NWS Grand Rapids Blog

Weather Safety Information

Published 2025-04-22

Winter Summary from December 2023 to February 2024

Published 2024-03-06

Winter Summary for the December to 2023 to February 2024 season

Winter22-23 in Review

Published 2023-04-22

Here is a discussion and wrap up of the winter season. We will discuss how the seasonal forecast did and go over the temperature, precipitation, snowfall and sunshine we had this past winter.

2022_Climate_review

Published 2023-01-06

Here is a review of the Climate for Grand Rapids Michigan and Southwest Michigan for 2022. It includes an Annual, seasonal and monthly Summaries as well as sunshine minutes for Grand Rapids MI

Winter Forecast for Southwest Michigan for 2022/2023

Published 2022-11-08

This is the NWS downscaled forecast for the winter of 2022 to 2023

The October to December Forecast for Southwest Michigan

Published 2022-09-17

This is the forecast for temperature, precipitation and snowfall for period from October to December 2022

Six to Ten Day Outlook September 17th to 21st, 2022

Published 2022-09-12

As we enter the Autumn season we will have a brief respite of cooler weather with a warmer period in the next 6 to 10 days. Below is a series of images and links from the Climate Predictions Center summizing the trends. After that 6 to 10 day period we wil return to a regularly scheduled fall of temperatures in a March towards winter. 

August 29, 2022 Squall Line

Published 2022-08-31

A line of severe thunderstorms produced widespread power outages and areas of wind damage to trees and some structures across southern Lower Michigan on August 29, 2022.

Fall Forecast for Southwest Michigan

Published 2022-08-18

Drought Status for Michigan as of July 2022

Published 2022-07-28

Here is a look at the drought status and precipitation for Michigan. For more information go to https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/Drought/

The One Month and Three Month Seasonal Forecast

Published 2022-06-19

CPC outlook for July and July through September

Severe Weather Climatology for Southwest Michigan

Published 2022-06-04

Here is a look back at the climatology and of the occurrences of severe weather through southwest Michigan.

The Summer Forecast For Southwest Michigan

Published 2022-04-28

Summer forecast for Southwest Michigan

Median Date of the Last Freeze

Published 2022-04-28

Here are maps created by the Midwest Regional Climate Center using NOAA Climate sites. The below images show the Median Dates of the 28F and 32F freezes. It also shows the Latest Dates for 28F and 32F. This data is based on the 30 year climatology from 1990-91 to 2019-20

Winter Summary for Southwest Michigan for the Winter of 2021 to 2022

Published 2022-04-27

This summarizes the temperature, snowfall and precipitation anomalies for the winter of 2021 to 2022.

Snow Event over Central Lower Michigan

Published 2022-03-19

A surface low tracked across the southern 1/3 of Lower Michigan bringing 4 to 6 inches of snow to central Lower Michigan.

Warmer Temperatures the last week of February

Published 2022-02-14

The MJO will cause a shift in then Northern Hemisphere by the last week of February that will retrograde the upper wave pattern. That will put Michigan in a warmer than normal weather pattern to end the month of February.

Annual Climate Summary for Southwest Michigan for 2021

Published 2022-01-14

The climate rankings for 2021 over southwest Michigan

Forecast for January

Published 2021-12-16

CPC forecast for January 2022

Southwest Michigan Detailed Winter Forecast

Published 2021-11-11

This is our National Weather Service Forecast for the winter of 2021 to 2022. This is a detailed look at why we are expecting what we are forecasting.

October 2021 Climate Summary

Published 2021-11-04

October finished as one of the warmer Octobers on record. The average maximum, mean and minimum temperatures finished in the top ten at almost all climate sites. It was also a very wet month, with multiple sites being in the top ten of wettest Octobers, including Grand Rapids.

Warmest First Half of October on Record For Southwest Michigan

Published 2021-10-17

This is the warmest first half of October on Record

2021 Has The Warmest Start to October on Record

Published 2021-10-12

October 2021, through the 11th , has featured the warmest average low temperatures on record across the area. The mean for most of these locations is about 15 degrees warmer than normal. The average so far this month is normal for the last week in August.

