National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

Abnormal Spring Continues

     The nearly unprecedented spring weather continued right through the month of May, with warm and dry conditions (precipitation numbers this month rather deceiving) once again prevailing across the North Woods.  Much like March and April, most locations reported one of their top 20 warmest May's on record, with Sault Ste Marie leading the way with their 3rd warmest May average temperature.  As mentioned, while at first glance precipitation amounts appeared about on par for normal May readings (excluding Sault Ste Marie!), most of this rain fell within a few days in the first half of the month, with the last two weeks once again exceedingly dry for most.  On the bigger picture, the most rain occurred south of the M-55 corridor, with amounts generally tapering off as one went north.

     As for snow, an early month system did bring some measurable snow, especially across the higher terrain of Northern Lower Michigan.  While not unusual, the just over 2 inch amount observed at Gaylord made it the 10th snowiest May on record for that location. 

 

            May Average Temperature Data:

Sault Ste Marie (1888 - Present)

Mean	Average	Departure	Ranking*	Record Warm/Year	Record Cold/Year
56.7	51.3	+5.4	3rd Warmest	57.5 / 1998	40.4 / 1907

 

Houghton Lake (1917 - Present)

Mean	Average	Departure	Ranking*	Record Warm/Year	Record Cold/Year
57.7	53.9	+3.8	N/A	61.1 / 1991	46.2 / 1917

 

Alpena (1917 - Present)

Mean	Average	Departure	Ranking*	Record Warm/Year	Record Cold/Year
56.9	52.2	+4.7	Tied 4th Warmest	58.4 / 1991	45.4 / 1924

 

Traverse City* (1896 - Present)

Mean	Average	Departure	Ranking*	Record Warm/Year	Record Cold/Year
57.6	54.6	+3.0	Tied 13th Warmest	61.1 / 1998	45.3 / 1907

 

Gaylord** (1952 - Present)

Mean	Average	Departure	Ranking*	Record Warm/Year	Record Cold/Year
57.0	54.4	+2.6	16th Warmest	61.2 / 1977	46.0 / 1997

 

   May Precipitation Data:

Sault Ste Marie (1888 - Present)

Precipitation	Average	Departure	Ranking*	Record Wettest/Year	Record Driest/Year
1.10	2.50	-1.40	8th Driest	7.41 / 1970	0.50 / 1891

 

Houghton Lake (1917 - Present)

Precipitation	Average	Departure	Ranking*	Record Wettest/Year	Record Driest/Year
2.32	2.57	-0.25	N/A	7.40 / 2004	0.40 / 1966

 

Alpena (1917 - Present)

Precipitation	Average	Departure	Ranking*	Record Wettest/Year	Record Driest/Year
2.85	2.61	+0.24	N/A	8.29 / 1983	0.49 / 1925

 

Traverse City* (1896 - Present)

Precipitation	Average	Departure	Ranking*	Record Wettest/Year	Record Driest/Year
3.36	2.30	+1.06	N/A	10.78 / 1942	0.32 / 1966

 

Gaylord** (1952 - Present)

Precipitation	Average	Departure	Ranking*	Record Wettest/Year	Record Driest/Year
2.78	2.83	-0.05	N/A	9.11 / 1983	0.58 / 1977

 

  

  May Snowfall Data:

Sault Ste Marie (1888 - Present)

Snowfall	Average	Departure	Ranking*	Record Snowiest/Year	Record Least Snow/Year
0.4	0.2	+0.2	N/A	7.9 / 1927	0.0 / 2008

 

Houghton Lake (1917 - Present)

Snowfall	Average	Departure	Ranking*	Record Snowiest/Year	Record Least Snow/Year
Trace	0.3	-0.3	N/A	4.0 / 1935	0.0 / 2009

 

Alpena (1917 - Present)

Snowfall	Average	Departure	Ranking*	Record Snowiest/Year	Record Least Snow/Year
0.3	0.3	0.0	N/A	8.9 / 1929	0.0 / 2008

 

Traverse City* (1896 - Present)

Snowfall	Average	Departure	Ranking*	Record Snowiest/Year	Record Least Snow/Year
Trace	0.1	-0.1	N/A	11.0 / 1909	0.0 / 2009

 

Gaylord** (1952 - Present)

Snowfall	Average	Departure	Ranking*	Record Snowiest/Year	Record Least Snow/Year
2.3	1.0	+1.3	10th Snowiest	8.2 / 1954	0.0 / 2009

  

 - all averages are calculated using the 1971 - 2000 period

* Traverse City - Normal and observed temperature data is compiled from the ASOS site at Cherry Capital Airport.  Snowfall and precipitation amounts are recorded at the cooperative observer at Traverse City Munson Hospital, while snowfall and precipitation normals are compiled from the ASOS site at Cherry Capital Airport.

** Gaylord - All normal data is compiled from the cooperative observer site in the vicinity of the Gaylord Regional Airport ASOS site.  Observed precipitation and snowfall amounts are recorded from the cooperative observer, while temperature data is taken from the ASOS site.

( ) = Consistent years of record

* = only rankings in the top 20 will be entered

Midwest Regional Climate Center May Discussion

Latest El Nino Trends              Large Scale Atmospheric Blocking Features

 

Return to News Archive