michsnowfreak

Obviously the Great Lakes are a different climate than the east coast, but im noticing the cold vs snow thing, especially this year since its been such a cold January with very little snow (in the north) outside the lakes. Weve done ok in SE MI- snow has been below avg and precip well below avg, but we have had some snow on the ground nearly all month. But west of the lakes (Chicago, Minneapolis, Green Bay, etc) its been frozen dry ground. I have no problem with people liking what they like, but im definitely finding some weenies contradicting themselves locally. All the complaining about recent mild winters...but really, in the post 2007-15 record snow era, snowfall has been largely around avg here before last winter. So I have to say to them, if all you care about is snow thats fine, but then you need to give those mild winters more credit and less bitching lol. (again im talking about the masses...I personally love snow AND cold).

Lake MI is a defining characteristic of our climate. Not just for lake effect flakes, but for how it affects minor clippers/other disturbances as they cross. As frustrating as a zzz pattern is, its great to see all the mood flakes. Going over this seasons snowfall, 14.1" to date at DTW, much of it was lake effect or enhanced, but the largest snowfall (3.7" on Jan 10/11) was purely synoptic. January saw snow fall on 26 of the first 29 days, even though the total on the month is 8.7". We definitely squeezed the most of the light amounts of snow, having some amount of snow on the ground (T-4") pretty much all month, so I dont want to hear any complaints about "stat padding" snowfalls that melt quickly in Mar or Apr This winter has definitely been different. There are a few of us who enjoy the cold/white even tho its dry, but definitely seems to be a lot are about snow only (not cold). Thats certainly fine, but then really, outside of last winter, SE MI has nothing to complain about (the post record snow era of 2007-15 has largely seen average snowfall).

I actually think of this everytime someone prematurely mentions futility. Any time someone is discussing futility for a location before late April, its being compared to past seasons that have already happened, in full. Multiple times in past years there have been some unthinkably low snowfall totals til a March snowstorm hits. I know in my lifetime Ive never seen anything close to futility for Detroit. We need EVERYTHING to go completely wrong AND the lakes to shutoff.

Depends what you mean area wide snowfall. You're never going to get a snowfall that hits the entire subforum. We have had area wide snowfalls in southern MI so far (obviously nothing heavy). Going forward the pattern looks more active in Feb, so where storm tracks/baroclinic zones set up will be telling as to who gets some fun, but that is something with little skill more than a few days out.

Nope. Some on here were calling for a warm Jan, yet the conus is experiencing its coldest January since 1988. And fwiw, ensembles did show well above avg 850s for the upper/western midwest tmrw going back over a week. Here in Detroit yesterday was our first 40 of the month. Jan has had a light snowcover nearly all month, frequent but light dry snowfalls, and precip has been well below avg. Also there's been little roller coaster in temps (just mostly cold). That's literally as un-nina-like as you can get lol.

DTW made it to 43 today. Snowcover is down to patches and piles. After having snow on the ground for a while, even though not deep, seeing all the grass has that weird look. Oh, and gross too

You guys and these OP runs

Re: the 1936-37 winter, while it appears Moline had some missing data, it was a remarkably putrid winter for many. It holds the record as the least snowiest winter on record for both Detroit (12.9") and Boston (9.0"), and 3rd least snowy winter for Chicago (12.0"). Also, for Detroit, with only 10 days of 1"+ snowcover, it ranks as the "barest" winter since 1908 (snowcover data for me is missing a lot of data pre-1908).

DTW hit 41F yesterday evening, the first 40F day of January. Snow depth is down to 1".

Especially with a changing pattern, i still think its way early. I dont have any stake in it either way, but its a pretty tall task to assume that less than 6.3" of snow will fall there in the next 3 months. FWIW, the 3.6" at MLI is their 10th lowest total thru 1/28. The lowest was 0.4" in 1944 (The 1943-44 season ended with 17.3").

Yes! Didn't think or that but that's a good point

In the 6 days preceding the blizzard, the high temps at Chicago were 45, 50, 56, 59, 65, 54. Really an extraordinary stretch of warmth for the dead of winter. Then BAM! The clashing airmasses probably contributed to the fierceness of the storm. At Detroit, the 6 days preceding the storm had high temps of 40, 45, 53, 61, 54, 60. Here the storm was a mix of snow/sleet/freezing rain, with a record blizzard just to our west.

DTW gusted to 52mph today. Hit 38°, which ties for warmest of the month. Snowcover crust didn't budge in shade but eroding in sun. This isn't my pic but thought it was an awesome pic of a Detroit River sunset.

This should be the motto of this January in southeast Michigan as well. Been nothing exciting whatsoever, but lots of flakes, lots of cold, and persistent (albeit not deep at all) white ground.

Feb looks stormy in many areas, so easily there could be notable things for some areas in Feb.

With early morning flurries, Detroit has now seen snow fall on 26 of the past 28 days. Today is the half way mark of the snow season at DTW (meaning the climatological avg would have seen half the snow fall and half the snow to come still)

Haha. Yeah there is supposed to be a "user friendly" area at all these sites to measure snow and depth properly. Near wind scoured fields or salt splashed roads are as bad as measuring a drift or snow bank.

It's absurd that this conversation is brought up still. Obviously lake snow settles insanely fast. But it is what it is. That's why there's a liquid precip, snowfall, and snow depth column for each day.

Next weekend looks like a brief warm up then the cold recharges. Pattern definitely more active on the ensembles.

After a low of 11° DTW skyrocketed to 35° under sunny skies. Went sledding today and i had as much fun as the kids.

Definitely understand. I've enjoyed this Jan for what it has been. Snow has fallen at least at some point on 23 of the first 25 days of the month, though my monthly total is only 9.0". It's been deep winter for sure, just not deep snow. I know it's been abysmal to the west. I see Omaha has only had 1.0" all season. I'm guessing you welcome the pattern change with open arms.

If I'm stuck with one or the other I still pick CAD lol

Ensembles have a fairly active look to start Feb. Last week of Jan looks to continue pretty quiet.

Big dogs can occur thru March

Took a walk along the Detroit River yesterday. The ice looks so dang cool. In the first pic, the far distance horizon left of center looks towards Detroit, and the far right horizon is Canada.