Issued by NWS
000
CXUS53 KGRR 011301 CCA
CLMMKG
CLIMATE REPORT...CORRECTED...ADDED TEXT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS, MI
901 AM EDT WED OCT 1 2008
...................................
...THE MUSKEGON MI CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2008...
CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1971 TO 2000
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1895 TO 2008
WEATHER OBSERVED NORMAL DEPART LAST YEAR`S
VALUE DATE(S) VALUE FROM VALUE DATE(S)
NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
HIGH 95 09/06/1954
09/01/1953
LOW 27 09/28/1991
09/27/1989
HIGHEST 89 09/02 MM MM 91 09/05
LOWEST 43 09/16 MM MM 39 09/16
09/10
AVG. MAXIMUM 72.6 70.3 2.3 75.2
AVG. MINIMUM 53.9 50.7 3.2 53.2
MEAN 63.3 60.5 2.8 64.2
DAYS MAX >= 90 0 MM MM 1
DAYS MAX <= 32 0 MM MM 0
DAYS MIN <= 32 0 MM MM 0
DAYS MIN <= 0 0 MM MM 0
PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
TOTALS 6.71 3.52 3.19 2.25
DAILY AVG. 0.22 0.12 0.10 0.08
DAYS >= .01 8 MM MM 8
DAYS >= .10 7 MM MM 4
DAYS >= .50 3 MM MM 1
DAYS >= 1.00 2 MM MM 1
GREATEST
24 HR. TOTAL 3.50 09/04 TO 09/05
SNOWFALL (INCHES)
TOTALS 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
SINCE 7/1 T
SNOWDEPTH AVG. 0 MM MM 0
DAYS >= 1.0 0 0.0 0.0 0
GREATEST
SNOW DEPTH 0 MM 0 MM
24 HR TOTAL 0.0 09/30 TO 09/30
DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL 87 168 -81 109
SINCE 7/1 95 210 -115 136
COOLING TOTAL 41 44 -3 90
SINCE 1/1 404 484 -80 631
.................................................................
WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED 6.3
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 24/210 DATE 09/13
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION 35/210 DATE 09/13
SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT) MM
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR 17
NUMBER OF DAYS PC 6
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY 7
AVERAGE RH (PERCENT) 75
WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM 0 MIXED PRECIP 0
HEAVY RAIN 5 RAIN 5
LIGHT RAIN 11 FREEZING RAIN 0
LT FREEZING RAIN 0 HAIL 0
HEAVY SNOW 0 SNOW 0
LIGHT SNOW 0 SLEET 0
FOG 21 FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE 3
HAZE 6
- INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.
RECORD DATA
9/4 - DAILY RECORD RAINFALL OF 3.25 INCHES. OLD RECORD IS 1.49 IN 1939.
6.71 INCHES RAINFALL - 8TH WETTEST SEPTEMBER ON RECORD.
&&
SEPTEMBER 2008 WILL BE REMEMBERED AS A VERY WET MONTH FOR SOUTHWEST
LOWER MICHIGAN. AFTER A DRY MONTH OF AUGUST IN WHICH A GOOD PORTION
OF THE AREA WAS CLASSIFIED AS ABNORMALLY DRY...OR THE BEGINNING
STAGE OF DROUGHT... SEPTEMBER MARKED A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE BEGINNING
ON THE 3RD OF THE MONTH.
ON THE 3RD... A COLD FRONT MOVED INTO THE AREA... BRINGING A FEW
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE AREA. THIS FRONT STALLED OUT JUST
SOUTH OF THE STATE LATE ON THE 3RD...AND EARLY ON THE 4TH. THE
REMNANTS OF HURRICANE GUSTAV...WHICH CAME ASHORE ON THE LOUISIANA
COAST ON THE MORNING OF THE 1ST...WEAKENED AND MOVED NORTH ALONG
THE FRONT. HEAVY RAINS ASSOCIATED WITH THE REMNANT LOW AND RICH
MOISTURE OCCURRED ACROSS LOWER MICHIGAN FROM THE MORNING OF THE
4TH...THROUGH THE PRE-DAWN HOURS OF THE 5TH. RAINFALL AMOUNTS
RANGED FROM AN INCH OR LESS SOUTHEAST OF A BATTLE CREEK TO ALMA
LINE...TO A WIDESPREAD 2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAINFALL NORTHWEST OF A
SOUTH HAVEN TO ALMA LINE. REMARKABLY...NO FLOODING OCCURRED WITH
THIS EVENT...LIKELY DUE TO THE VERY DRY CONDITIONS FOR MOST OF JULY
AND AUGUST.
