GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. —
Starting Out Chilly
We saw a bit of nearly everything in the month of May 2023. The month began with chilly 40s with snow flurries on May 1 and 2, followed by a brief warm up later in the week with thunderstorms on May 7. That would be the last significant rain of the month.
The Middle was Mellow
The next couple of weeks the weather pattern couldn't or wouldn't warm up fast enough with a few mornings dipping into the 30s on the 15th, 18th and 26th. High temperatures were pleasant enough reaching the 60s and 70s.
And Then....
The temperatures took off just in time for the Memorial Day holiday weekend, soaring into the 80s. The four-day holiday weekend was the best in recent memory with the last week of May sporting sunny skies and low humidity values. Perfect!
Hazy Skies
At times, haze filled the sky as smoke drifted into the region from wildfires in Alberta province of southern Canada. It led to some spectacular sunrises and sunsets.
Frost and Fire
Around the middle of the month, temperatures were cool enough in the morning for Frost Alerts while in the afternoon low humidity levels and breezy winds combined for Fire Weather Alerts.
Dry Spell
After May 7, very little meaningful rain fell, with no rain from May 21 through May 31, leading to the second-driest May on record.
How May 2023 Ended Up
- Temperatures were nearly average, if just a tiny bit cooler.
- Rainfall ended up over three inches drier than usual.
- The trace (T) of snow was about what is expected in May.
- Sunshine was also nearly average, if just a tiny bit cloudier.
How Spring 2023 Ended Up
- Temperatures were nearly average, if just a tiny bit warmer.
- Rainfall ended up about one inch drier than usual.
- The nearly two feet of snow was highly unusual, thanks to the fourth-snowiest March on record, making the spring season the eighth snowiest on record.
- Sunshine was below average but much sunnier than last May.
What's Ahead
The 30-day outlook for June calls for higher chances for warmer temperatures and higher chances for less rainfall. Looks like our weather pattern is stuck for a while.
Chief Meteorologist George Lessens
George is a graduate of Penn State University working for 13 On Your Side for over 42 years. He is a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM), a thirteen-time MAB® Weathercast Award Winner, two-time EMMY® Award Winner, NATAS® Silver Circle Award Winner, and Weather-Ready Nation® Ambassador.
Contact me at: GeorgeLessens@13OnYourSide.com
Follow me on Twitter @glessens and Facebook GeorgeLessensWZZM
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