Paging David Viner: NWS reports snow so far in 2014 has far exceeded the worst winter in 1978. In Detroit, 6 of the last 14 years are in the top 20 snowiest winters on record.
You’ve probably all hear how Detroit is buried under massive debt due to mismanagement by the political party in power. Now, they are not only buried in debt, they are buried in snow. Let’s see them dig themselves out of that too. I’m betting the plowing budget is already plowed.
From the NWS office in Detroit, a stunning graph going back to 1874:
The Long Cold and Snowy Winter Continues: Updated Records and Statistics
SNOW
We have already discussed the record January snowfall in Detroit and Flint as well as the snowiest starts to the winter season through January. As we move into February, we can start looking at seasonal type of records. The past 10 to 15 years have had some active and snowy winters. In fact this winter puts 6 of the last 14 years into the top 20 snowiest winters on record.
Seasonal Snowfall Stats
| Location | Seasonal Normal | Winter 2013-14 (through February 6) | Record (Year) | Current Seasonal Ranking |
| Detroit Area | 42.5″ | 67.9″ | 93.6″ (1880-81) | 7th |
| Flint Area | 47.4″ | 62.3″ | 82.9″ (1974-75) | 13th |
| Saginaw | 45.5″ | 43.7″ | 87.2″ (1966-67) | — |
Most Consecutive Days with Snow Cover (1 inch or greater) through February 7th
There is a deep snow pack over Southeast Michigan and more below average temperatures expected through much of the upcoming month. Our current streaks are likely to reach the top five and potentially challenge higher places. (Ending Date in Parentheses)
| Detroit Area (only available back to 1948) |
Flint Area | |
| 1 | 74 days (3/15/1978) | 88 days (3/3/1963) |
| 2 | 64 (2/8/2001) | 81 (3/22/1978) |
| 3 | 54 (2/11/1976) | 67 (2/9/2001) |
| 4 | 48 (2/17/1948) | 65 (2/17/1948) |
| 5 | 45 (2/4/1984) | 63 (2/18/1930) |
| Currently | 12th longest streak at 39 days | 6th longest streak at 61 days |
COLD
December was below average for temperatures. January placed in the top 15 Januarys and now February is off to a cold start. How does the winter of 2013-14 compare to other winters.
Temperature Stats
| Location | Winter 2013-14 (through Feb. 6th) | Coldest Winter Since (through Feb 6th) | 2013-14 Ranking (through Feb 6th) | All-time Coldest (through Feb 6th) |
| Detroit Area | 21.4 | 1984 |
9th | 16.6 (1918) |
| Flint Area | 19.7 | 2009 | 8th | 14.2 (1977) |
| Saginaw | 18.9 | 1984 |
7th | 13.7 (1918) |
Source: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=dtx&storyid=100198&source=0
h/t to Steve Goddard for the NWS link.
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The month after the next, the winter after the last.
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I wonder what the cold has done for Detroit’s violent crime rate. Hard to get off a shot wearing mittens.
From great grand fathers memory: Texas
1,000 upon 1,000’s of cattle, sheep, goats, horses frozen Feb. 13-14 1899.
Registered temp Tulia Texas in the panhandle. 31 degrees below zero.
Laguna [Madre] froze. The old ones before the ones from europe came told of much colder times in the older times when the people first came to the now American Southwest.
It will come once more in time.
Panhandle has been cold year after year for decades. Some record from way back might be a nice anecdote, but anybody from Amarillo ain’t nearly so stupid as to think winter there is mild.
Better anecdotes include ice storms in Houston. That’s a weather “event.”
It’s an interesting piece — but has nothing to do with climate change one way or another. Cold weather is just weather — now, if it were hot weather you were talking about I could see that as proof of climate change….
But this is just cold weather and of no particular interest…
PS: I have to go out and shovel snow again — catcha later eh?
Answered my own question. According to mlive.com, “The Latest Crime & Police News from Metro Detroit. RSS …. Detroit homicides decrease 50 percent in January compared to 2013.”
And the US was supposed to be snow free by 2010?
Global Warming causes more snow because warmer air holds more moisture.
Climate Change causes more extreme weather events, such as record cold.
Temps are rising, official government graphs clearly show warming trend.
Some of the warmest years ever recorded are happening now.
It’s only weather. You are guilty and must pay. mwahahaaa
But everyone knows the global warming is being sequestered in the deep oceans, magically transported there via tiny worm holes surrounding the omnipotent CO2 molecule, waiting to jump out in a cataclysmic El Nino event, resulting in the extinction of the entire planet. Yeah, that’s the ticket..
WillR says:
February 9, 2014 at 10:04 am
It’s an interesting piece — but has nothing to do with climate change one way or another. Cold weather is just weather — now, if it were hot weather you were talking about I could see that as proof of climate change….
But this is just cold weather and of no particular interest…
PS: I have to go out and shovel snow again — catcha later eh?
_____________________________
Clapping hands here, just for your post and putting you on the Gold Star list.
Ps In Canada, is it pronounced hoseur?
The “Climate Change” , CO2 kills cult =’s Life Out Of Balance.
Come spring the snow will be gone; however their debt will never melt away!
But I thought those same leaders of Detroit were praying for tons of white powder to cover their fiscal ineptitude with.
Detroit is fascinating, the logical conclusion of progressive policy and kleptocratic government.