A FRONT MOVED INTO THE AREA DURING THE MORNING HOURS OF SUNDAY THE
7TH. THIS FRONT BROUGHT UP TO A QUARTER OF AN INCH OF RAINFALL OVER
MOST OF THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA. A WAVE OF LOW
PRESSURE ALSO MOVED ACROSS THE AREA DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING
HOURS ON THE 8TH. THIS WAVE BROUGHT A QUARTER OF AN INCH OR RAIN TO
THE NORTHERN COUNTIES...WHILE AREAS SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 96 SAW OVER
AN INCH OF RAINFALL.
THE MOST NOTABLE PERIOD OF WEATHER FOR SEPTEMBER THEN CAME FROM THE
FRIDAY NIGHT THE 12TH...THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON THE 14TH. A COLD
FRONT DROPPED DOWN INTO THE AREA DURING THE DAY ON FRIDAY THE 12TH.
THIS FRONT STALLED OUT JUST SOUTH OF THE AREA LATE ON THE 12TH. A
RICH PLUME OF MOISTURE COMING FROM THE TROPICAL PACIFIC MOVED IN
ALONG THIS FRONT...INCLUDING SOME MID AND HIGH LEVEL MOISTURE FROM
FORMER TROPICAL STORM LOWELL. THIS COMBINED WITH MOISTURE STREAMING
NORTH FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO PROVIDED MODERATE TO LOCALLY HEAVY
RAIN THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT THE 13TH. MOST LOCATIONS SOUTH OF
INTERSTATE 96 SAW 2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN...WHILE SOME LOCAL AREAS
SOUTH OF A HOLLAND TO LANSING LINE SAW 6 INCHES OF RAINFALL. THIS
RAINFALL...COMBINED WITH THE HIGHER RAINFALL AMOUNTS FROM THE
PREVIOUS TWO WEEKS BEGAN TO PRODUCE SOME AREAL FLOODING AND WASHOUTS
OF ROADS BEGINNING DURING THE EVENING HOURS OF SATURDAY THE 13TH.
IN ADDITION TO THE HEAVY RAINS ON THE 13TH...FOUR TORNADOES
OCCURRED DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING HOURS. THESE
TORNADOES WERE THE ONLY SEVERE WEATHER THAT OCCURRED DURING THE
MONTH. THE FIRST TORNADO OCCURRED IN THE CITY OF PAW PAW. DAMAGE
OCCURRED TO A FEW BUSINESSES IN PAW PAW...ALONG WITH SOME TREES
KNOCKED DOWN. THIS TORNADO WAS RATED EF-1 ON THE ENHANCED FUJITA
SCALE WITH ESTIMATED WINDS OF 90 MPH. EF-0 TORNADOES OCCURRED IN FAR
EASTERN VAN BUREN COUNTY...AND FAR WESTERN KALAMAZOO COUNTY FROM
THE SAME THUNDERSTORM. THE SAME THUNDERSTORM CONTINUED THROUGH EATON
COUNTY WHERE IT DROPPED ONE MORE TORNADO JUST EAST OF OLIVET. THIS
TORNADO WAS RATED EF-1...AND DID SOME DAMAGE TO A CORN FIELD...A
FEW TREES...AND TO A COUPLE OF HOMES.
THE FRONT REMAINED NEAR THE AREA THROUGH THE DAY OF SUNDAY THE 14TH.
THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE IKE WHICH CAME ASHORE OVER GALVESTON
TX...RACED NORTHEAST ALONG THE FRONT...AND RIGHT ACROSS SOUTHERN
LOWER MICHIGAN ON THE AFTERNOON OF THE 14TH. THIS BROUGHT ANOTHER 2
TO 3 INCHES OF RAINFALL SOUTHEAST OF A LINE FROM HOLLAND TO ALMA...
