Detroit's Snowfall History

[michsnowfreak]

Great idea by Chicagowx, who did the same for Chicago. http://www.americanw...y/#entry1138029

Detroits weather data locations:
1880-1934: Detroit (various locations near downtown Detroit)
1934-1966: Detroit City Airport (Detroit, MI)
1966-present: Detroit Metro Airport (Romulus, MI)

I will start this thread with a simple breakdown, and then add as time goes on.

Below is each seasons: total snowfall, followed by the numbers of days with 1"+ snowdepth, followed by the peak observation time snow depth that winter, followed by the biggest storm that winter
 

WINTER     SNOWFALL   1”+ SNWCVR DAYS  PEAK DEPTH   BIGGEST SNOWSTORM

1880-81             93.6”                            ?                          ?                12.5”  (Jan 31/Feb 1)

1881-82             13.2”                            ?                          3”                 2.6”  (Jan 25)

1882-83             49.6”                            ?                          ?                  7.5”  (Mar 19)

1883-84             50.3”                            ?                          ?                     ?

1884-85             60.8”                            ?                          ?                  7.7”  (Mar 9)

1885-86             56.7”                            ?                        25”               24.5”  (Apr 6)

1886-87             52.9”                            ?                          7”                 6.5”  (Dec 24)

1887-88             38.4”                            ?                          8”                 8.2”  (Mar 21)

1888-89             23.2”                            ?                          3”                 3.0”  (?)

1889-90             15.8”                            ?                          4”                 5.0”  (Mar 28)

1890-91             27.0”                            ?                          7”                 6.5”  (?)

1891-92             39.4”                            ?                          7”                 6.6”  (Jan 17/18)

1892-93             59.9”                            ?                        18”                 6.0”  (?)

1893-94             45.5”                            ?                        14”               12.8”  (Feb 12/13)

1894-95             43.6”                            ?                        14”               12.3”  (Mar 3/4)

1895-96             54.3”                            ?                          9”                 8.6”  (Dec 26)

1896-97             34.7”                            ?                          7”                 5.0”  (?)

1897-98             43.8”                            ?                          9”                 9.0”  (Feb 21)

1898-99             60.2”                            ?                        11”               11.4”  (Mar 4/5)

1899-00             69.1”                            ?                        26”               16.1”  (Mar 4/5)

1900-01             41.7”                            ?                        11”               11.2”  (Feb 3/4)

1901-02             26.2”                            ?                          6”                 6.2”  (Dec 24/25)

1902-03             51.3”                            ?                          9”                            7.4”  (Feb 8)

1903-04             57.0”                            ?                                  15”                 8.5”  (Mar 14)

1904-05             37.4”                            ?                        16”                 4.8”  (?)

1905-06             29.4”                    30 days (est)        6”                         5.7”  (Mar 18/19)

1906-07             31.0”                    48 days (est)        5”                     4.2”  (?)

1907-08             67.2”                    63 days (est)      15”                 12.6”  (Feb 19)

1908-09             41.3”                    35 days (est)      12”                   7.7”  (Feb 16)

1909-10             46.8”                    84 days                          14”               11.4”  (Jan 13/14)

1910-11             50.2”                    65 days (est)      12”                 12.3”  (Feb 6)

1911-12             58.0”                    85 days (est)      13”                   8.6”  (Mar 14)

1912-13             33.3”                    35 days                            6”                 6.5”  (Mar 26/27)

1913-14             42.3”                    47 days                            7”                 7.0”  (Jan 31)
1914-15             37.6”                    65 days                          10”                 5.3”  (Jan 18/19)

1915-16             46.0”                    60 days                            9”                 9.5”  (Mar 21/22)

1916-17             34.2”                    68 days                            9”                 6.1”  (Jan 21)

1917-18             38.4”                    65 days                          10”                 5.0”  (Jan 11/12)

1918-19             15.2”                    12 days                            5”                 5.8”  (Mar 8/9)

1919-20             43.5”                    81 days                          11”                 4.8”  (Jan 23)

1920-21             36.1”                    23 days                            7”                 7.4”  (Feb 25/26)

1921-22             42.7”                    43 days                            4”                 6.2”  (Nov 8/9)

1922-23             56.9”                    63 days                            9”               10.0”  (Dec 14)

1923-24             37.7”                    36 days                            7”                 5.9”  (Feb 19/20)

