Winter of 2021-22 Mostly Agreed With The Preferred Winter Outlook ~

First Off: Spring Backward ~

Another relatively later spring with extended cool periods held back our spring green up in spite of ample winter and spring snow and rains. Routine notable cold snaps into May pushed back the surge of spring green-up until late April - early May. In April (see Map below) into early May; shows temperatures averaging below normal and rainfall about average for the entire region with recent wetter conditions over the southern areas. The wetter conditions have been focused more around Metro Detroit, south to the Ohio border - not unlike the winter where Flint; south into Ann Arbor and Metro Detroit to the Ohio border saw normal to above snow (review of the Winter of 2021-22 is below). April's temperature pattern reflects the cooler spring since early April into early May. The coldest late spring stretch relative to normal was the last week of April when overnight lows fell around freezing or lower. Latest snowfall's all occurred later in April - on the 19th /T/ at Detroit, 27th /T/ at Flint and 26th /T/ in Saginaw.

 

A good way to look at this spring is the "growing degree days' since 4/1 versus average or normal. Thus far we are behind but made up some of the deficit in May.

 

 

 

Winter and Cold Season 2021-22 in Southeast Lower Michigan

November

The Winter of 2021-22 started early once again with some decent autumn snowfalls (given the actual season) in November. First snow flurries occurred just after Halloween on November 1st at Flint and Saginaw and 2nd in Detroit.  Low pressure systems pushing through the Southern Great Lakes Thanksgiving weekend, to a large extent, made November in Detroit the 15th snowiest November /tying with 1972/ with 7.1". Further north; Flint received 5.9" for the month just missing the top 20 snowiest while Saginaw received the least at 2.6". 

December

The Climatological /Dec - Jan/ Winter of 2021-22 all in all was a rather uneventful winter with near normal temperatures and snowfall across Southeast Lower Michigan.

However; as one might have expected with the snowfalls and cold in November, especially south, the cold and snowy winter was just getting started. So then, winter started with a bang? Nope. December, just it's done the past few years, reversed course and a notable mild pattern held for much of the month. The average temperature at Detroit came in at 37.2 degrees; a significant 5.9 degrees above normal and just 2.2 degrees cooler than November's 39.4 Add to that just 3.8" of snow and December was really more like another November. Flint's average at 34.4 came in 5.7 degrees above normal but still managed 10.6" of snow, about normal for December. Saginaw joined in the warmer December with an average temperature of 33.4; 4.5 above normal with normal snow of 9.6".

January

Real winter arrived (I swear winter months are actually Jan-Mar in these parts). Temperatures plummeted to an average 20.3 (after that 37.2 in December) in Detroit while snowfall just nicked slightly below normal at 8.8". Flint received more snow this month at 13.7" while temperatures averaged well below normal at 17.6 /-5.6/ which made the it the 17th coldest January in Flint. Saginaw averaged 17.9 /-5.1/ with 9.8". One of the notable snow events occurred on January 24th, 2022.

February

February's weather turned out to be the worst winter month as far as snow and cold with below normal temperatures and well above normal snow. Temperatures across the metro Detroit averaged 25-27 degrees with 26.4 /-1.6/ recorded at Detroit Metro Arpt. Snowfall doubled the normal average with 20.4" falling which easily made February the 14th snowiest in Detroit since 1881. True to form; Flint received the most snow as what was expected with the storms with 22.5" well over the normal of 11.8". Temperatures averaged normal at 24.5 /-0.2/. Saginaw's average temperature came in at 24.1 /-0.4/ with just 10.3"; notably lower that the other regions as expected in the Winter Outlook.  Many systems affected the region: Groundhog Day once again February 2nd; Locally; just before Valentines Day on Super Bowl Sunday in the western metro Detroit region; and the storm that formed and intensified in the northern Ohio Valley. 

March into spring

Early spring moderated a bit with normal to two degrees above normal temperatures (only to revert to below in April and early May to above later May) and slightly less snowfall (see intro above).

