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.
Was driving on Evergreen Road today, near the library and office buildings. I have been in Third World countries where the roads are kept up better than in Southfield. In other large metro areas heads would roll over such neglect. Are Southfield and Oak Park also broke?
@u.k 2:03.
Sorry if you are offended.
This is the future the kleptocrats would have us all embrace.
Our wealth siphoned off, unable to react to normal weather events and unable to pay for necessary repairs of our infrastructure.
All the misery of Detroit was predictable and was predicted.
They chose, there is no sin in pointing and laughing.
They are an abject lesson as to the wisdom of allowing thieves and fools to govern.
You would deny the residents, their one last redeeming value to our civilization?
I’ve heard that a LOT of things happen when HELL freezes over.
I spent a week in Detroit once (business).
I can see that a LOT of things are going to happen this year.
If you’ve never seen these photos before, it is hard to believe that they were taken in an American city once known as a center of manufacturing and culture:
http://content.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1864272,00.html
A changing climate is a slow thing but it seems to me that it’s quite possible that climate doomers were observing natural climate change. We remember what they predicted but what are we slowly seeing now?
✔ Return of snow and ice in the NH
✔ Arctic sea ice & volume 50% bounce in September 2013
✔ Flat temps for over 16 years (some say over 17)
✔ Antarctic extent above mean (records broken in recent years)
✔ Global sea ice ‘normal’
✔ Northern hemisphere winter snow extent trending up since 1967
✔ Extreme weather evidence scanty to non-existent or opposite
Of course I see other things they would point to like declining NH spring snow, Arctic sea ice trending down since its high extent in 1979 etc. If the years ahead show that natural climate change is controlling the show then the IPCC might have to dissolve and we can all stop panicking. These alarms and scares are not new.
“Fire and Ice”
http://www.mrc.org/node/30586
“150 Years of Global Warming and Cooling at the New York Times”
http://newsbusters.org/node/11640
“A Century Of Cycles: Do You See A Pattern Here?”
http://www.almanac.com/sites/new.almanac.com/files/1895_cvr1_0.png
Here is another
“The 1970’s Global Cooling Compilation”
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/03/01/global-cooling-compilation/
A selection of weird and bad weather since 1709
http://stevengoddard.wordpress.com/bad-weather/
Detroit as well as 2/3 of the United States just aren’t getting the message.
More snow is what you would expect from global warming.
I really do feel sorry for these people. Their over confidence is coming back to haunt them. Where is me old Viner by the way?
CRS, DrPH,
Go look at the population trends for Detroit. It’s headed towards becoming the largest ghost town in the history of the US.
Last week the price of bulk road salt doubled, then the next day it went up 30 percent again, it snows almost every day, we get 1/4 inch of snow and they dump copious amounts of salt, it has been very cold in s.e.mi, but I remember winter 93 being much colder than this!
Detroit is really alien! According to the Ny Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/08/opinion/sunday/the-end-of-snow.html
(There are also links to basically the same story in 2005, 2007 & 2012).
Chad Wozniak says:
February 9, 2014 at 1:21 pm
“I wonder how much snow is falling in the un-Happy Valley of State Penn U., aka Reprobate State?”
In State College Pa, home of Penn State aka State Penn, and home of Mikey Mann aka Dr. Michael E. Mann Phd etc. etc. , we have had a snowier and colder than average winter. We have had a couple snowfalls at 5-6 in. and numerous small ones at 1-2 in. The statistics show that as of 2/9/14 the snowfall for our area is # 29 out of 119 with # 1 being the snowiest. The heating degree days are # 26 out of 119 with #1 being the most heating degree days. It has been cold.
Yes, Detroit is buried in snow and debt.
The Good News: The snow will melt away by May 1, naturally.
The Bad News: Their ‘mile deep glacier’ of debt will not.
Only fiscal discipline, low taxes, regulatory reform, a very business friendly environment, and time will get them back to a viable balanced budget and sufficient surpluses to begin to melt the debt away.
Detroit, is that a Californian outpost ?
Glimpse of the future perhaps ?
Heh, I understand that the upper Midwest (greater chicagoland) has major road-salt problem, in the sense that the stocks are gone, almost used up and we have a month or more of serious winter left…
I laugh because guys, the storage of salt is really very very cheap, really all you have need is a rain shelter and a train spur, so you can place these things anywhere land is cheap and move the salt to some local depot as needed.
So why do the idiots in charge not have a 2 year supply on hand? Ever heard of “insurance” kids?
From what I’ve heard of modern Detroit, buried is the best fate for the city and that appalling singing.
“So why do the idiots in charge not have a 2 year supply on hand? Ever heard of “insurance” kids?”
Wel, duuuh! Ever heard of Global Warming? Who is going to need road salt in a couple of years?
Lay off Detroit those people are living in Mad Max times – Homer Simpson
The [] population elected corrupt [] politicians and they squeezed every penny they could out of the city. Now they’ve come around and elected a [] mayor who so far seems to be doing a good job even though the city is under an emergency manager. It’s probably too late though since the population will most likely drop under 700K people when the next census results are released. It’s hard to believe this once great city was the 4th biggest in America with a population of 1.8 million. The corrupt [] leadership robbed and ruined Detroit and blamed the evil [] people. Don’t laugh Chicago because you’re heading down the same path. Violence and corruption is followed by [] flight which leaves no one to pay taxes.
[Cut the racist attitude and descriptors. Mod]