Showing posts with label climate update for KGRR. Show all posts
Showing posts with label climate update for KGRR. Show all posts

Sunday, February 9, 2020

Climate update for Grand Rapids, Michigan, January 2020: We're all going to die :)

Climate update for Grand Rapids, Michigan, January 2020

Max temp 49, mean 48
Min temp 11, mean -3
Average temp 31.3, mean 23.8
Precipitation 3.65, mean 2.07
Snowfall 11.5, mean 18.5
Heating degree days 1036, mean 1270
HDD season to date 3436, mean 3756


Minimum temperature was tied for 7th highest ever for a January.
Average temperature was the 6th highest ever for a January.
Precipitation was the 14th highest ever for a January.
Heating degree days were the 6th lowest ever for a January.

Season to date the winter has been 8.5% warmer than the mean using heating degree days, but still 7.9% colder than the 2011-2012 season to date of 3183 HDD. The 2011-2012 full season was the warmest winter on record in Grand Rapids using HDD.

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Dec 2019 Climate Update for Grand Rapids, Michigan plus Annual 2019

Dec 2019 Climate Update for Grand Rapids, Michigan

Max Temp 61, Mean Max 53
Min Temp 7,  Mean Min 4
Av Temp 33.2, Mean Av 28.4
Precip 4.04, Mean 2.44
Snow 14.3, Mean 16
Heating Degree Days 978, Mean 1129
HDD Season to date 2400, Mean 2486






Annual 2019 Climate Update for Grand Rapids, Michigan

Max Temp 92, Mean 94
Min Temp -10, Mean -7
Av Temp 48.5, Mean 48.2
Precip 51.37, Mean 34.75 (wettest year on record since 1892)
Cooling Degree Days 742, Mean 693 

2019 was 0.6% warmer overall, as indicated by mean average temperature. The short summer air conditioning season was 7.1% warmer, as indicated by mean cooling degree days. Despite this mean maximum temperature was never reached.

The 2019-2020 heating season has been variable to date, but through Dec 2019 is deviating from mean heating degree days by less than 4% to the mild side. The previous heating season was utterly normal.  

Monday, December 2, 2019

Grand Rapids, Michigan, climate update for November 2019














Grand Rapids, MI, climate update for November 2019

Max temp 54, mean 66 (third lowest max since 1892)
Min temp 15, mean 17
Av temp 34.6, mean 39.1 (tied with 2018 for tenth coldest on record)
Precip 2.62, mean 2.84
Snow 6.5, mean 6.3
Heating Degree Days 910, mean 771 (ninth coldest on record)
HDD to date 1422, mean 1356 (4.9% colder than the mean, season to date)

Friday, November 1, 2019

Climate update for Grand Rapids, Michigan, October 2019: Really wet and not so hot

2019 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is already the 11th wettest year on record through October, displacing 2018 from that rank.

Precipitation to date is already 44.71 inches when long term mean to date is just 29.48 inches.

On the summer heat front 2019 was nothing like 2018, which was the 7th warmest summer on record.

Cooling Degree Days to date come in at 742 compared with the long term mean to date of 699, about 6.2% above the mean. The record hot summer was in 1921 with 1200 CDD, with the record cool summer in 1992 with just 316 CDD. 2018 CDD came in at 1003.

On the winter cold side of things, while 2018-19 was utterly normal (6722 vs. mean 6705), the 2019-20 season is starting off with Heating Degree Days over 12% below the mean. Most of that was due to September average temperature exceeding the mean average by 3.6 degrees F. Long term mean HDD in September is 134 but came in at just 45.


Grand Rapids, MI, Climate Update October 2019

Max temp 77, mean max 79
Min temp 31, mean min 28
Av temp 50.2, mean av 51.3
Precip 7.13, mean 3.03
CDD 8, mean 9
CDD to date 742, mean to date 699
HDD 459, mean 424
HDD to date (July-Oct) 512, mean to date 585
Snow 0.3, mean 0.4


Grand Rapids, MI, Climate Update September 2019

Max temp 88, mean max 88
Min temp 48, mean min 37
Av temp 66.4, mean av 62.8
Precip 7.32, mean 3.6
CDD 92, mean 76
HDD 45, mean 134


Wednesday, September 4, 2019

August 2019 climate update for Grand Rapids, Michigan

August 2019 climate update for Grand Rapids, Michigan

Max temp 89, mean 92
Min temp 49, mean 47
Av temp 70.7, mean 70.2
Precip 3.41, mean 3.07
HDD 8, mean 19
CDD 193, mean 189

Using cooling degree days, the month was about 2.1% warmer than normal, going back to the beginning of the record, failing to make even 48% of the August record, which is 404. Average temp was less than 1% warmer than normal. Max temp lagged the mean while min temp exceeded the mean. In other words, 'twere a wee bit warmer sleeping than normal.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

More climate BS: July 2019 hottest month ever recorded


If that were true we should at the very least have felt the residual effects of that even if local conditions were not record breaking, but we didn't.

