National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

Actually, it is a tie.  Both the National Weather Service (NWS) Marquette, MI office and Asheville, NC have received 5.1 inches of snow through March 25.  Asheville, NC has received twice their normal amount of snow for March, while the NWS office in Negaunee Township is 22.1 inches below normal.

If the NWS office in Negaunee Township doesn't receive any additional snowfall, March 2009 would rank 3rd on the least snowiest March on record.

Here are the 10 lowest snowfall amounts for March:

Rank     Value      Year
  1            2.6        1974
  2            3.0        1973
  3            5.5        1967
  4            5.9        1968
  5            7.0        1980
  6            8.0        1962
  7            9.0        1978
  8          11.5        1970
  9          12.8        1977
10          16.2        1963

Looking at liquid precipitation for March 2009, the NWS office in Negaunee Township has received 0.67" through March 25th.  This value is 1.83 inches below the normal amount of 2.50 inches for March.  If we don't receive any additional precipitation, March 2009 would be the fourth driest March on record.

Here are the 10 lowest precipitation amounts for March:

Rank    Value   Year
    1         0.32   1974
    2         0.56   1978
    2         0.56   1980
    4         0.86   1967
    5         0.95   1962
    6         0.99   1993
    7         1.04   1999
    8         1.15   1970
    9         1.18   1968
  10         1.56   1963

What does the next week hold in store for Marquette? 

An unsettled weather pattern will bring the area several chances for measureable precipitation.  First, a weak disturbance is expected to move across Lake Superior tonight and Friday morning, which will bring a chance of light snow accumulations.  Next, a storm system is expected to move across southern Lower Michigan over the weekend.  This will bring another chance of snow showers to Marquette, but the heaviest snow is expected to be over eastern Upper Michigan.  Finally, another low pressure system is forecast to move across the Great Lakes region during the first half of next week, bringing another chance of accumulating snowfall to the area.

Weather records for the Marquette National Weather Service office in Negaunee Township date back to 1961.