michsnowfreak

Random banter. Everyone knows I am the climo guy and I love looking at old climate data. I'm especially a sucker for analyzing months that were anomalously warm or cold, wet or dry, snowy or snowless. However, the May that just ended really made me think. May locally went from temps way colder than average, to way warmer than average, and ended way colder than average. What was the end result? A month that was slightly colder than average, one that would certainly not stick out as an extreme when glancing at monthly mean temperatures. I need to start looking at months that finished relatively close to the mean average and learn about some potentially interesting weather events I have previously overlooked!

May was a see saw of a chilly and often frosty first half, followed by a mid summer hot stretch for a week, then ending with a brief visit to November. In the end it will just blend in the records as a non extreme May lol. Finished -1.3° at DTW with a mean temp of 59.0°. Monthly max/min 88/32.

wind chills were in the 30s all day. felt like late November

High of 44 on May 30, 1889

High at DTW yesterday was 50, which was a record cold max for the day, but that was at midnight. The daytime high was 46 (in fact, it had dropped to 46 by 2am). To put it into perspective, only one time on record after May 24 was there a high temp colder than 46.

Not sure if I missed it, did anyone find a link like the meteostar 16 day detailed forecast?

The warm weather of this week caused us to miss some record highs by only 2 or 3ﾟ, and now Friday has a shot at the record low max for the day (52).

Each snow itself was higher ratio as it fell but there was still 1.5"-2" water content in the pack at peak. It melted at the end of February with aid of no rain and as you mentioned, March was like a desert. This weather would be great in July but again, not a fan of the daily watering. As usual, from frost to heat in the blink of an eye in May.

Who would have thought the same region with 1-2 feet of snow on the ground 3 months ago would be talking legit drought. I picked a bad year to plant some new grass seed in a few spots (patch work). I am ALREADY sick of watering the lawn and no end in sight.

The very end is an example of how any weather related articles about any weather phenomena has to throw some climate change blurb in there whether it makes sense or not. "The drop in water levels could be because of the world's changing climate and the resulting change in temperatures and precipitation. The amount of evaporation taking place on the lakes has changed, while precipitation has, too. "It's kind of puzzling to folks, and maybe an indication that there's climate change influencing this," Bechle said." Never mind the fact that Lake levels always rise and fall, a cycle that's been around as long as any records exist. But the article is literally discussing how Lake levels are finally dropping from their record highs last year, and are still way above normal...so maybe this drop is the fault of climate change lol. For a year now every time there's an east wind we have lakeshore flood warnings and advisories, and over the Winter ice floes were causing a lot of flooding in areas on the East Side of Michigan. A drop in Lake levels is definitely needed, though I am certainly hoping we don't head into a big drought.

Here, snowfall was above avg in Nov, Feb, & Apr...but the last month with above avg liquid precipitation was September.

It must be a blast to be a fruit grower in this state. Frost every morning for what, a week to 10 days straight? Then blink and here comes the heat. And no rain. This weather better not mess with my fall apple picking

A local weather friend Michael & his wife Kristin were just out chasing all over the country, I wonder if it was your tour?

I was only 5 but I actually remember 1988 a little bit. That year clearly reigns supreme for extreme heat. I honestly do not know how they survived the 1930s to 50s with much less air conditioning and so much extreme heat

28 of 72 here for that time frame but again, it's a very short window. Temperatures are always going to ebb and flow. From 2013-15, 24 of the 36 months were colder than average. 2016-20: 21 of 60 colder than avg 2011-15: 32 of 60 colder than avg 2006-10: 27 of 60 colder than avg My main point is that if you make an average a full 1° warmer than it should be, get ready for lots of colder than average months in the means over the next decade.

Despite a slight overall rise in temperature there are still plenty of colder than average months. If you make "average" a degree warmer than it really is, then you will really see colder than average months.

I don't even know how you would Figure that out, I know I have no idea how to. All I can say is that locally severe weather has definitely decreased but it does not bother me.

Thanks guys. I am updated my post. Let me know of any others I missed.

I think May finishes below avg, very confident in that. Summer...who knows.

Wow thats a hell of an increase. A sample so far... Buffalo, NY: +0.7" Chicago, IL: +2.1" Detroit, MI: +2.5" Rochester, NY: +2.5" Grand Rapids, MI: +2.6" Pittsburgh, PA: +2.7" New York City, NY: +4.0" Syracuse, NY: +4.0" Flint, MI: +4.7" Boston, MA: +5.4" Saginaw, MI: +7.1" Worcester, MA: +8.8" Hartford, CT: +11.2"

That is very interesting. I checked for Detroit and there are very minor differences to the tune of 0.1 to 0.2° here and there. But that Chicago discrepancy is mystifying.

I am guessing the core of the cold missed you last may? Being in a more rural area I would have thought you had more than one freeze last May. The low temps at Detroit last May 5/05: 39 5/06: 38 5/07: 38 5/08: 31 5/09: 27 5/10: 33 5/11: 34 5/12: 34 5/13: 32 These temps were kept up a little not only due to UHI but also clouds and snow flurries kept temperatures up a few of those nights. The DTX nws office in White Lake IS in a rural area, and their lows for that stretch were: 5/05: 33 5/06: 31 5/07: 34 5/08: 26 5/09: 25 5/10: 31 5/11: 28 5/12: 25 5/13: 24

Snow two Mothers Days in a row? That's interesting weather!

I don't remember the specifics but after snowflakes fluttered around in the cold may 8th and 9th last year, it actually warmed up on the 10th ahead of the rain. Snow was not even forecast then all of a sudden wet bulbing/evap cooling did its thing and it started pouring snow & instantly accumulating. Granted it was 11:00 p.m., but it was 11:00 p.m. on May 10th

It would be hilarious if someone sees snowflakes on Mothers Day because that would be 2 Mothers Days in a row it has snowed in this region. Talk about unheard of lol. Last Mothers day I had my mom over for dinner. it was cold and rainy. When the parents left I started washing dishes and the noise of rain had stopped. I looked outside and saw this.