Here in Grand Rapids, Michigan, maximum temperature in July 2019 never even reached the mean maximum, which is 94 degrees F.  We had zero, zip, nada days at or above the mean max.

Contrast that with the hottest July on record here going back to before the year 1900:  July 1921. Maximum temperature that month hit 100, which was the 9th highest maximum on record and one of the ten days that month when maximum temperature was at or above the mean max.

Average temperature was a record 79.7 in July 1921, with cooling degree days setting a record at 465. July 2019 didn't even come close to these records. Average temperature ranked 15th at 75.4, and cooling degree days ranked 14th at 332.

The July with the highest maximum temperature in Grand Rapids was July 1936, when a record 108 was recorded, one of nine days that month at or above the mean max of 94. That month ranked 5th for cooling degree days at 390, and 5th for average temperature at 77.3.

Apparently everyone has already forgotten July 2012, the second hottest July on record here in Grand Rapids. It ranked 2nd for cooling degree days at 449, 2nd for average temperature at 79.2, and second for maximum temperature at 104, with eleven days that July at or above the mean max of 94. But July 2019 couldn't hold a candle to July 2012 for hot conditions, yet somehow it was the hottest ever . . . everywhere else. 

The fact of the matter is the hottest Julys in Grand Rapids are a phenomenon of the distant past, with nine of the top fourteen for cooling degree days occurring before World War II. July 2019 ranked merely 14th in that list.

Ten of the top fifteen for average temperature also occurred before World War II. July 2019 ranked merely 15th in that list.

For maximum temperature July 2019 ranked tied for something like 72nd position.

Hottest July evah. Give me a break!

Sunday, August 11, 2019

Climate update for Grand Rapids, Michigan, July 2019

Climate update for Grand Rapids, Michigan, July 2019

Max temp 92  Mean Max 94
Min temp 54  Mean Min 49
Av temp 75.4  Mean Av 72.3
Precip 3.92  Mean 3.13
Precip ytd 26.85  Mean ytd 19.78 (36% wetter than normal)
[Snow Jan-Jun 2019 63.7  Mean Jan-Jun 43.5 (46% more than normal)]
[HDD Jan-Jun 2019 were utterly normal, not even 0.7% higher than the mean]
CDD 332  Mean 241
CDD ytd 449  Mean ytd 425 (5.6% warmer than normal)

The surfeit of moisture first from snow and then from rain in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 2019 year-to-date is characteristic of much of the continental United States, more than 80% of which isn't even abnormally dry at the height of summer at the end of the first week of August 2019. Drought is isolated to pockets making up less than 5% of the Lower 48, particularly near Seattle.




Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Grand Rapids, Michigan, Climate Update for June 2019

Grand Rapids, Michigan, Climate Update for June 2019:

Max temp 89, Mean Max 91
Min temp 40, Mean Min 43
Av temp 66.8, Mean 67.6 (the last week of June erased all but 0.8 degrees of the June deficit)
Precip 4.36, Mean 3.55
Precip to date 22.93 inches, Mean 16.65 inches (Annual Mean 34.60)
Snow season officially ended 81.3 inches, Mean 66.8 inches (26th snowiest on record)
Heating degree days season officially ended 6722, Mean 6705 (utterly normal)
Cooling degree days season to date 117, Mean to date 184 (36% cooler to date than normal)

Like much of the country, we've been soggy:


Wednesday, June 5, 2019

Climate Update for Grand Rapids, MI, May 2019

Climate Update for Grand Rapids, MI, May 2019

Max Temp 79, Mean Max 86
Min Temp 38, Mean Min 32
Av Temp 57, Mean Av 57.9
Precip 5.96, Mean 3.48 (12th wettest May on record)
Snow 0, Mean 0.2
HDD 248, Mean 252
Season to date HDD 6673, Mean 6654
CDD 6, Mean 39

We've had a very wet spring, and now we're seeing caterpillar activity on some pine and apple trees, in addition to vigorous ant activity in our sandy soils. Song birds have a plentiful supply of bugs to eat and are feeding and nesting robustly. 