Winter Temperatures

Temperatures averaged slightly above normal for the Winter 2021-22 /Dec-Feb/ but that by far was only because of the exceptionally warm December (again); placing in the Top 20. This is another short term trend noted the past 20 years; Take a look...

Top 20 Coldest/Warmest Decembers in Southeast Lower Michigan
Rank	Detroit Area*				Flint Bishop**				Saginaw Area***
	Coldest		Warmest		Coldest		Warmest		Coldest		Warmest
	Temp	Year	Temp	Year	Temp	Year	Temp	Year	Temp	Year	Temp	Year
1	17.8	1876	41.1	2015	16.1	1989	41.0	2015	16.2	1989	39.1	2015
2	18.0	1989	40.6	1881	16.6	2000	37.2	1982	17.2	2000	35.3	1923
3	19.2	2000	39.3	1889	17.4	1976	36.8	1923	18.8	1983	34.5	1982
4	20.8	1983	38.1	1877	17.8	1958	35.4	2006	18.9	1976	34.4	2006
5	21.5	1976	37.7	1923	20.1	1983	35.4	1965	19.0	1958	34.2	1931
6	21.8	1917	37.4	2006	20.5	1944	34.7	1931	19.1	1917	34.1	2012
7	21.9	1880	37.3	1982	20.8	1963	34.4	2021	19.5	1919	33.5	2001
8	22.2	1985	37.2	2021	21.3	1985	34.2	2019	20.1	1963	33.4	2021
9	22.4	1958	37.2	1931	21.7	1960	34.1	2001	21.0	1924	33.4	1941
10	22.5	1903	36.3	1918	22.2	1945	33.6	1941	21.3	1944	33.0	2011
11	22.8	1878	35.9	2012	22.4	1950	33.5	2012	21.5	1960	33.0	1965
12	23.0	1909	35.9	1965	22.6	2017	33.4	1984	21.6	1985	32.8	1936
13	23.1	1919	35.8	2001	22.9	1962	33.3	2011	22.0	1980	32.5	2019
14	23.2	1924	35.8	1891	23.0	1995	33.1	2020	22.0	1914	32.3	1994
15	23.3	1910	35.5	2011	23.1	1942	32.8	2014	22.2	1962	32.2	1913
16	23.8	1963	35.5	1941	23.2	1924	32.8	1939	22.4	1926	32.1	2014
17	23.8	1914	35.4	1994	23.9	1937	32.4	1971	22.5	1950	32.0	1998
18	23.9	1886	35.3	1998	24.0	1926	32.3	1998	22.5	1945	32.0	1918
19	24.7	1945	35.1	2019	24.3	2010	32.2	1987	22.5	1942	31.7	2020
20	24.8	1944	34.8	1956	24.3	2005	32.1	2003	22.8	2013	31.5	1959
* Detroit Area temperature records date back to January 1874. ** Flint Bishop temperature records date back to January 1921. *** Saginaw Area temperature records date back to January 1912.

Going back to 1874 at Detroit; seven warmest Decembers have occurred in the 21st century; since 2000. Therefore; out of the Top 20 Warmest Decembers in Detroit, 35% have occurred since 2000. At Flint; 10 out of the 20 Warmest Decembers have occurred since 2000 - or 50%!  At Saginaw; nine out of 20 Warmest Decembers /45%/ have registered this century.

Winter Snowfall

The month of February was the snowiest month while December was the least. In fact; some places had more snow in November than December. A snowy February has certainly become more commonplace since 2000 across Southeast Lower Michigan. Detroit has seen 10 out of 20 snowiest Februaries this century already - or 50% have occurred since 2000.  However; it's also curious to note three of the Top 20 Snowless Februarys also occurred since 2000. Over at Flint; 11 out of the Top 20 Snowiest Februarys have also placed in the top 20 since 2000 and two snowless. While Saginaw has 10 snowiest Februarys this century it placed only one snowless.

Take a look...

