Michigan Weather (Marquette: neighborhood, earthquakes, vs.)

darstar · 03-20-2012, 04:00 PM

It was 82 here in Marquette away from the beach a bit. Sunday was the last day for the Ski Slopes to be open... most years they stay open till mid April, and sometimes may 1st.lots of bare spots. This is the first year I did not have to plow my summer driveway . All of a sudden its gone , and the snow was 5 feet deep. Strange thing, the Frost Laws in places up here have been lifted. Usually that does not happen till Mid may.. There does not seem to be any ground water from the snow melt, very strange.in dead...

GraniteStater · 03-20-2012, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darstar

It was 82 here in Marquette away from the beach a bit. Sunday was the last day for the Ski Slopes to be open... most years they stay open till mid April, and sometimes may 1st.lots of bare spots. This is the first year I did not have to plow my summer driveway . All of a sudden its gone , and the snow was 5 feet deep. Strange thing, the Frost Laws in places up here have been lifted. Usually that does not happen till Mid may.. There does not seem to be any ground water from the snow melt, very strange.in dead...

That is what happened here in NH as well. All of a sudden the snow just vaporized into thin air with temperatures going from the 30s to 70s and 80s nearly overnight. In a typical year the snow would slowly melt and recharge the soil moisture. The ground is SO DRY here that the diurnal temperature range between the lows and highs has been running nearly 45F. I have never seen anything like it. I'm just hoping this pattern doesn't carry over into Summer because that would be brutal. La Nina event in the Pacific is winding down so is not much of a factor currently. The temperature anomalies currently are the result of a huge block in the atmosphere and a large high pressure area off the East Coast. Think of it as a Bermuda High but further north.

michigan83 · 03-20-2012, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

That is what happened here in NH as well. All of a sudden the snow just vaporized into thin air with temperatures going from the 30s to 70s and 80s nearly overnight. In a typical year the snow would slowly melt and recharge the soil moisture. The ground is SO DRY here that the diurnal temperature range between the lows and highs has been running nearly 45F. I have never seen anything like it. I'm just hoping this pattern doesn't carry over into Summer because that would be brutal. La Nina event in the Pacific is winding down so is not much of a factor currently. The temperature anomalies currently are the result of a huge block in the atmosphere and a large high pressure area off the East Coast. Think of it as a Bermuda High but further north.

To add my unique perspective... here in southern Michigan we have a LOT of rural gravel roads. Normally in March they are a muddy mess, with frost heaves, many spots that turn into a slimy mess as the frost comes out.

Well... right now, the gravel roads are already bone-dry, and driving down them creates a dust trail as if it is a dry spell in mid-July.

It is bizarre indeed.

michmoldman · 03-20-2012, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michigan83

To add my unique perspective... here in southern Michigan we have a LOT of rural gravel roads. Normally in March they are a muddy mess, with frost heaves, many spots that turn into a slimy mess as the frost comes out.

Well... right now, the gravel roads are already bone-dry, and driving down them creates a dust trail as if it is a dry spell in mid-July.

It is bizarre indeed.

We live on a dirt road, and I was thinking the same thing today. Just a month ago you could barely get down it. Now its in mid-summer form.

Bydand · 03-20-2012, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michmoldman

We live on a dirt road, and I was thinking the same thing today. Just a month ago you could barely get down it. Now its in mid-summer form.

Same here. I was going down a dirt road today with a billowing cloud of dust behind me that is usually reserved for the heat of summer. Same road last week I was glad to have my 4X4 because I would have gotten stuck with the wifes low slung car because of the mud holes.

darstar · 03-20-2012, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

That is what happened here in NH as well. All of a sudden the snow just vaporized into thin air with temperatures going from the 30s to 70s and 80s nearly overnight. In a typical year the snow would slowly melt and recharge the soil moisture. The ground is SO DRY here that the diurnal temperature range between the lows and highs has been running nearly 45F. I have never seen anything like it. I'm just hoping this pattern doesn't carry over into Summer because that would be brutal. La Nina event in the Pacific is winding down so is not much of a factor currently. The temperature anomalies currently are the result of a huge block in the atmosphere and a large high pressure area off the East Coast. Think of it as a Bermuda High but further north.

All I can think of , is the ground did not freeze very far down, and the 50 F increase over night melted what was left, so, the melt above ground ( we had piles 20 feet high ! Our normal 170 inches over the winter, but it never got very cold this year.) just went quickly into the soil. If we do not get rain its going to be a bad spring and summer. We up here have broke all records by huge amounts and for a solid week so far. I think something else in play all over the middle latitude and the Northern tier as well. Remember its been a warm winter for northern Canada also.Thats where most of us normally get our weather fronts. I think the problem, what ever is causing it, starts out in Northern Canada, above 60o Latitude.

Luzette · 03-20-2012, 08:56 PM

I took a long walk in the woods today and thought the sun seemed especially hot. I can't really explain it as once it goes over 80 degrees you'll feel some heat. I was just left with the impression of a very hot sun that seemed unusual to me in some way. A very bizarre season this year for sure.

darstar · 03-20-2012, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luzette

I took a long walk in the woods today and thought the sun seemed especially hot. I can't really explain it as once it goes over 80 degrees you'll feel some heat. I was just left with the impression of a very hot sun that seemed unusual to me in some way. A very bizarre season this year for sure.

It could be that you were experencing yooper sunshine somehow? I have been noticeing how intence the sun gets in the UP ever since I moved here. Do not know why, other than maybe it's because of the lack of pollution , or the angle from this latatude . Seems stronger in the winter. Solar gain here can make quite a difference with all my glass, but then I face SE, . There have ben a lot of solar storms of late, that can effect a lot of things too.

michmoldman · 03-21-2012, 06:06 AM

All things equal out...enjoy it (or not) while you can. Next year at this time we may have 12" of snow and -20 temps.

Luzette · 03-21-2012, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darstar

It could be that you were experencing yooper sunshine somehow? I have been noticeing how intence the sun gets in the UP ever since I moved here. Do not know why, other than maybe it's because of the lack of pollution , or the angle from this latatude . Seems stronger in the winter. Solar gain here can make quite a difference with all my glass, but then I face SE, . There have ben a lot of solar storms of late, that can effect a lot of things too.

Maybe that was it, Darstar. I wonder if it's the angle you guys in the UP are at causing the intense sun. It's curious whatever the reason.