Grand Rapids (WZZM) -

The month of January was an above-average and rather unusual month to start the year as it was warmer than average, wetter than average, snowier than a typical January (believe it or not), and sunnier than usual!

Temperatures for the month averaged...more 29.7°F, 5.3°F above average and 8.6°F warmer than last year (21.1°F).  Twenty-three days were warmer than usual, seven were cooler and one was considered average.  The highest temperature occurred on January 6 with 54°F while the lowest temperature occurred on January 19 with 3°F. 

Precipitation was above average last month with 3.20", 1.11" more than usual and 1.89" more than last year (1.31").  There were thirteen days with measurable precipitation, which is three days less than usual (16).

Snowfall in January amounted to 27.0", 6.2" more than usual and 5.8" more than last year (21.2").

There was 31.0% of the possible sunshine last month, 6.0% more than usual and

Grand Rapids (WZZM) -

The month of December was much warmer and a little sunnier than the average, while there was much less snowfall than usual; nonetheless, the month ended up with near-average precipitation.  The year 2011 was also warmer, much wetter and a little sunnier than a...more typical year.

Temperatures for the month averaged 35.0°F, 5.8°F above average, making it the seventh warmest December on record (based on data from 1870-2011), and 7.6°F warmer than last year (27.4°F).  Twenty-six days were warmer than usual, three were cooler and two were considered average.  The highest temperature occurred on December 15 with 57°F while the lowest temperature occurred on December 10 with 17°F.  The annual temperature for 2011 was 49.9°F, 0.8°F above average, but 1.2° cooler than 2010 (51.1°F).

Precipitation was slightly above average last month with 2.59", 0.09" more than usual and 0.81" more than last year (1.78").  There were fifteen days with measurable

Muskegon (WZZM) -

The month of November and the autumn season were both warmer than the average, with nearly average precipitation, but with much less snowfall than usual.

Temperatures in November averaged 44.2°F, 4.0°F above average, making it the sixth warmest on record and...more 1.6°F warmer than last year (42.6°F).  Twenty days were warmer than average, nine were cooler and one was average.  The highest temperature occurred on November 13 with 64°F while the lowest temperature occurred on November 23 with 26°F.  The autumn season (September, October, and November) averaged 52.6°F, 1.6°F above average but 0.1°F cooler than last autumn (52.7°F).

Precipitation was nearly average last month with 3.28", 0.08" less than usual but 1.82" more than last year (1.46").  There were seven days with measurable precipitation, seven days less than average (14).  Autumn precipitation was nearly average with 10.38, 0.02" more than usual and 0.54" more than last autumn

Grand Rapids (WZZM) -

The month of November and the autumn season were both warmer and sunnier than average and drier and less snowy than usual.

Temperatures for the month averaged 43.7°F, 3.5°F above average, making it the ninth warmest November on record, and 1.9°F warmer...more than last year (41.8°F).  Eighteen days were warmer than usual, ten were cooler and two were considered average.  The highest temperature occurred on November 6 with 65°F while the lowest temperature occurred on November 18 with 24°F.  The autumn season (September, October, and November) averaged 52.7°F, 1.4°F above average and exactly equal to last autumn (52.7°F).

Precipitation was well below average last month with 2.50", 1.01" less than usual and 0.31" less than last year (2.81").  There were nine days with measurable precipitation, which is four days less than usual (13).  Autumn precipitation was well below average with 7.86", 3.19" less than usual and 0.36" less than last

WZZM 13's Chief Meteorologist George Lessens is scheduled to speak at the East Grand Rapids Middle School on Wednesday. The lunch hour event will take place in the schools media center upstairs from 11:15 until 12:15. More than 50 6th, 7th and 8th graders signed up to hear Lessens Lessons about science and weather.

Chief Meteorologist George Lessens forecasts cold and snowy weather in his Winter 2011-12 Forecast.

Defining What 'Winter' Means

Weeks before winter actually settles in meteorologists are called upon to make their predictions for what type of season it will be. Long-range...more forecasting is one the more difficult tasks for meteorologists (my profession), so we turn to climatologists to help us analyze and interpret worldwide weather patterns that affect us locally.

Typically when we speak of winter temperatures we usually mean average temperatures for the months of December, January, and February. When we talk about snowfall we usually mean the total snowfall for the entire season (September-May.) The average winter temperature for Grand Rapids is 26.8°F while the average snowfall is 74.9" (based on the 30-year average from 1981-2010).

Last Year's Forecast Results

Last year, I forecast the winter of 2010-11 would feature temperatures

Muskegon (WZZM) -

Temperatures in October averaged 52.1°F, 1.4°F above average but 0.9°F cooler than last year (53.0°F).  Fifteen days were warmer than average, twelve were cooler and four were average.  The highest temperature occurred on October 7 with 80°F while the lowest...more temperature occurred on October 28 with 28°F.

Precipitation was above average last month with 3.96", 0.85" more than usual and 1.83" more than last year (2.13").  There were fourteen days with measurable precipitation, three days more than average (11).

There was no snow recorded in October, 0.2" less than usual, but the same as last year (0.0").

Grand Rapids (WZZM) -

Never, in the weather history of Grand Rapids, has there even been a warmer, sunnier, and drier start to October than the first twelve days of the month.  High temperatures during those dozen days averaged 75.3°F, 11.3° warmer than usual; sunshine averaged 93.7%,...more 49.4% more than usual, including seven days with 100% sunshine and five in a row from October 5-9; and not a drop of rain fell.

Temperatures for the entire month of October averaged 52.6°F, 1.5°F above average but 0.9°F cooler than last year (53.5°F).  Seventeen days were warmer than usual while fourteen were cooler.  The highest temperature occurred on October 7 with 82°F while the lowest temperature occurred on October 28 with 28°F.  The growing season, began on April 18 and ended on October 22, totaled 186 days, 30 days longer than average (156 days), and 22 days longer than last year (164 days).

Precipitation was close to average last month with 3.13", 0.13" less than

Grand Rapids (WZZM) - Halloween can be spooky enough but the weather is rarely ever scary!  Last year (2010) was rather pleasant with temperatures reaching 55°F in the afternoon with 90% of the possible sunshine (and no rain). 

Out of 118 years of record keeping, rain has fallen on...more 53 Halloweens, or 45% of the time.  Rain fell in 2009, and again in 2007, but the most rain was in 1994 when 1.27" drenched the area. 

Snow is extremely rare; in fact, the last time any snowflakes were seen was in 1949; measurable snow has fallen only twice: 0.3" in 1932, and a record 1.5" in 1917.

Sunshine has averaged 34% since 1905 with 100% sunshine last occurring in 2008.

The warmest Halloween occurred in 1950 when the temperature warmed to 79°F while the coldest Halloween afternoon was 32°F in 1917 when all that snow fell.

Happy Halloween!

GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan (WZZM) - The first twelve days of October in Grand Rapids have never been warmer, never been sunnier, and never been drier than this year.

Temperatures averaged 75.3° from October 1-12, beating out the 73.8° average from the first dozen days in 1997 and 1900....more  During this stretch we recorded five 80° days, five 70° days, one 60° day and one 50° day.

Not a drop of rain fell in the first twelve days, equaling 1957's start to the month of October; however, 1957 recorded fourteen days in a row before the first rain fell; 2011 only made it to twelve days.

It was also the sunniest start to October with 93.7% of the possible sunshine, just a few tenths of a percent more than 1943's 93.5%.

I hope you enjoyed the best start to any October in history!  Much cooler, wetter and cloudier weather has arrived....