Top 20 Snowiest/Snowless Februaries in Southeast Lower Michigan
Rank	Detroit Area*				Flint Bishop**				Saginaw Area***
	Snowiest		Snowless		Snowiest		Snowless		Snowiest		Snowless
	Total	Year	Total	Year	Total	Year	Total	Year	Total	Year	Total	Year
1	38.4	1908	0.0	1998	31.7	2011	0.4	1998	34.2	2008	0.0	1987
2	31.7	2011	0.7	1953	29.7	2021	1.4	1992	29.4	2011	0.1	1984
3	28.4	1881	0.9	2004	29.4	2008	1.9	2017	23.4	1935	0.5	1998
4	28.0	1900	1.5	1895	22.7	2016	2.2	1987	22.2	2013	1.4	1983
5	27.6	1926	1.6	1906	22.5	2022	2.4	1953	20.3	1965	1.9	2017
6	27.0	2010	2.0	1987	21.8	2018	2.4	1937	20.0	1912	1.9	1977
7	26.4	2015	2.1	1882	21.8	2014	2.9	1969	19.8	1985	2.0	1932
8	24.2	2008	2.2	2017	21.2	2010	2.9	1943	18.6	1926	2.1	1980
9	23.5	2013	2.2	1915	20.8	1990	3.0	1979	18.4	1990	2.2	1947
10	23.4	2014	2.3	1969	20.6	1986	3.0	1934	18.3	2010	2.4	1942
11	21.8	2021	2.4	1992	20.1	1994	3.5	1945	18.1	2021	2.5	1969
12	21.0	2018	2.4	1937	19.7	1965	3.6	1984	18.0	2016	2.6	1928
13	20.8	1986	2.5	1966	19.6	1988	3.6	1938	18.0	2005	3.1	1995
14	20.4	2022	2.6	1891	18.8	2020	3.8	1977	17.7	1924	3.2	1919
15	19.6	1898	2.7	1943	18.3	1946	4.1	1928	17.5	1950	3.4	1958
16	19.2	2003	2.8	1968	17.4	2015	4.5	1957	17.1	1956	3.5	1963
17	19.2	1988	2.8	1925	17.2	1960	4.8	1983	17.0	2014	3.7	1957
18	18.0	1893	2.9	2001	17.0	1924	4.9	1932	17.0	2012	3.7	1917
19	17.1	1994	3.1	1949	16.7	1973	5.0	2001	16.2	2015	3.8	1913
20	16.9	1985	3.1	1919	16.6	2013	5.1	1921	16.2	1962	4.0	1964
* Detroit Area snowfall records date back to January 1880. ** Flint Bishop snowfall records date back to January 1921. *** Saginaw Area snowfall records date back to January 1912.

Winter Outlook Performance

Ironically; the Winter of 2021-22 played out similar to the Winter of 2020-21 as far as timing. Though the Winter of 2020-21 was milder than last winter it too had it's rough, snowier part in February. Our past winter contained a very mild, somewhat snowless December then it was all downhill as far as temperatures January into February. Snowfalls picked up in January and came full-boar in February in mainly the southern two thirds of Southeast Lower Michigan.

While Detroit received a slightly above normal snowfall at 47.1" /new 1991-2020 norm - 45"/; Flint received the highest total of the three climate stations with 60.5" /+8.4"/ over the new 1991-2020 norm 52.1". Saginaw's snowfall was the odd-man out and actually totaled well below normal snow at 36.3 /-12.7"/, new normal 49.0".

Winter Outlook Temperatures/Snowfall

Recapping Winter Outlook sent out /purple text/

Temperatures:

Overall, temperatures are expected to be colder than the last few winters but with averages still around normal to slightly below /+1.0F to -1.5F/. Indications are of an early winter by upper air patterns and analogues relating a colder than average beginning of the cold season (Nov - Mar) which would be mid November into early December, anyway). Particular trends are discussed in the Analogue Section.

