Snow!!

First Measurable Snow Fall

When I started doing some research for todays post it was going to be the average dates of first measurable snow falls well Grand Rapids has already had the one inch, three inch and five inch falls all in the last two days.

With a warm Lake and the recent cold air west Michigan as seen heavy early snowfall totals. Grand Rapids has already reached the 1” the 3” and the 5” totals for one day. This November will be the snowiest since at least 2014 when the record November snow fall total of 31.0” was set. November 1951 is in 2^nd place with 26.9” in 3^rd place is November 1991 with 25.3” in 4^th place is 2000 with 23.0” and in 5^th place is 1995 with 20.8”. How did total winter seasons do after the top 5 snowy winters? 2014/15 December the snow shut off and only 1” fell that December. For the winter season 78.1” fell. In 1951/52 December seen 51.3” and the winter season seen 132.0” in 1991/92 that December had 27.9” and the winter season saw 87.8” in 2000/01 That December seen a whopping 59.9” of snow fall but the year ended with just 98.1” and in 1995/96 that December seen 17.4” and the season has just 79.7” So how will the winter of 2022/23 play out? Of course we shall see

At Grand Rapids the average 1^st one inch or more snow fall is November 19^th, the earliest was on October 12, 2006, and the latest was on December 24, 2020. Since 2000 the average date of the 1^st one inch snow fall in November 25^th with the earliest being both of the days above. The average date for the first 3” snow fall is December 6^th with the earliest being October 19, 1989, and the latest being March 16, 1949.At Since 2000 the average date is December 15^th with November 10, 2018, being the earliest and February 4^th, 2020, being the latest. As for a 5” snow fall up to the winter of 1989/90 there had been some winters that did not see a 5” snow fall but so far from that winter up to and including last winter there have been at least one 5” or more snow fall. The mean first date for all years in January 4^th The earliest of the winters that did have a 5” snow fall is October 27, 1967 and the latest was May 9. 1923. Since 2000 the average date is December 25^th with the earliest being November 11, 2019, and the latest being February 24, 2016.

At Muskegon there are several years with missing snow fall totals but in the years that do have that data the average 1^st one inch snow fall in November 21^st with the earliest being October 10, 1906 and the latest being March 2, 1932. Since 2000 the average first 1” snow fall in November 28^th with the earliest November 6, 2019 and the latest January 1, 2012.

At Lansing their average first one inch snow fall is November 20^th their earliest was October 6, 2006 the latest December 30 1939. The average first 3” snowfall at Lansing is December 14^th with the earliest being October 18, 1880. And the latest April 15, 1937. As for 5” the average is January 4^th the earliest was on October 18, 1880 and the latest on April 15, 1937.

So ,while the start of the snow season is a little earlier than average. In the last 5 times the first one inch snow fall has happened early than average (2019, 2018, 2014, 2006 and 2005) the average snowfall for the season was 73.1” with a range of 83.3” in 2006/07 to a low of just 53.5” in 2019/20.  If November 2022 makes it to one of the top 5 snowiest Novembers, then the season average is 95.14” with a range of between 132.0 to 78.1”

Slim