Given one leads to the other, I guess they are one and the same.
Sad, I almost feel guilty mocking their weather adventure.
Now I heard a prominent Democrat say the real reason for Detroit’s massive indebtedness was RACISM! Ironically, the same reason there’s so much snow this year, What color is snow, after all? Coincidence? I THINK NOT!!!
Alan Robertson says:
February 9, 2014 at 10:13 am
_____________________________
Clapping hands here, just for your post and putting you on the Gold Star list.
Ps In Canada, is it pronounced hoseur?
Thank you! Thank You! Thank You!
Finally a Gold Star in Climate Change!
Nope, it’s just hoser. Only we Englishers are allowed to be Hosers TM Parry Sound Hosers Association. Quebec is far more fashionable and in tune with all things glittery. Across the Great Divide (Riviere Outaouais) we people west of the Ottawa River are a far duller bunch.
Cheers! And as Our Premier says — Cold? Hydro Bill too high? wear a sweater — eh?
“I wonder what the cold has done for Detroit’s violent crime rate. Hard to get off a shot wearing mittens.”
Beautiful. +10
Growing up in Detroit in the 50’s-70’s, I remember the previous record snowy January in 1978. Many of us older folks that lived in that region at the time can still remember the great blizzard late in January, 1978.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Blizzard_of_1978
There are many interesting facts related to that blizzard. As a student at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, we were treated to well over a foot of snow and it was the first time in history that the University closed because of the weather. I believe that Dr. Roy Spencer was in his senior year up there at the time.
Similar weather occurred in Lansing where my 2 sisters were attending Michigan State University, which also closed because of nearly 18 nches of snow.
Ann Arbor and Lansing MI received almost all their precip in the form of snow, however, farther east, snow amounts dropped off with the intense circulation wrapping warm air in from east to west. With temperatures getting several degrees above freezing, farther east, it rained from much of the event.
At Metro Airport, just west of Detroit, I think the snow total was 8.8″ and farther east, at the city airport only 4.4 inches fell with the temperature climbing to 37 degrees on January 26, 1978.
The official records sited above are from Metro Airport(DTW), so the great blizzard’s heaviest snows were 25+ miles farther west of that location.
“Anthropogenic Global Snowing” officially replaces Anthropogenic Extreme Weather which replaced Anthropogenic Global Change which replaced Anthropogenic Global Weirding (thank god) which replaced Anthropogenic Global Warming.
Centuries from now we will be known in the history books as having suffered from Anthropogenic Neoscientific Global Severe Tirades against fellow humans, otherwise known as angst.
Massive fail.
Snow in Detroit is good, it covers up the burned out houses and abandoned autos.
Nicely done – good summary. Thanks.
We have friends in that area. They are not happy.
There is nothing wrong with Detroit. They need to be awarded the next Olympic Games and have a 50 Billion dollar investment of other people’s money. We are all going to pay anyway so why not get something for our sacrifice. On the other hand, they have already turned off many of the street lights and other services so why not just turn off all the rest and restore the land as open prairie. That might be worth a visit in 30 years or so.
http://www.npr.org/2013/12/20/255733403/bankruptcy-casts-shadow-over-detroits-plan-to-fix-streetlights
Is that all??
What Detroit’s gotten to date would be an average snowfall for Buffalo. Of course, there’s nothing average about this winter as we’re also well ahead of where we should be by now as we push to 95″ for the season so far (should be around 67″).
Pamela Gray says:
February 9, 2014 at 10:50 am
___________________
Good Job !!!
One of the real problems they are having in Detroit now are the number of broken water lines. The latest one flooding an intersection and trapping folks in their cars. I think the number is on the order of 700.
Up where I live in the UP they are numerous places well ahead of average snow totals and well below average temps.
Detroit could blame their fiancial woes on snow removal costs and apply for Federal disaster relief. I mean, everyone knows that Detroit is a continuing disaster, right?
Fortunately for Detroit and much of the country, a weather pattern change is in store.
A powerful Pacific jet stream will blow mild, oceanic air masses across the country as this week progresses. However, most of this week, in the Detroit area the milder air will not be allowed to make much headway, being cut off by the old/cold pattern, featuring some upper troughing and what has been an endless parade of reinforcing cold fronts.
At least the intensity of the cold will mellow out and by late this week we’re done with the sub zero stuff for awhile. During week 2, as the new pattern strengthens, there is hope for a thaw.
With Detroit currently reporting 17 inches of snow on the ground and this milder air having to travel a great distance over snow covered terrain, it will not be easy to warm up.
What would do the trick quickly, is being in the warm sector of a big storm and getting heavy rains……….which would rapidly melt a great deal of snow.
Nothing like that in the week 2 forecast now……………..and most of this Winter, the actual weather pattern we’ve seen has consistently verified COLDER than models, so we may have to dial in some additional cooling at some point. However, this new pattern is a different one than that we’ve seen so far in the cold/snowy Winter of 2013/14.
The West Coast from N. CA to OR/WA will get some needed precip!!
Mike Maguire says:
February 9, 2014 at 10:48 am
Thanx for the memory jog. I lived in AA then near the old airport, and used the A.A.R.R. tracks to take a straight line walking into town after that big snow, because they were slightly elevated most of the distance, so less deep in snow and therefore less effort moving forward.