  ANALOGUE TEMPS/SNOW 

Analogue temperatures still have the biased of slightly below normal temperatures  with some impressive cold monthly readings. However; at the same time they are balanced to a large extent with a significant number of warmer months throughout the second La Nina sample. The strongest trend in the lot is the normal or average temperature winters within a degree. This will become more evident as to how and why when looking at the whole pattern coming together with the key players, mentioned at opening. I expect a quite a roller-coaster of air masses and temperatures with final tally of normal - to slightly below.(actual in red).

Detroit 2021-22 Winter Ave:      27.9 /0.0/ - right at 1981-2010 normal used (rounded to the tenth)  and 47.1" /+4.4/ snowfall

Flint 2021-22  Winter Ave:         25.5 /+0.6/  and 60.5" /+13.1 /snowfall

Saginaw 2021-22  Winter Ave:  25.1/+0.4/  and  36.3" /-4.5"/snowfall

Snowfall:

Normal to Above. A two-tier outlook seems suitable with the expected storm tracks and mixed precipitation included. One of the tracks is expected to be right over/around Southeast Lower Michigan. This would bring the expected precipitation in various forms. Snowfalls ranged around normal to above any dampening would be attributed to mixed precipitation events.

 ANALOGUE TEMPS/SNOW 

 

Analogue temperatures still have the biased of slightly below normal temperatures  with some impressive cold monthly readings. However; at the same time they are balanced to a large extent with a significant number of warmer months throughout the second La Nina sample. The strongest trend in the lot is the normal or average temperature winters. This will become more evident as to how and why when looking at the whole pattern coming together with the key players, mentioned at opening. I expect a quite a roller-coaster of air masses and temperatures with final tally of normal - to slightly below. Snowfall is a crap-shoot like always relating to where storm tracks sets up and how much moisture occurs with the cold air masses. All we can do is look at recent Autumn patterns, La Nina, NAO, PDO and QBO. All suggest normal to above snowfall. Snowiest regions initially lean to the center and northern half of Southeast Michigan - basically I-696/Walter Reuther northward into the Saginaw Valley and Thumb Region. One caveat however; has been the far northern regions have been drier than the mid and southern areas this year. We'll see how it plays out.

The best winter's analogue temperature pattern primarily suggested to start off above normal but fall below normal mid to possibly late in the period. Looking at the actual numbers (also on the Analogues Table below) a number of the analogues suggested that; Winter of 1971-72, 1985-86 and 2008-09. To a lesser extent 1996-97 (though temps were warmer in February). Several winters contained normal to above snow but the area of heavier snows were located further south along the I-69 corridor and Flint area into Detroit's northern suburbs and Port Huron rather than central Michigan into the Saginaw Valley. All in all; a decent set of analogues and confirmed forecast on predominant forecast trends called for and used. Average temperatures and normal to above snow. Saginaw Valley received below normal snow as the core of heaviest snow was just further south along I-69 into the northern Detroit suburbs.

Winter 2021-22 Stats in white at bottom of the analogue years.

Up shortly: Brief Summer Outlook /Analogues and Computer Guidance/

Making weather fun while we all learn,
Bill Deedler - SEMI_WeatherHistorian

 

 

 

Tornadoes, Snowstorms and Heat Waves - Oh May!

While March is generally considered one of the most volatile months in Southeast Lower Michigan weather-wise, May doesn't pull any punches either! You would think that by May; spring's extreme weather in these parts would settle down some - don't bet on it. Scanning over a century's worth of weather records show some interesting and quite variable weather conditions during the month. May of 2022 has already shown its colder, wet side and now a welcome, warmer side is anticipated as we move toward mid May.

                       Tornadoes, Snowstorms and Heat Waves - Oh May!

Tornadoes! 

