GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — There is no arguing that Michigan has been wetter than usual this year.
It can be seen in the rising waters of Lake Michigan to the soggy yards along Crooked Lake to the extensive flooding last spring.
Weather statistics help to show just how significant the rain and snow have been this year. For some, this year could go down as the wettest ever.
Already, Grand Rapids and Muskegon have grabbed the title of second wettest year on record, and we haven’t even gotten through all of December yet.
- Grand Rapids average annual precipitation: 38.27 inches
- Grand Rapids’ wettest year ever: 48.80 inches (2008)
- Grand Rapids 2019 precipitation so far: 48.18 inches
- Muskegon average annual precipitation: 33.49 inches
- Muskegon’s wettest year ever: 45.98 inches (2008)
- Muskegon 2019 precipitation so far: 44.95 inches
Both Grand Rapids and Muskegon are expected to break the records set in 2008. Each city usually picks up about 2.5 inches of liquid precipitation. When that precipitation falls as fluffy snow, it works out to an average of about 22 inches in Grand Rapids and 29 inches of snow in Muskegon.
As the National Weather Service in Grand Rapids pointed out, even if we see just half the normal amount precipitation for this month, both cities will see 2019 slide into first place for wettest on record.
Not every city in West Michigan will claim this title, though. This map shows the departure from average precipitation so far this year:
The lakeshore areas have seen the most precipitation compared to average. The east side of the state has some counties that are only running a couple of inches wetter than usual.
Our other official climate stations in Kalamazoo and Lansing are not expected to break any records. According to the National Weather Service, this is currently the 53rd wettest on record for Kalamazoo and the 17th wettest on record for Lansing.
