
INTO ONTARIO. A DISTURBANCE MOVING NORTHEAST ALONG THIS BOUNDARY
BROUGHT MORE STEADY RAIN LATER IN THE DAY ON 11/11 AND INTO THE
EARLY MORNING ON 11/12. BUT AS COLDER AIR MOVED BACK INTO THE GREAT
LAKES BEHIND THE FRONTAL PASSAGE ON THE HEELS OF WEST WIND GUSTS UP
TO 35 MPH...THE RAIN CHANGED BRIEFLY TO SNOW BEFORE THE PRECIPITATION
DIMINISHED. TOTAL PRECIPITATION ON 11/10 THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT ON
11/11-11/12 WAS HEAVIEST OVER THE NORTHWEST UPPER PENINSULA...WHERE
1.00 TO 1.50 INCHES WAS THE RULE. BARAGA SAW THE MOST WITH 1.57
INCHES. AMOUNTS OVER THE REST OF UPPER MICHIGAN RANGED FROM 0.50 TO
1.00 INCH. ANY SNOW ACCUMULATION AT THE TAIL END OF THE EVENT WAS
UNDER AN INCH.
THE COLD AIR THAT FOLLOWED THE DEPARTING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM
LINGERED ON 11/12 AND 11/13...RESULTING IN MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURES
UP TO 5 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL ON BOTH DAYS. LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS
OVER MAINLY THE WEST ON 11/12 DIMINISHED ON 11/13 WITH THE APPROACH
OF A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE. A GENERAL 3 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW FELL OVER
THE NORTHWEST...WITH AS MUCH AS 6 INCHES AT TWIN LAKES IN HOUGHTON
COUNTY. AWAY FROM NORTHWEST UPPER MICHIGAN...ANY SNOW ACCUMULATION
WAS GENERALLY A TRACE TO AN INCH.
THE TROUGH THAT BRIEFLY DEEPENED OVER THE GREAT LAKES WITH THIS
ARCTIC AIR INTRUSION WEAKENED ON 11/14 AND GAVE WAY TO A WEST-TO-
EAST FLOW OF WARM AND DRY PACIFIC AIR THAT DOMINATED THROUGH
THANKSGIVING...RESULTING IN AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF ABOVE NORMAL
TEMPERATURES WITH LITTLE IF ANY PRECIPITATION. MEAN DAILY
TEMPERATURES ON 11/14 THROUGH 11/17 WERE GENERALLY NORMAL TO AS MUCH
AS 10 DEGREES ABOVE AVERAGE. ONCE AN UPPER RIDGE BUILT OVER THE GREAT
LAKES ON 11/18...A STEADY AND PERSISTENT SOUTHWEST FLOW BOOSTED THE
MERCURY TO 15 TO 25 DEGREES ABOVE THE MEAN ON 11/18 THROUGH 11/22.
THANKSGIVING DAY WAS THE WARMEST DAY OF THE MONTH...WITH HIGH
TEMPERATURES REACHING AS HIGH AS 63 AT NUMEROUS LOCATIONS AFTER
MORNING LOWS FAILED TO FALL BELOW 40. THE ABUNDANT SUNSHINE ON 11/22
MADE THE DAY FEEL MORE LIKE EARLY FALL. MOST PLACES ESTABLISHED NEW
DAILY RECORD MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES ON THANKSGIVING.
BUT THIS TASTE OF UNSEASONABLY WARM WEATHER CAME TO A CRASHING END
DURING THE NIGHT OF 11/22-11/23 AS A SHARP COLD FRONT ON THE SOUTHERN
FLANK OF LOW PRESSURE MOVING THROUGH ONTARIO BLEW ACROSS UPPER
MICHIGAN. NORTH WINDS GUSTING AS HIGH AS 45 TO 55 MPH NEAR LAKE
SUPERIOR ON 11/23 ADVECTED MUCH COLDER AIR INTO THE AREA BEHIND THE
FRONTAL PASSAGE...WITH TEMPERATURES FALLING UP TO 40 DEGREES IN A
24-HOUR PERIOD BETWEEN THANKSGIVING AFTERNOON AND THE EVENING ON
11/23. HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOWS DROPPED 10 INCHES OR MORE OF THE
WHITE STUFF ON SOME LOCATIONS OVER THE WEST 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.
FOR 11/24 THROUGH 11/28...MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURES DROPPED TO ABOUT 5
TO 10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL AS A DEEPENING UPPER TROUGH IN THE GREAT
LAKES OPENED THE DOOR FOR COLDER CANADIAN AIR. LAKE EFFECT SNOWS
WERE COMMON IN THE FAVORED SNOWBELTS NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR...ESPECIALLY
IN THE NORTHWEST WIND SNOW BELTS FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF A PAIR OF
UPPER DISTURBANCES AND THEIR ATTENDANT COLD FRONTS ON 11/25 AND
11/27. SNOW TOTALS FROM 11/24 THROUGH 11/28 IN THE FAVORED HIGHER
TERRAIN SNOWBELTS WERE GENERALLY 6 TO 12 INCHES...BUT THERE WAS AS
MUCH AS 17.6 INCHES AT ROCKLAND IN ONTONAGON COUNTY...15.2 INCHES AT
TWIN LAKES...14.9 INCHES AT MUNISING...AND 12.2 INCHES AT GRAND
MARAIS IN ALGER COUNTY. AWAY FROM THE LAKE SUPERIOR SNOW BELTS...ANY
SNOW ACCUMULATION DURING THIS TIME WAS GENERALLY NO MORE THAN 1 TO 3
INCHES.
THE FIRST SINGLE-DIGIT TEMPERATURES OF THE SEASON OCCURRED OVER THE
COLDER INTERIOR LOCATIONS AWAY FROM LAKE SUPERIOR MODIFICATION ON A
FEW NIGHTS DURING THE LAST WEEK OF NOVEMBER. STAMBAUGH IN IRON COUNTY
LOGGED THE ONLY SUB-ZERO TEMPERATURE...THE THERMOMETER BOTTOMED OUT
AT -3 THERE IN THE EARLY MORNING ON 11/27. MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURES
ON 11/29 AND 11/30 RECOVERED CLOSER TO NORMAL AS THE TROUGH AND
ARCTIC AIR RETREATED SLOWLY TO THE NORTH INTO CANADA. AS A RESULT...
ANY LAKE EFFECT SNOW ON THESE LAST DAYS OF NOVEMBER WAS LIGHT.
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
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- Page last modified: May 1st, 2013 15:31 UTC