A cold front moved through the Great Lakes as the month of September ended. It wasn’t very rainy, but behind it, some of that lake moisture was suspended over Lower Michigan. Temperatures on the final day of September didn’t echo the overwhelmingly warm month for a lot of the country in Lansing, as fog and low clouds from the Lakes kept temperatures in the low 70s, about 5 degrees cooler than most anticipated. Some did anticipate it, though, like Accuweather, who put together a very good forecast. Actuals: Sunday – .04 inches of rain High 78, Low 62 Monday – High 71, Low 56
On Friday, my mind naturally goes to college football, and I know that the Michigan State Spartans are squaring off against Ohio State tonight. Will travel between the two towns be challenging after the game?
At 1053PM, ET, Lansing was reporting cloudy skies and a temperature of 64 degrees. The clouds over Lansing, and the smattering of light showers in the area were remnants of Helene, which is continuing to unravel in the upper Ohio Valley. The remnants are getting weaker, but are not really expected to move out of the area through any other synoptic forcing. While clouds and maybe some rain will be possible through the night, the disturbance left by Helene will continue to contract in its area of influence over the next 48 hours. The threat for rain in Lansing should be through by tomorrow afternoon, after which point it will be partly cloudy, an increasingly warm once again. Tomorrow – Overcast, breaking out later in the day, Some early light rain. High 75, Low 62 Monday – Mostly sunny, High 78, Low 57
TWC: Tomorrow – Overcast (Early rain) High 75, Low 63 Monday – Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 76, Low 57
AW: Tomorrow – Mostly cloudy with a brief shower or two High 76, Low 62 Monday – Pleasant with times of clouds and sun High 73, Low 57
NWS: Tomorrow – 10 percent chance of showers before 8am. Mostly cloudy High 75, Low 63 Monday – Partly sunny, High 75, Low 58
WB: Tomorrow – Mostly cloudy. 20 percent chance of showers through midday, High 74, Low 65 Monday – Partly sunny, High 72, Low 59
WN: Tomorrow – Mostly cloudy with light rain showers, High 74, Low 63 Monday – Partly cloudy with light rain showers, High 73, Low 59
CLI: Tomorrow – Overcast, High 75, Low 62 Monday – Partly cloudy, High 75, Low 58
Differing opinions are seen for the rain, but for our more typically reliable outlets, well, there is more overlap. The rain isn’t showing up as clearly as the overcast from the remnants of Helene.
While the rest of the country was able to dry out after a system moved through the middle of the country about this time last week, Lansing was left in a lurch. After the warm start to the season, Lake Michigan still has open water, and deep cold pool with west winds whipping across the Lake settled in. The fetch wasn’t deep enough to substantively affect Lansing, but overcast and cold temperatures still enveloped the capital city. There were flurries at times both days, which ultimately awarded the top forecast to the Weather Service and WeatherNation. Actuals: January 15th, .01 inches of moisture in snow, High 11, Low -4 January 16th, .01 inches of moisture in snow, High 9, Low 2
We’re off to Michigan’s capital to put together a forecast in the wake of yet another round of significant wintry weather. Are we in for a pause?
At 453PM, ET, Lansing was reporting a temperature of 5 degrees and a brisk northwest wind. The slow start to winter has led to a Lake Michigan much more capable of producing lake effect snow, and it is compounding the accumulations in the wake of yesterday’s event. All told, Lansing has received only a couple of inches, but over a foot has fallen along the lakeshore. A strong area of low pressure was retrograding to the west over Hudson Bay, sending brisk northwest winds to ensure that visibilities, even in the light snow, would be challenged. Low pressure in Canada will continue to spin thanks to the support of a strong jet trough. At the surface over the center of the country, high pressure will build in. This will dry out most of the country, the part that relies on the Gulf of Mexico for it’s moisture, however the combination of features will only bring about gustier west winds in Michigan. Expect persistent west winds and some intermittent snow showers throughout the forecast period. Tomorrow – Overcast with light snow, High 8, Low 0 Tuesday – Continued wind and clouds with light snow, High 9, Low 3
TWC: Tomorrow – Cloudy High 11, Low -4 Tuesday – Cloudy skies. Continued very cold. High 7, Low 4
AW: Tomorrow – Variable clouds with flurries, frigid; breezy in the morning; bitter cold; be sure to wear layers High 10, Low -1 Tuesday – Low clouds and bitterly cold; bitter cold; be sure to wear layers High 8, Low 6
NWS: Tomorrow – A 20 percent chance of snow showers after 1pm. Mostly cloudy and cold, High 10, Low -1 Tuesday – A 20 percent chance of snow showers after 1pm. Mostly cloudy and cold, High 9, Low 5
WB: Tomorrow – Partly sunny. Areas of blowing snow, High 9, Low 0 Tuesday – Partly sunny, High 9, Low 6
WN: Tomorrow – Mostly cloudy with slight chance of light snow showers, High 10, Low -1 Tuesday – Mostly cloudy with slight chance of light snow showers, High 9, Low 5
CLI: Tomorrow – Overcast, High 13, Low -3 Tuesday – Light snow showers, High 12, Low 3
Here is a look at the radar, which is going to look pretty familiar for lower Michigan radar watchers for the next couple of days.
