November 26, 1942: A Big Contrast and a Big Snow for Some
A large storm developed over the Plains on Wednesday, November 25, 1942 (Image 1). The system had a strong temperature contrast to work with; early morning temperatures ranged from 20 at Williston, North Dakota to 51 at Kansas City. The U.P. was initially in the warm sector of the system. Houghton’s U.S. Weather Bureau thermometer registered 44 degrees at the same time.
The storm developed and deepened northeastward so that by early morning on Thanksgiving 1942, it sat over northern Lake Michigan (Image 2). On the cold side of the system, Houghton had snow, northerly winds to 30 miles-an-hour and 27 degrees. Near the center of low pressure, Escanaba warmed to 43 with a light easterly wind and rain. The western U.P. was solidly in the cold sector of the low-pressure system and heavy, wet snow fell there. Ironwood’s holiday travel became snarled under 14 inches of slushy snow containing a water content of 1.62 inches. The next morning, the storm was spinning over James Bay and the cold air had rushed in underneath it. Escanaba registered 19 degrees, while Houghton’s holiday shoppers endured heavy lake-effect snow, strong northwesterly winds and 18 degrees.
November 1942 ended close to average in Marquette, while it was a cold December with the mean coming in at 2.1 degrees below average. Snowfall for the winter of 1942-43 was somewhat below average in Marquette. Only 90.1 inches of snow accumulated during the winter of 1942-43. The long-term average in town was around 110 inches during that time.
November 2012 will be an above average month despite closing on a cold note. After our record-warm Thanksgiving, the mean stood at 4.2 degrees above average through the 22nd. Temperatures will be below average through the end of the week, which means through the end of the month. However, there should be some moderation in temperature beginning Thursday. At this point, it appears that December will start quite mild as the Pacific flow becomes established once again.
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