1924-25             30.0”                    59 days                            8”                 4.8”  (Mar 1/2)

1925-26             78.0”                    70 days                            9”                 8.9”  (Feb 12/13)
1926-27             47.5”                    36 days                          12”               12.1”  (Jan 13/14)

1927-28             30.3”                    31 days                            7”                 6.1”  (Dec 31/Jan 1)

1928-29             38.9”                    50 days                            8”                 6.6”  (Jan 14/15)

1929-30             66.5”                    79 days                          14”               13.8”  (Dec 18/19)

1930-31             47.8”                    49 days                            7”               11.0”  (Mar 7/8)

1931-32             26.2”                    11 days                            7”                 7.5”  (Mar 21/22)

1932-33             25.9”                    28 days                            8”                 9.0”  (Nov 15/16)

1933-34             42.2”                    54 days                            8”                 9.2”  (Mar 26/27)

1934-35             32.2”                    48 days                            6”                 4.7”  (Feb 4/5)

1935-36             36.8”                    61 days                            7”                 4.4”  (Jan 6)

1936-37             12.9”                    10 days                            3”                 3.5”  (Jan 22)

1937-38             22.6”                    48 days                            3”                 2.4”  (Mar 4/5)

1938-39             42.2”                    57 days                          10”                 7.3”  (Jan 30)

1939-40             32.2”                    53 days                            4”                 4.1”  (Mar 27)

1940-41             26.8”                    33 days                            4”                 3.8”  (Nov 29/30)

1941-42             23.4”                    20 days                            3”                 4.2”  (Apr 9/10)

1942-43             44.4”                    73 days                          11”                 4.8”  (Jan 18/19)

1943-44             22.8”                    21 days                            7”                 6.3”  (Feb 10/11)

1944-45             25.8”                    74 days                            8”                 5.5”  (Dec 10/11)

1945-46             22.0”                    39 days                            4”                 3.6”  (12/13 & 2/26)

1946-47             30.0”                    64 days                            5”                 4.2”  (Dec 21)

1947-48             26.6”                    89 days                            5”                 4.4”  (Dec 15/16)

1948-49             13.7”                    17 days                            4”                 2.8”  (Jan 26)

1949-50             42.8”                    45 days                            7”                 5.7”  (Mar 11/12)

1950-51             42.2”                    46 days                            8”                 6.3”  (Nov 25/26)

1951-52             58.6”                   52 days                          16”                 6.8”  (Dec 17/18)

1952-53             16.6”                    16 days                            2”                 3.2”  (Jan 11)

1953-54             40.0”                    49 days                            7”                 6.6”  (Feb 28/Mar 1)

1954-55             27.3”                    36 days                            4”                 3.8”  (Mar 25/26)

1955-56             45.2”                   47 days                            7”                 5.3”  (Mar 23)

1956-57             45.6”                    56 days                            9”                 9.0”  (Jan 9/10)

1957-58             18.0”                    32 days                            3”                 2.1”  (Feb 14-16)

1958-59             37.2”                    82 days                            7”                 4.4”  (Jan 16/17)

1959-60             47.7”                   65 days                          10”                 6.0”  (Feb 24/25)

1960-61             18.0”                    35 days                            3”                 3.0”  (Apr 16/17)

1961-62             28.1”                    59 days                            7”                 4.8”  (Feb 21)

1962-63             29.7”                    81 days                            6”                 4.7”  (Dec 6/7)

1963-64             32.5”                    57 days                            6”                 4.4”  (Dec 11/12)

1964-65             49.3”                    76 days                          11”               11.0”  (Feb 24/25)

1965-66             15.4”                    33 days                            4”                 3.0”  (Jan 22/23)

1966-67             50.6”                    86 days                            8”                 6.0”  (Nov 2/3)

1967-68             30.6”                    48 days                          10”                 7.7”  (Mar 22/23)

1968-69             17.1”                    28 days                            5”                 3.3”  (Jan 6)

1969-70             45.1”                    67 days                            7”                 4.8”  (12/31 & 2/9)

1970-71             35.4”                    43 days                            4”                 3.7”  (Dec 12/13)

1971-72             29.0”                    28 days                            3”                 3.0”  (Feb 25/26)

1972-73             45.0”                    38 days                            9”                 9.9”  (Mar 16/17)

1973-74             49.2”                    57 days                          11”               11.2”  (Dec 19/20)