The Median Date for the First Freeze of the Fall at Selected Cities

Published 2021-09-29

The median date of the freeze fall freeze for selected cities

The Historical Percent Of Days Reaching both 80F and 90F at Grand Rapids since 1892

Published 2021-07-12

This shows the warmest part of the summer at Grand Rapids based on the frequency of the high temperature reaching both 80F and 90F. This uses 127 years of daily high temperature data.

Drought of 2021 Ended by Record June Rainfall

Published 2021-07-10

The drought which began early in 2021 intensified by a near record dry spring (10th driest on record for the state of Michigan) was followed by the 10th wettest June on record. In Lower Michigan 10 of our counties had the wettest June on record.

Recent Rainfall Has Helped to Mitigate Our Drought

Published 2021-07-03

A significant drought had developed over Southwest Michigan during the spring of this year. Then in mid June there were two weeks with periods of widespread heavy rain. This has significantly decreased impact of the drought.

June 11, 2021 Wind Damage Event

Published 2021-06-16

Wind damage event during the afternoon and evening of June 11th 2021

June 12, 2021 Large Hail Event

Published 2021-06-14

Thunderstorms with 2 3/4 inch hail occurred on the evening of Sunday June 12th 2021

The Sunday May 23rd 2021 Flood Event in Reed City

Published 2021-05-25

Back door cold front results in flooding in Reed City during the afternoon of Sunday May 23 2021

Drought Update

Published 2021-05-21

1991-2020 Climate Normals

Published 2021-05-08

The new 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals have been released. Take a look!

Grand Rapids County Warning Area 1991 to 2020 Climate Normals

Published 2021-05-06

This contains the latest NCEI climate normals for our seven climate sites plus some background information

MaddenJulian

Published 2021-04-06

Southwest Michigan Summer ( June 2021 through August 2021) Forecast

Published 2021-03-23

The first look at our Southwest Michigan Summer Forecast. Warmer than normal temperatures have a higher probability than does cooler than normal temperatures. Precipitation is expected to be within the normal range.

2020-2021 Winter Summary

Published 2021-03-02

This winter featured many extremes, from warm and dry stretches to cold and snowy periods.

CoCoRaHS Recruitment

Published 2021-03-01

Learn more about CoCoRaHS here!

The Spring Forecast For Southwest Michigan

Published 2021-02-19

Here is the National Weather Service Spring forecast for 2021 for Southwest Michigan.

The Southwest Michigan Forecast For January

Published 2020-12-22

This is the CPC forecast for January.

Southwest Michigan Forecast from January through March

Published 2020-12-20

This is the CPC forecast for the months of January through March 2021 for Southwest Michigan.

The Impact of La Nina on Southwest Michigan Winters

Published 2020-12-02

La Nina winters tend to have the colder than normal and heavy snowfall events later in the winter.

December 2020 Forecast Update

Published 2020-11-30

Take a look at our latest Climate Blog entry for the December forecast update!

Southwest Michigan Winter Forecast 2020 / 2021

Published 2020-11-18

Winter Forecast for 2020 to 2021 looking at La Nina and the QBO to help understand some of the factors that will impact this winters weather in Southwest Michigan.

October 2020 Climate In Southwest Michigan

Published 2020-11-03

This shows how the climate anomalies were for the month of October 2020 over Southwest Lower Michigan.

Introducing the NWS Grand Rapids Climate Blog

Published 2020-10-29

The NWS Grand Rapids Climate Blog is a place to find information on long-range forecast information and other climate related items.

October 22nd, 2019: High Winds and Waves (Again)

Published 2019-10-25

On October 22nd, a fall storm brought high winds and large waves to the lakeshore for the second time in the span of a week. Areas from Grand Haven northward were hit the hardest with at least 10 feet of additional dune erosion. Check out our review here:

September 11th, 2019: High Winds Strike Greater Grand Rapids Area

Published 2019-09-12

Summary of the high winds that struck the Grand Rapids and Lake Odessa areas on Wednesday evening.

July 20th, 2019 Severe Weather, Flooding, and Record Rainfall

Published 2019-07-21

During the early morning hours of July 20th, 2019, a line of severe storms raced through Lower Michigan downing trees and power lines, leading to around 150,000 customer power outages by sunrise. More more information about these storms, click the link:

June 1st, 2019 Severe Weather

Published 2019-06-02

January 28 - 31, 2019: Days of Snow, Low Visibility, and Extreme Cold

Published 2019-01-31