Most baby boomers born in the 1940s into the early 60s and parents may recall a powerful snowstorm that hit Southeast Lower Michigan and the Great lakes Region on February 25th 1965. It was an active late winter-spring pattern that year as severe weather buffs should also recall the Palm Sunday Outbreak occurred that April of 1965 /April 11th/.
The February 24th-25th 1965 snowstorm was a snowstorm lover's dream of sorts; I recall going to bed on the 24th with just some light snow happening and waking up to a "winter storm wonderland" with rapidly accumulating snow (to nearly a foot by early afternoon) with 4 foot drifts in our far northwest-side Detroit backyard. The snow drifts were exceptional and challengeable to my 10 year old self as strong gusty north to northwest winds pushing up to 40 mph (in the city mind you) whipped through the yards with drifts to the tops of the standard 4 foot chain-link fences. Shoveling this monster storm brought out all the parents and kids with our surplus of neighborhood kids. Our parochial grade school; St Monica was closed for two days like most, if not all the schools and businesses in Metro Detroit. Since the storm occurred on a Wednesday night into Thursday; it gave many people a four day weekend (with some schools and businesses still closed on Monday, March 1st) to enjoy the snow. Friday was no picnic either as the coldest of Arctic air surged into the region with highs around just 20. Normal high temperatures are in the mid to upper 30s with lows still a bit warmer than that Friday - in the lower to mid 20s). Moderate and gusty northwest winds to around 30 mph persisted into Friday. Outstate in Southern Lower Michigan (away from Metro Detroit) were hit as hard or harder with some areas having even higher snow totals and stronger winds:
Storm Data
DET LCD February 1965
During the weekend that followed; high temperatures recovered to around to even slightly above normal into the mid 30s to near 40. This welcomed moderation allowed the inhabitants of Southeast Lower Michigan to attempt to get out to enjoy some outdoor winter activities along with finishing digging out of the neighborhoods. It was all in all; a classic big bountiful winter snowstorm giving a couple of snow days for schools and many business; then considerable sunshine and more moderate temperatures to enjoy mom natures "blessing" on the weekend.
Weather Maps from the storm
Pictures and Images from the storm
Pictures of the storm were made possible and courtesy of Facebook posters and newspaper articles.
| Detroit's Heaviest Snow Storms | ||
| Rank | Date | Amount |
| 1 | April 6, 1886 | 24.5 |
| 2 | December 1-2, 1974 | 19.3 |
| 3 | February 1-2, 2015 | 16.7 |
| 4 | March 4-5, 1900 | 16.1 |
| 5 | February 28-March 1, 1900 | 14.0 |
| 6 | December 18-19,1929 | 13.8 |
| 7 | February 12-13 1894 | 12.8 |
| 8 | February 19, 1908 | 12.6 |
| 9 | January 31-February 1,1881 | 12.5 |
| 10 | February 9,1911 | 12.3 |
| 11 | March 3-4,1895 | 12.3 |
| 12 | January 22-23,2005 | 12.2 |
| 13 | January 13-14,1927 | 12.1 |
| 14 | January 30-31,1982 | 11.8 |
| 15 | January 13-14,1910 | 11.4 |
| 16 | March 4-5,1899 | 11.4 |
| 17 | January 2-3, 1999 | 11.3 |
| 18 | December 19-20, 1973 | 11.2 |
| 19 | February 3-4,1901 | 11.2 |
| 20 | March 7-8, 1931 | 11.1 |
| 21 | January 13-14, 1992 | 11.1 |
| 22 | December 31, 2013-January 2, 2014 | 11.1 |
| 23 | February 25-26, 1965 | 11.0 |
| 24 | December 11, 2016 | 10.7 |
| 25 | January 4-5, 2014 | 10.6 |
Next; Will the next snowstorm potential this week be dud or be closer to its ancestor of February 25th 1965...See my FB page for updates.
Making weather fun while we all learn,
Bill Deedler - SEMI_WeatherHistorian