1974-75             63.1”                    65 days                          19”               19.3”  (Dec 1/2)

1975-76             55.9”                    68 days                          10”                 6.5”  (Dec 25/26)

1976-77             43.9”                    67 days                            9”                 8.3”  (Mar 17/18)

1977-78             61.7”                    91 days                          15”               10.1”  (Jan 25-27)

1978-79             35.6”                    60 days                            7”                 6.1”  (Jan 13/14)

1979-80             26.9”                    19 days                            6”                 5.5”  (Mar 8)

1980-81             38.4”                    50 days                            9”                 8.6”  (Feb 10/11)

1981-82             74.0”                    89 days                          18”               11.8”  (Jan 30/31)

1982-83             20.0”                    15 days                            6”                 7.3”  (Mar 20/21)

1983-84             51.8”                    61 days                            7”                 6.9”  (Feb 27/28)

1984-85             55.1”                    55 days                          12”                 5.5”  (Mar 3/4)

1985-86             54.2”                    70 days                          11”                 5.8”  (Feb 16)

1986-87             49.7”                    36 days                            7”                 8.1”  (Jan 9/10)

1987-88             45.1”                    42 days                          10”                 8.2”  (Feb 11/12)

1988-89             25.1”                    19 days                            3”                 4.1”  (Feb 20/21)

1989-90             41.8”                    47 days                            5”                 5.9”  (Mar 4/5)

1990-91             31.4”                    33 days                            7”                 6.8”  (Feb 13/14)

1991-92             43.5”                    41 days                          12”               11.1”  (Jan 14)

1992-93             52.2”                    48 days                            7”                 7.5”  (Mar 10)

1993-94             45.8”                    49 days                          10”               10.3”  (Jan 6/7)

1994-95             33.5”                    39 days                            7”                 7.6”  (Dec 6/7)

1995-96             27.6”                    31 days                            6”                 5.8”  (Mar 19/20)

1996-97             38.4”                    38 days                            5”                 4.5”  (Jan 9)

1997-98             23.5”                    30 days                            6”                 4.8”  (Jan 22/23)

1998-99             49.5”                    41 days                          24”               11.3”  (Jan 2/3)

1999-00             23.7”                    43 days                            5”                 4.0”  (Feb 18/19)

2000-01             39.0”                    67 days                          12”                 6.1”  (Dec 11/12)

2001-02             33.7”                    30 days                            8”                 7.6”  (Jan 30/31)

2002-03             60.9”                    63 days                            9”                 7.3”  (Feb 22/23)

2003-04             24.1”                    51 days                            5”                 4.7”  (Jan 14)

2004-05             63.8”                    62 days                          12”               12.2”  (Jan 22)

2005-06             36.3”                    40 days                            8”                 6.2”  (12/9 & 12/15)

2006-07             30.3”                    43 days                            8”                 8.5”  (Feb 13/14)

2007-08             71.7”                    63 days                            9”                 9.0”  (Dec 15/16)

2008-09             65.7”                    60 days                          14”                 7.9”  (Dec 19)

2009-10             43.7”                    48 days                          10”                 8.6”  (Feb 9/10) 

2010-11             69.1”                    80 days                          16”               10.3”  (Feb 1/2)

2011-12             26.0”                    20 days                            5”                 4.8”  (Feb 10/11)

2012-13             47.7”                    50 days                            6”                 6.3”  (Dec 26/27)

2013-14             94.9”                    96 days                          20”               11.1” (Dec 31-Jan 2)

[dmc76]

Nice.. Jan 1999 was epic

[Stevo6899]

If you did this with lansing, saginaw or GR, I'd be curious to see how much inflated the numbers are. Either way impressive data

[michsnowfreak]

Nice.. Jan 1999 was epic

It was. It was definitely the worst 2-week stretch of winter weather weve seen here, problem is winter as a whole was not that great. There was almost no snow til the new years blizzard!

[michsnowfreak]

If you did this with lansing, saginaw or GR, I'd be curious to see how much inflated the numbers are. Either way impressive data

It would be interesting, but it would take a ton of time and research (I already had all this Detroit data on my computer).

[dmc76]

It was. It was definitely the worst 2-week stretch of winter weather weve seen here, problem is winter as a whole was not that great. There was almost no snow til the new years blizzard!

