GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan — It probably doesn't come as a surprise that this winter is ranking at the top of our records in multiple ways.
Many will likely remember it as the "two-week winter," as there was only a notable two-week period in mid-January with significant snowfall and below-average temperatures.
Only 14 of the 91 days of meteorological winter were spent with highs below 32°.
TEMPERATURES
This takes our mean average temperatures for the winter months between 33.6° (Grand Rapids) to 36.2° (Muskegon). Ranking Grand Rapids as the 2nd warmest winter on record and Muskegon as the warmest winter on record.
The only winter warmer than Grand Rapids was 1931 to 1932 and we are talking by only 0.3 a degree!
This was also the warmest December and February on record for Muskegon. It was Grand Rapids' 2nd warmest December and warmest February.
Grand Rapids and Muskegon also both saw their highest maximum temperatures for a winter month, reaching 73° in Grand Rapids and 67° in Muskegon. Muskegon also had its record warmest overnight low at 57°.
SNOWFALL
While we did see near-average precipitation, our temperatures were not conducive to sustaining snowfall.
According to the National Weather Service of Grand Rapids, 2023-2024 was in the top 3 winters since 1950 with the fewest days of 1+ inches of snow cover.
This caused many winter recreation facilities to open late and close early this season.
On average, Muskegon typically receives 71.4" of snowfall in a season. This year, Muskegon only received 36.5" giving it a departure of -34.9" below normal.
Grand Rapids also underperformed its usual seasonal snowfall with only 38.4" at a -22.2" departure below normal.
HONORABLE MENTION
This winter was notably one of the most unusual West Michigan has ever experienced and February was the front-runner for odd weather.
February 28th brought two rare winter tornadoes to Michigan. An EF-2 tornado was confirmed in Grand Blanc and an EF-1 was confirmed in Marshall.
This came in conjunction with the largest temperature drop since 1963 at a 51-degree temperature change.
Talk about a wild end to a wonky winter season.
It would be a lie to say that this winter wasn't expected to be this way. In our 2023-2024 Winter Forecast Special we predicted below average snowfall and above average temperatures.
If missed why we thought that, here is a link.
However, I don't think anyone could have predicted the amount of records broken or the extent of warmth and unusual side effects of that warmth.
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