November 17, 1959: Coldest of a Cold Month
November 1959 was a true winter month in Upper Michigan and the 17th was its coldest day. The temperature fell to one-degree below zero in Marquette, while it reached 6 below in Iron Mountain. Houghton collected four consecutive record lows from the 15th through the 18th, with the 3 above zero reading on this date the coldest for so early in the season. Munising also set a record for early cold with a 3 below zero reading.
An extensive snow cover promoted the intense, early season cold. A major snowstorm on November 5-6, 1959 dropped snow over most areas, with over a foot reported in Marquette (Image 1 above). The snow stayed on the ground as temperatures remained well below average. Then another major storm hit on the 13th and 14th preceding the record mid-month cold blast.
Arctic high pressure developed over northwest Canada and dropped south bringing a cold wave to much of the country at mid-month. Lincoln, Montana reached an incredible 53 degrees below zero on November 16. That reading still stands as the coldest temperature ever recorded over the lower 48 in November. That cold air mass marched east and brought down records over Upper Michigan the next day.
The intense cold moderated only a little toward the end of the month. December 1959 saw a complete flip in the weather pattern. Mild Pacific air masses dominated, bringing the U.P. one of its warmest twelfth months on record.
No flip is seen in the weather pattern over Upper Michigan the next several days. Well above average temperatures and dry weather is expected at least into the early part of next week. The Canadian computer model forecast does see a change to colder beginning in about a week (Image 2). The American GFS and the European models are both slower are slower to bring the cold air in
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