That year holds the record for the latest measurable snowfall (Dec 1998) but that month in January is one that may never be topped. I measured 27" on the ground at one point

[michsnowfreak]

That year holds the record for the latest measurable snowfall (Dec 1998) but that month in January is one that may never be topped. I measured 27" on the ground at one point

Yep. Latest first measurable snow, as DTW's first official measurable snowfall was 0.1" on Dec 29, 1998 (this broke the previous record of 1.0" from Dec 19, 1948...now 1948-49, THAT is a winter to forget!).

This is the perfect example of why a slow start to winter shouldnt make people think "winter cancel", much the same as a fast start to winter (think Nov/Dec 2005) shouldnt make people think an awesome winter is on tap. Winter is way too long of a season here to make quick judgments one way or the other. Have to just go with the flow until at least late Jan/early Feb before you can even THINK of what kind of winter OVERALL it is

[dmc76]

bump

[dmc76]

bump

[michsnowfreak]

bump

updated

[michsnowfreak]

At some point I will be updating this thread with the awesomeness that was the winter of 2013-14...but lets take a look at the other side of the coin.

 

Some discussion elsewhere on how winterless the 1930s-50s were nationwide got me looking in depth at the data for Detroit. And its astounding how bad winters were here at the time. They sort of came out of nowhere, with no indication through the late 1920s. Sure, there were some terrible winters thrown in here and there, but they were one and done. The same thing has been said since a more normal to snowy pattern set back in during the 1970s (and is currently at unprecedented levels of snowiness). We get the occasional cruddy winter, but its one and done. Even the mild, light snow winters of the 1990s were nice compared to much of the 1930s-50s. And when a good winter was seen, payback was imminent the next year. Why were there SO many pathetic winters during that time?

 

Detroits normal snowfall right now is listed at 42.7", and normal 1"+ snowcover days at 48. Entering 1930, the snowfall average was near identical to right now, and though Im not sure of snowcover, Id wager a guess it was at least where it is now if not a bit higher.

 

Mind you...Im just showing the worst of the worst below. Many winters I didnt list would be a trainwreck still by todays standards.

From 1931-32 through 1968-69, a span of 38 winters, Detroit hit 40"+ snowfall just 12 times. This means that 26 of 38 winters had below normal snowfall.

1933-34: 42.6"

1938-39: 42.8"

1942-43: 44.4"

1949-50: 42.8"

1950-51: 42.2"

1951-52: 58.6"

1953-54: 40.0"

1955-56: 45.2"

1956-57: 45.6"

1959-60: 47.7"

1964-65: 49.2"

1966-67: 50.6"

 

*********************************

 

A narrative post on the winterless winters of the 1930s-60s at Detroit:

 

1931-32: Still stands as the 2^nd warmest winter on record (behind only 1881-82). Green grass and blooming dandelions reported in MI in January. Almost no winter until a 6.5” snowstorm on Feb 5^th, then another 7.5” snowstorm Mar 22^nd. These two storms helped the season total to 26.2”, not necessarily a tell-tale of how winterless the winter was. Only 11 days had 1”+ snowcover, the 2^nd barest winter on record.

 

1932-33: The season started with a 9” mid-November snowstorm, and ended with a late-March 6” snowstorm. This was a big contribution to the season total snowfall of 25.9”. In between, once again, actual winter saw very little winter. The ground was completely bare of snow from Dec 19^th til Feb 7^th, which mean this was the SECOND CONSECUTIVE JANUARY with NOT A SINGLE DAY of measurable snowcover!

 

1936-37: After 3 ok winters (nothing to write home about, but at certainly more Michigan-like winters), this one takes the cake. The 12.9” season total ranks as the least snowy winter on record, and just 10 days of 1”+ snowcover makes it the barest as well. In fact, outside of a 3.5” snowfall on Jan 22^nd that led to 8 consecutive snowcover days, there was nothing but a smattering of harmless dustings spanning from Oct through Apr (the 2 other snowcover days were 1”, and actually technically less than a full inch). The season snowfall was broken up as 3.9” in Fall, 6.6” in winter, and 2.3” in spring.

 

1937-38: At least there was a light cover of white for 48 days this winter, but even then…most of those days were 1” depths, with several 2” depths, and just one day of 3” snowdepth. Winters biggest storm was a paltry 2.4” fall in March, and it took many dustings and light fall to accumulate the season total of 22.6”.