Sunday, May 5, 2019

Climate Update for Grand Rapids, Michigan, April 2019













Climate Update for Grand Rapids, Michigan, April 2019

Max temp 77, Mean max 79
Min temp 19, Mean min 22
Av temp 47.7, Mean av 46.5
Precip 4.05, Mean 3.31
Precip to date 12.61, Mean to date 9.62 (8th wettest Feb on record, 35th wettest April)
Snow 4.9, Mean 2.4
Snow to date 81.3, Mean to date 66.1 (26th snowiest)
Heating Degree Days 515, Mean 553
HDD to date 6425, Mean to date 6402

The winter season is ending much snowier and wetter than the mean levels, but has been only just slightly colder than the long-term mean, less than 0.4% colder, using heating degree days as a yardstick. 

Thursday, April 25, 2019

Saturday night's forecast overnight into Sunday in Grand Rapids, Michigan is for two inches of snow!

Rain showers before midnight, then rain and snow showers. Low around 32. Northeast wind 8 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of around 2 inches.

Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Climate update for Grand Rapids, MI, March 2019

Max temp 61 / Mean 66
Min temp 8 / Mean 7
Av temp 32.2 / Mean 34
Precip 2.23 / Mean 2.45
Snow 7.9 / Mean 9.1
Snow to date 76.4 / Mean 63.7
Heating degree days 1006 / Mean 955
HDD to date 5910 / Mean 5849

So, it's been 20% snowier than the mean and 1% colder by HDD.

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Grand Rapids, Michigan, Climate Update for February 2019













Grand Rapids, Michigan, Climate Update for February 2019

Max Temp 48, Mean Max Temp 50
Min Temp -2, Mean Min Temp -2
Av Temp 25.6, Mean Av Temp 24.5
Precip 3.43, Mean Precip 1.80
Snow 20.4, Mean Snow 13.2
Snow Season To Date 68.5, Snow Mean Season To Date 54.6
Heating Degree Days 1099, Mean Heating Degree Days 1136
HDD Season To Date 4904, Mean HDD Season To Date 4894

Using HDD we are now just 0.2% colder than the mean, season to date.

Sunday, February 3, 2019

Grand Rapids, Michigan, Climate Update for January 2019

Grand Rapids, Michigan, Climate Update for January 2019

Max Temp 51, Mean Max Temp 48
Min Temp -10, Mean Min Temp -3
Av Temp 21.8, Mean Av Temp 23.7
Precip 2.9, Mean Precip 2.06
Snow 30.5, Mean Snow 18.6
Snow Season To Date 48.1, Snow Mean Season To Date 41.4
Heating Degree Days 1333, Mean Heating Degree Days 1272
HDD Season To Date 3805, Mean HDD Season To Date 3758

So after all the drama of the last week, using HDD we are just 1.25% colder than the mean, season to date.


Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Grand Rapids, Michigan, Climate Update for December 2018

Grand Rapids, Michigan, Climate Update for December 2018:

Max temp 53, Mean Max temp 53
Min temp 13 (tied for 11th highest min on record with 5 other years), Mean Min temp 4
Av temp 32.5, Mean Av temp 28.3
Av temp 2018 49.6, Mean Av temp 48.2
Precip 1.99, Mean precip 2.43
Precip 2018 44.45 (11th wettest year on record), Mean precip 34.60
Snow 3.2 (6th least snow in Dec on record), Mean snow 16.1
Snow season to date 17.6, Mean snow season to date 22.8
CDD 2018 1003 (7th highest season on record), Mean CDD 693
HDD 1000, Mean HDD 1130
HDD season to date 2472, Mean HDD season to date 2486


Sunday, December 9, 2018

November 2018 climate update for Grand Rapids, Michigan, goes from hot to cold like someone flipped a switch

Grand Rapids, Michigan, Climate Update for November 2018:

Max temp 52 (lowest on record), Mean Max temp 66
Min temp 20, Mean Min temp 17
Av temp 34.6 (10th coldest on record), Mean Av temp 39.1
Precip 2.73, Mean precip 2.84
Snow 14.4, Mean snow 6.3
Heating Degree Days 908, Mean HDD 770

By heating degree days, November 2018 was 18% colder than normal and the 10th coldest November on record.