One of the strongest and earliest documented tornadoes in Southeast Lower Michigan occurred in May, 1896! While details are sketchy, evidently a massive tornado plowed across Oakland and Lapeer Counties during the early evening hours on May 25th sometime between 7 PM to 9 PM. The tornado leveled numerous homes in the towns of Ortonville, Oakwood and Thomas ( both no longer exist). In fact, parts of these homes were found 12 miles away! At least 47 people were killed, including nine people from one house alone, along with approximately 100 injured as a result of this vicious storm which has been estimated as an EF-5 (wind speeds greater than 200 mph). Later that evening (likely closer to 9 PM), another tornado was seen in Sanilac County which possibly was from the same parent of super-cell thunderstorms. It's also interesting to note that May of 1896 turned out to be the fourth warmest May (see May Top 20 records chart at the end of this write-up) in recorded history at Detroit, perhaps the unseasonably warm weather helped fuel the severe weather. I was interviewed by the Oakland Press years back in 2009 about this terrible tornado. Also, included in the article are pictures of the now defunct town Oakwood before and after.

Some of the strongest tornadoes to hit Southeast Lower Michigan occurred in the early to mid 1950's. The most noteworthy was the monster Flint/Beecher tornado that occurred in 1953 also an EF-5, but that storm hit in the month of June (8th). (An in‑depth article I wrote on the tornado can be found here). Unfortunately, Genesee County was hit again just three years later on May 12th, 1956 with another devastating tornado (EF4 on the enhanced fujita scale with a wind of 166‑200 mph). After the Flint/Beecher storm, this is the second strongest tornado to hit Genesse County. Like its predecessor, this storm also formed in the Flint vicinity (3 miles east of Flint) but then tracked southeast to 3 miles northwest of Atlas rather than east. This tornado killed 3 people and injured 116 while taking out more than 100 homes and five commercial buildings along its path. The average width of the storm was about 300 feet and it is the last killer tornado to hit Genesse County.

Just less than a month before the massive Flint/Beecher tornado in June 8th, on May 21st,1953 the first of two EF4's (166-200 mph) tornadoes ever to hit St. Clair county tore a mean path through the south side of Port Huron. By all accounts, the south side of Port Huron was devastated by this twister. There were two deaths and 68 injuries along with an estimated 90 homes destroyed and another 300 damaged as the tornado ripped through the region. Also, along with the loss of homes, an additional 83 buildings were destroyed and another 124 buildings damaged. As a severe thunderstorm moved northeast across St. Clair county, the tornado was spawned just southwest of Port Huron over the town of Smith's Creek. The tornado then took aim on the south side of Port Huron, reaching nearly a mile wide across at its worst as it tore through the area on its way into Canada.

The second EF4 tornado to hit St. Clair county also occurred in May...May 8th, 1964 The tornado actually developed over Macomb County, 3 miles north of Mt. Clemens, then plowed east northeast across New Baltimore to just north of Algonac, in extreme southern  St. Clair County, before crossing the St. Clair River into Canada. This tornado killed 11 people and injured more than 200 as it destroyed 132 homes and damaged another 240 homes and farms. But this tornado wasn't the most damaging in St. Clair County. That distinction belongs to an EF3 (136‑165 mph) tornado that hit St. Clair and Macomb Counties also in May...May 2nd, 1983. The tornado was again spawned over Macomb County, this time over the extreme southeast portion of the county near Eastpointe. The storm then blew across Lake St. Clair and into Harsens Island and damaged or demolished 25 to 30 homes, an aircraft hangar and a large building. The estimated cost of the damage was over $5 million.

Snow-OH !

 While a few snow flurries or snow showers are all not that rare in Southeast Lower Michigan in the month of May, the following two snowstorms were and both I wrote in-depth about; here!

One storm occurred May 21st‑22nd, 1883, while the other, the more documented of the two, hit the area May 9th, 1923. The snowstorm on May 9th, 1923 was probably the most severe and extensive over Southeast Lower Michigan of the two ( I wrote in‑depth article on this storm very early in my Weather Historian career. 1996 titled "Snowstorm of May 9th, 1923").  Records at Detroit show a six‑inch snowfall by the evening of the 9th, while further north and west of the city it was even worse! Six to nine inches fell across the Ann Arbor area north into Howell and east, across Pontiac and Port Huron. Even more incredible, snow depths flirting with a foot were observed from Lansing and Flint area, north into the Saginaw Valley and Thumb Region. Widespread damage occurred when such a heavy wet snow fell on top of the newly sprouted spring vegetation. Afternoon and evening temperatures hovered in the lower to mid 30s, while a bitter cold (particularly for May) northwest wind blew at 15 to 25 mph.