ON TOP OF THE HEAVY RAINFALL FROM THE DAY BEFORE. THE TOTAL RAINFALL
FROM FRIDAY NIGHT THE 12TH THROUGH SUNDAY THE 14TH...WAS IN EXCESS
OF 10 INCHES NEAR THE KALAMAZOO AND BATTLE CREEK AREAS. THIS HEAVY
RAINFALL BROUGHT A GOOD DEAL OF FLOODING IN THE KALAMAZOO RIVER
BASIN...AND TO PORTIONS OF THE GRAND RIVER BASIN TOWARD LANSING.
THE WORST FLOODING OCCURRED NEAR COMSTOCK IN KALAMAZOO COUNTY WHERE
THE RIVER ROSE TO 10.43 FEET...THE THIRD HIGHEST CREST ON RECORD.
MANY HOMES AND BUSINESSES DOWNSTREAM WERE FLOODED. MANY ROADS IN THE
CITY OF KALAMAZOO WERE CLOSED FOR A FEW DAYS DUE TO HIGH WATER.
THERE WAS CONCERN THAT THE 105 YEAR OLD PLAINWELL DAM WAS GOING TO
BE BREACHED. THE DAM HELD WITH NO BIG PROBLEMS. A SMALL DAM DID END
UP BREAKING IN VAN BUREN COUNTY...BUT NO EFFECTS WERE FELT AS A
RESULT.
AFTER THE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RAIN IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE
MONTH...A MUCH NEEDED DRY PERIOD THEN OCCURRED FROM THE 16TH THROUGH
28TH. NO PRECIPITATION OCCURRED AS A STRONG RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE
BROUGHT WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS TO THE AREA. THIS ALLOWED AREA
STREAMS AND RIVERS TO RECOVER FROM THE HEAVY RAINFALL. A FRONT THEN
MOVED INTO THE AREA FOR THE 29TH AND 30TH TO FINISH OUT THE WET
MONTH WITH UP TO AN ADDITIONAL INCH OF RAINFALL.
MANY DAILY RECORDS FELL DURING THE TWO HEAVY RAINFALL EVENTS DURING
THE MONTH. THIS COMBINED TO PRODUCE A COUPLE ALL TIME MONTHLY
RECORDS. BATTLE CREEK WITH 12.00 INCHES TOTAL FOR THE MONTH...ENDED
UP WITH THE HIGHEST MONTHLY PRECIPITATION TOTAL FOR ANY MONTH GOING
BACK TO 1895. KALAMAZOO HAS LIMITED HISTORICAL DATA...BUT SEPTEMBER
2008 WAS LIKELY ONE OF THE HIGHEST MONTHS EVER FOR PRECIPITATION
WITH 11.28 INCHES FOR THE MONTH. LANSING ENDED UP WITH THE SECOND
HIGHEST SEPTEMBER PRECIPITATION WITH 8.22 INCHES...SECOND TO ONLY
SEPTEMBER 1986 WITH 8.34 INCHES. GRAND RAPIDS ALSO HAD THE SECOND
HIGHEST SEPTEMBER PRECIPITATION WITH 9.54 INCHES...SECOND ONLY
TO 1986 WHEN 11.85 INCHES FELL.
WHILE THE RAINFALL TOOK MOST OF THE HEADLINES FOR SEPTEMBER OF 2008
ACROSS SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN...SEPTEMBER 2008 WAS A WARMER THAN
NORMAL MONTH. MUSKEGON...GRAND RAPIDS...AND LANSING ALL AVERAGED
ABOVE 3 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL FOR THE MONTH. MOST OF THE MONTH WAS
ABOVE NORMAL...WITH THE ONLY COOL PORTION OF THE MONTH FROM THE 4TH
THROUGH THE 10TH. THE PERIOD FROM THE 17TH THROUGH THE 29TH WAS THE
WARMEST PART OF THE MONTH...WHERE TEMPS AVERAGED AROUND 6 DEGREES
ABOVE NORMAL FOR THE PERIOD.
$$
NJJ MJK