Friday, November 9, 2018

Grand Rapids, Michigan, Climate Update for October 2018













Grand Rapids, Michigan, Climate Update for October 2018:

Max temp 84, Mean Max temp 79
Min temp 27, Mean Min temp 28
Av temp 50.4, Mean Av temp 51.3
Precip 5.69, Mean precip 3.00 (year to date 39.73, 5.21 above the mean annual 34.52)
Cooling Degree Days 20, Mean CDD 9, Season to date 1003, Mean Season to date 690.

The cooling season to date as measured by CDD has been 45% warmer than the mean to date.

Season to date 2018 is 7th warmest on record for total CDD:

1921: 1200
1931: 1061
2012: 1039
1936: 1022
1934: 1007
1933: 1004
2018: 1003
1939:   972.

There have been five months in a row in 2018 with max temps in the 90s, the first time that has happened since 1991.

Wednesday, October 3, 2018

Grand Rapids, Michigan, Climate Update for September 2018









Grand Rapids, Michigan, Climate Update for September 2018

Max temp 90, Mean Max temp 89
Min temp 40, Mean Min temp 37
Av temp 66.1, Mean Av temp 62.7
Precip 5.93, Mean precip 3.57 (quack quack, another gullywasher)
Cooling Degree Days 135, Mean CDD 76, Season to date 983, Mean Season to date 690

The cooling season to date as measured by CDD is now 42% warmer than the mean to date. Season to date 2018 is now 7th warmest on record for total CDD. The warmest year on record was 1921 with 1200 CDD. The 2nd warmest year on record was 1931 with 1061 CDD. It is highly unlikely that 2018 will finish warm enough to crack the number two spot but will be firmly in the top ten warmest years by CDD. There have been five months in a row in 2018 with max temps in the 90s, the first time that has happened since 1991.

Monday, September 3, 2018

Grand Rapids, Michigan, Climate Update for August 2018









Grand Rapids, Michigan, Climate Update for August 2018

Max temp 91, Mean Max temp 92
Min temp 52, Mean Min temp 47
Av temp 73.5, Mean Av temp 70.2
Av temp to date 51.5, Mean Av temp to date 49.6 (actual is elevated 3.8%)
Precip 6.61, Mean precip 3.07
Total precip to date 28.11, Mean total precip to date 22.77 (actual ahead by 23%)
Cooling Degree Days 271, Mean CDD 189, Season to date 848, Mean Season to date 614

The cooling season to date as measured by CDD is now 38% warmer than the mean, up just a little from last month.

To stay cool, I've averaged 1074 kWh a month in June, July and August running the air conditioning versus 701 a month on average in the previous eight months, 53% more but for only three months. Every kWh above 600 in the summer months is billed at a rate almost 35% higher than for the first 600, but it really doesn't amount to much of a penalty. In August, for example, the kWh above 600 cost me a penalty surcharge of less than $15.00.

Overall, the price of staying cool in my case (74 degrees F) means operating anyway in the higher rate category. Even without running the AC I'm in it because I average 701 a month, 101 a month more than the arbitrary 600 ceiling. I'd pay the higher rate like it or not simply by running floor fans and ceiling fans. Running the toaster in summer makes breakfast slightly more expensive. This summer the extra 1119 kWh I've used above my non-summer average, due mostly to running the AC, have run me a relatively low additional $142.49 total, or $47.50 a month, all paid at the penalty rate.

A small price to pay to sleep well and remain fully functional, productive and healthy under somewhat less than ideal conditions in the summer of 2018.  

Monday, August 6, 2018

Grand Rapids, Michigan, Climate Update for July 2018

Grand Rapids, Michigan, Climate Update for July 2018

Max temp 94, Mean Max temp 94
Min temp 54, Mean Min temp 49
Av temp 74.4, Mean Av temp 72.2
Av temp to date 48.3, Mean Av temp to date 46.6 (actual is elevated 3.6%)
Precip 2.30, Mean precip 3.12
Total precip to date 21.5, Mean total precip to date 19.7 (actual ahead 1.8 despite dry conditions)
Cooling Degree Days 301, Mean CDD 241, Season to date 577, Mean Season to date 425

The cooling season to date as measured by CDD has moderated to 35.76% warmer than the mean after a hot early start to the summer season.

I notice Mean Max temp for June 2018 has been altered/changed/corrected down to 91 from the 94 I reported. It's also possible I misread it.

Check, check, double check, but still discrepancies arise due to human error . . . just not sure whose.