The May 21st‑22nd, 1883 snowstorm by the date alone sounds almost unbelievable! Very little was written in the archaic Detroit weather records about the storm at the time. In fact, the snowstorm was not confirmed until much later (1904), since officially continuous snowfall records did not start until 1885. The following is from the official observation form...

                                                         May 21, 1883

            Rain began at 900am. Snow from 250pm to 910pm. Hail 934am to

           1005am and 110pm. Strong wind reaching 36 mph from the North.

           Temp from 32.5  to 46.0. Baro rising.

        

                                                         May 22, 1883

           Hail ended during the night. Snow began during the night. Rain and

           snow  ended 1005am. Northerly wind reaching 28 miles. Temp from 

           32.5 to 41.0  Snowfall estimated by Inspector Conger to have been

           5.0 in ‑ on 21st&22nd    (This entry made April 28, 1904 ‑ CDC.J)

The snowfall was split between the two days and recorded as 2.3 inches on the 21st and 2.7 inches on the 22nd. While hail was a likelihood, especially in the afternoon on the 21st as the colder air moved in, I suspect the hail recorded overnight into the 22nd could have well been graupel or sleet. One may also wonder with such cold air advected into the region at the surface and aloft in late May,  if thundersnow (sleet/hail) didn't also occur somewhere over Southeast Lower Michigan, especially with accumulating snow. The snowfall recorded on the 21st & 22nd in 1883 is by far the latest measurable snowfall recorded in Metro Detroit. The next closest, heaviest measurable snowfall date‑wise is 1.5 inches, which fell on May 13th, 1912 and then, our other big storm with the total of six inches on May 9th, 1923. The latest snow was officially observed in Detroit was the last day of May...May 31st, 1910 when a trace fell. By the way, it's interesting to note that not one of the pre-mentioned Mays with measurable snowfall placed in the top 10 coldest Mays in Detroit.

May Daily Snowfall Records

Date	Snowfall (Inches)	Year	Date
1	0.3	1909	1
2	0.1	1909	2
3	0.1	2005	3
4	0.2	1907	4
5	0.0	2019	5
6	0.0	2019	6
7	0.0	2019	7
8	0.0	2019	8
9	6.0	1923	9
10	0.5	1902	10
11	0.0	2019	11
12	0.0	2019	12
13	1.5	1912	13
14	0.0	2019	14
15	0.0	2019	15
16	0.0	2019	16
17	0.0	2019	17
18	0.0	2019	18
19	0.0	2019	19
20	0.0	2019	20
21	2.3	1883	21
22	2.7	1883	22
23	0.0	2019	23
24	0.0	2019	24
25	0.0	2019	25
26	0.0	2019	26
27	0.0	2019	27
28	0.0	2019	28
29	0.0	2019	29
30	0.0	2019	30
31	T	1910	31

Heatwaves

Now, from one extreme to another, lets look at Heat Waves. While there have been hot days in May with records into the 90s, there are only two years that had extended periods of hot weather in May and those are 1962 and 1977. The hottest and more consecutive of the two was in 1962 when from May 14th‑May 18th, the daily high temperature climbed to ninety or above. This hot spell created five new consecutive record high temperatures which still stand to this day. In 1977, there were also five new record highs established but they were not consecutive, nor all in the 90s up until 2007 & 2012 when two were superseded (see: Tables, below). Very recently (in climate terms) May of 2012 was a very warm month and had its share of records also.