 

1940-41: A snowy November (9.1”) and 12.8” of snow had fallen by the winter solstace have false hope for a good winter…but it proved, like many of the time, to once again become a failure. The seasons biggest fall was the 3.8” storm on Nov 30^th, and following the first week of December, the rest of the winter saw just a smattering of dustings to 1-2” falls. Season total snowfall was 26.8", and though the 33 days of snowcover wasnt astoundingly low, nearly 2 weeks of it had been in the books before the first week of December was over.

 

1941-42: A mild winter, with nothing really of note until the seasons biggest storm, 4.2”, caused some brief power outages on April 10^th. The winters snow depth never exceeded 3”, only 20 days had measurable snowcover (only 6 days through early Feb), and the seasons total fall of snow was 23.4”.

 

1943-44: After finally seeing a winter in ’42-43, immediate payback was seen. After an unusual 1” snowfall on Oct 19^th and over 3” in November, winter disappeared in Dec & Jan. January 1944 joined 1932 and 1933 in that NOT A SINGLE DAY had snowcover. This is unheard of today, and it happened 3 times in 12 years. On Feb 10^th, what would turn out to be the biggest snowstorm of the 1940s dropped 6.3” of snow, and brought a 2-week stretch of rare decent snowcover. Still, in the end, just 21 day had snowcover and a total fall of 22.8” this season. Whats interesting, however, is that despite another open winter, the peak snow depth of 7” was higher than at any point in 6 other winters this decade.

 

1948-49: The previous 4 winters all had below normal snowfall, but there were at least decent stretches of winter (snowcover, though not deep at all, was way above normal in 1944-45 and again in 1947-48). This year, there was almost no winter. Newspaper accounts after a January windstorm noted how green the grass remained all winter to that point. The biggest “storm” was 2.8” on Jan 26^th which kicked off two-weeks of snowcover, and winters only real visit this season. The seasons total fall of snow was just 13.7” (3^rd least snowy winter on record) and only 17 days had 1”+ snowcover.

 

1952-53: After a very snowy winter of ’51-52, a familiar trend of the time reared its ugly head. Get a decent winter…pay dearly next year. This winter, only 16.6” of snow fell total, and just 16 days had 1”+ snowcover. Whats more, 13 of those 16 days the snow depth was just 1”, with the other three days being 2”. This is the only winter on record without a peak snow depth of 3” or higher. Winters biggest fall was 3.2” on Jan 11^th (but it warmed to 40F immediately after, so obs snow depth on both the 11^th and 12^th was 1”). Also, after January 31^st, only trace snow depths were seen from Feb-Apr, the first and only time on record there was no measurable snowcover Feb 1^st or later.

 

1957-58: After some decent winters in the mid-50s, this winter was one of very light snowfall. The seasons biggest storm was a long duration 2.1” from late Feb 13^th to early Feb 15^th (the backend of a big east storm), and the largest 24-hour fall of the season was 1.7” (set on 3 different occasions). No other winter season on record has had such a low fall be the biggest of the season. The total fall of snow of 18.0” ranks as the 10^th least snowy winter on record. The 32 days of 1”+ snowcover were below normal, but not in the barren category of many of the above mentioned winters. Still, peak depth was just 3” following the mid-Feb “storm”.

 

1960-61: A winter to remember out east was one to forget here. The total fall of snow of 18.0” ties with ’57-58 for the 10^th least snowy winter. This year, winters biggest fall was just 3.0”…and came on April 16/17^th! Once again, this winters peak depth was just 3”, however a White Christmas, 35 days with 1”+ snowcover, and several very cold days gave this winter a bit more bite than many of the above listed ones.

 

1965-66: This winter is the 5^th least snowy on record with just 15.4” falling the entire season. The biggest fall was 3.0” on Jan 22^nd, and the season had 33 snowcover days. The last 3 weeks of January did feature a solid snowcover and very cold weather. Snow depth peaked at 4” following the Jan 22^nd storm.

 

1968-69: This winter would be the last of the futile ‘30s-‘60s…and would welcome in much, much wintrier times for the ‘70s. The seasons total fall of snow of just 17.1” ranks as the 8^th least snowy on record. Whats worse, in December, the several snowfalls we had were immediately washed away by rain. The wintriest period was the first 17 days of January, which had snowcover, highlighted by the January 6^th snowfall of 3.3” (biggest of season) which brought depth to 5”. A 2.3” snowfall on Feb 2^nd would be Feb’s only measurable precip (one of the driest winter months ever recorded in the Midwest).