GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — As snowfall deficits continue to grow, many people around West Michigan have been openly wondering if we will see another very mild winter like 2011-12.
Of course, it’s far too early to make any generalizations about the next three months, but December is certainly off to a warm start. Wednesday was the coolest day so far in Grand Rapids at 39°, one degree above the normal high of 38°. The first four days of the month saw average temps of ten to twenty degrees above normal.
With highs in the 40s expected through the weekend, it looks like we’ll get to at least December 11 before we see a colder-than-normal day this month.
However, the sun that West Michigan enjoyed Wednesday is already fading, and it will be a while before it makes a reappearance. Mostly cloudy skies are expected Thursday with highs in the low to mid 40s. Snow has been largely absent as well, with only three-tenths of an inch so far officially in Grand Rapids. On average, ten inches of snow fall from the start of the season through December 5.
Scattered rain showers are likely starting Thursday night and continuing off and on into Friday. There’s a slight chance that some of that may mix with non-accumulating snow north of Grand Rapids.
The next weather system, however, looks to be a stronger one. It will move in Sunday and bring rain to most of the area. As it exits, colder air will wrap in and change the rain to snow for Monday. How quickly that transition happens will help dictate the amount of snow that falls, and this point will be a focus of the forecast as we head into the weekend.
You can always check out the updated forecast on the Weather page.
Photo: Enjoying some December golf (Courtesy Facebook user Redneck Crumback)