May - Detroit Records 1874 - Present

May Normals (1980-2010)				Maximum		Minimum		Average Daily Temperature		Precipitation
Date	Max	Min	Avg	Record High	Lowest Max	Highest Min	Record Low	Highest	Lowest	Greatest	Date
1	65	45	55.0	86/1942	40/1909	70/1942	26/1978	78/1942	35/1909	1.46/1875	1
2	66	45	55.0	85/2018	39/1940	64/1942	29/1978	73/1942	34/1875	1.66/1892	2
3	66	45	56.0	89/2012	40/1929	64/1955	28/1978	76/1955	38/1957	1.31/1997	3
4	66	46	56.0	89/1949	45/1954	66/1955	28/1966	77/1955	39/1954	1.05/1990	4
5	67	46	56.0	90/1895	42/1917	70/1949	29/1891	80/1949	38/1917	0.85/1991	5
6	67	46	56.0	90/1949	46/1935	66/1941	31/1974	74/2000	40/1974	1.75/1976	6
7	67	46	57.0	86/2000	40/1947	68/1964	27/1974	77/2000	36/1947	0.97/1948	7
8	67	47	57.0	87/2015	38/1947	68/2000	30/1976	77/2000	34/1947	0.85/1974	8
9	68	47	57.0	90/1896	39/1923	68/1965	29/1983	79/1896	35/1923	2.12/1875	9
10	68	47	58.0	90/1936	42/1902	67/1896	25/1966	78/1896	38/1966	2.33/1948	10
11	68	48	58.0	87/1993	43/1960	67/1881	30/1907	76/1896	39/1907	1.91/1914	11
12	69	48	58.0	90/1881	44/1966	65/1881	32/1934	78/1881	39/1895	1.48/2002	12
13	69	48	59.0	89/1977	45/1888	66/1956	30/2013	77/1991	41/1910	1.48/1991	13
14	69	49	59.0	91/1962	40/1895	66/1962	34/1984	79/1962	39/1895	1.39/1916	14
15	70	49	59.0	92/1962	48/1945	71/1962	33/1973	82/1962	42/1895	1.46/1923	15
16	70	49	60.0	92/1962	47/1945	70/1962	32/1984	81/1962	44/1957	1.09/1945	16
17	70	50	60.0	93/1962	48/1916	67/1962	31/1973	80/1962	43/1973	1.22/1980	17
18	71	50	60.0	93/1962	48/1915	70/1962	32/1973	82/1962	43/2002	1.50/2000	18
19	71	50	61.0	91/1934	40/1894	69/1996	32/2002	80/1996	37/1894	1.68/1949	19
20	71	51	61.0	91/1977	48/2002	68/1934	33/1981	79/1934	42/1895	1.56/1959	20
21	71	51	61.0	92/1977	46/1917	71/2013	32/1883	80/1934	39/1883	1.69/2004	21
22	72	51	62.0	90/1994	41/1883	67/1941	32/1883	78/1941	36/1883	1.14/1949	22
23	72	52	62.0	89/1964	46/1917	71/1964	34/1935	80/1964	40/1917	1.69/2004	23
24	72	52	62.0	87/2020	44/1925	67/1991	33/1925	77/1933	39/1925	1.26/1950	24
25	73	52	62.0	90/2012	47/1979	70/2012	35/1992	80/2012	45/1979	1.67/2011	25
26	73	53	63.0	92/1944	47/1961	70/1991	36/1983	79/1914	43/1961	2.56/1968	26
27	73	53	63.0	91/2018	51/1906	71/1941	35/1915	81/1941	46/1915	1.68/2014	27
28	74	53	64.0	95/2012	52/1930	72/1941	35/1907	82/1941	46/1894	2.02/1935	28
29	74	54	64.0	92/2006	48/1889	70/2006	32/1966	81/2006	42/1889	1.65/1876	29
30	74	54	64.0	93/1942	44/1889	73/1929	36/1966	81/1929	40/1889	2.27/1889	30
31	75	55	65.0	95/1895	46/1910	71/1919	34/1910	83/1895	26/1898	1.98/1946	31
Normal High: 69.9				Normal HDD: Month: 208				Normal Monthly Precip: 3.38
Normal Low : 49.4				Normal HDD Season: 6092				Normal Yearly Precip: 12.54
Normal Mean: 59.7				Normal CDD: Month: 42				Ave Snow this Month : -1.0
				Normal CDD Season: 48				Ave Snow for the Season: 42.7
Precip: Greatest Monthly Total: 8.46/2004							Snow: Greatest Monthly Total: 6.0/1923
Precip: Least Monthly Total: 0.43/1920							Snow: Least Monthly Total: 0.0/na

