Karl Bohnak

It’s already the last week of November and so far (If you’re not a big snow fan.), we’ve lucked out. There has not been much snow. Of course, that is not always the case at this time in November.

In fact, 32 years ago, Upper Michigan was getting hammered by a U.P.-wide snowstorm. Low pressure developed over the central Plains, moved northeastward into the western Great Lakes and deepened. The U.P. was on the cold side of the storm and received heavy snow. The National Weather Service (NWS) near Negaunee was buried under 31.3 inches of snow on November 23-24, 1991. The deer hunting season came to an abrupt halt after this weekend snowstorm leading up to Thanksgiving.

In 1985. Thanksgiving was celebrated late–on the 28th. A cold, arctic air mass covered much of Canada and the northern United States. At the same time, a front set up from the central Rockies into the southern Plains. A strong disturbance moved off the Pacific during the early part of the holiday and induced the development of low pressure along the front. The low headed into the Great Lakes while deepening. It caused a huge snow and ice storm that disrupted holiday travel over a wide section of the Plains into the Great Lakes including Upper Michigan. Over 30 inches of wind-blown snow fell at the NWS on December 1-2, while Herman in Baraga County received 32 inches of snow on one calendar day!–December 2. It’s a state record one-day snowfall.

This year, nothing of the kind is expected. Currently Upper Michigan is in a northwesterly flow aloft. While this flow pattern will lead to some cold-air outbreaks, it is not conducive to major snowstorms. The best chance of receiving substantial snowfall during next week will be in the west-northwest to northwest-wind snow belts of Lake Superior. Temperatures should trend below average to begin next week.

Sat:

37 16

Partly cloudy

Sun:

33 23

Light snow

Mon:

24 20

Snow showers

Tues:

27 14

Flurries

Wed:

28 17

Flurries