     

                            1962                                                               1977

DATE.............RECORD HIGH...................DATE..............RECORD HIGH

5/14                         91                                 5/13                          89   

5/15                         92                                 5/20                          91

5/16                         92                                 5/21                          92

5/17                         93                                 5/24                          87/equaled &                                                                                                            superseded 2007/20  

5/18                         93                                 5/25                     89 /superseded 

                                                                                                       by 90 2012/

Both Mays placed in the top ten hottest Mays in Detroit with 1962 placing 6th and 1977 placing 9th with recent editions of 2018 /2nd/, 2015 /8th/, 2013 /14th/, 2012 /4th/,1998 /3rd/ & 1991 /1st/. Ironically; May of 1991 placed at the top of the list for the warmest May but not one record high temperature was set that month. 

 

Top 20 Coldest/Warmest Mays in Southeast Lower Michigan
Rank	Detroit Area*				Flint Bishop**				Saginaw Area***
	Coldest		Warmest		Coldest		Warmest		Coldest		Warmest
	Temp	Year	Temp	Year	Temp	Year	Temp	Year	Temp	Year	Temp	Year
1	51.1	1907	66.5	1991	48.7	1997	65.0	1982	49.8	1924	64.6	1977
2	51.3	1917	66.2	2018	50.0	1966	65.0	1936	49.9	1945	64.0	1998
3	51.8	1967	65.5	1998	50.6	1967	64.7	1934	50.0	1917	63.7	2018
4	51.9	1966	65.3	2012	50.6	1945	64.4	1922	50.2	1997	63.4	1975
5	52.0	1997	65.3	1896	51.5	1984	64.2	1991	51.3	1947	63.2	1991
6	52.1	1924	65.2	1962	51.9	1947	63.4	2018	51.6	1967	62.8	1936
7	52.5	1945	64.7	1911	52.5	1961	62.9	2015	51.6	1915	62.7	1934
8	52.6	1935	64.5	2015	52.6	1973	62.9	2012	51.8	1925	62.5	1982
9	52.7	1882	64.4	1977	52.7	1954	62.9	1998	51.9	2002	62.5	1922
10	53.1	1915	64.3	1881	52.9	1968	62.7	1987	51.9	1983	62.2	2012
11	53.8	1947	64.2	1982	52.9	1924	62.6	1977	51.9	1954	61.6	2015
12	53.9	1910	63.7	1964	53.1	2002	61.9	2013	52.1	1966	61.5	2013
13	54.2	1883	63.7	1880	53.4	2005	61.9	1939	52.5	1946	61.5	1962
14	54.3	1888	63.6	2013	53.5	1983	61.8	1975	52.7	1935	61.3	2010
15	54.4	1983	63.3	1987	53.8	1974	61.6	1965	52.8	1948	61.1	1964
16	54.5	1984	63.3	1944	53.8	1948	61.5	1962	53.0	1974	61.1	1959
17	54.5	2002	63.1	1965	54.0	1957	61.4	1944	53.1	1956	61.0	1985
18	54.5	1890	63.0	1887	54.1	1963	61.1	1933	53.4	1957	60.7	1965
19	54.7	1954	62.8	1975	54.1	1935	61.1	1921	53.4	1923	60.5	1988
20	54.7	1925	62.8	1936	54.1	1925	60.9	1959	53.6	2003	60.4	1987
* Detroit Area temperature records date back to January 1874. ** Flint Bishop temperature records date back to January 1921. *** Saginaw Area temperature records date back to January 1912.

Making weather fun while we all learn,
Bill Deedler - SEMI_WeatherHistorian