October 2011 Weather Stats for Grand Rapids | News

Grand Rapids (WZZM) -

Never, in the weather history of Grand Rapids, has there even been a warmer, sunnier, and drier start to October than the first twelve days of the month.  High temperatures during those dozen days averaged 75.3°F, 11.3° warmer than usual; sunshine averaged 93.7%, 49.4% more than usual, including seven days with 100% sunshine and five in a row from October 5-9; and not a drop of rain fell.

Temperatures for the entire month of October averaged 52.6°F, 1.5°F above average but 0.9°F cooler than last year (53.5°F).  Seventeen days were warmer than usual while fourteen were cooler.  The highest temperature occurred on October 7 with 82°F while the lowest temperature occurred on October 28 with 28°F.  The growing season, began on April 18 and ended on October 22, totaled 186 days, 30 days longer than average (156 days), and 22 days longer than last year (164 days).

Precipitation was close to average last month with 3.13", 0.13" less than usual but 0.52" more than last year (2.61").  There were thirteen days with measurable precipitation, which is two days more than usual (11).  A trace of sleet was reported on October 28; otherwise, no snow fell during the month, which is 0.5" less than average but the same as last year (0.0").

There was 56.3% of the possible sunshine last month, 12.0% more than usual but 10.6% less than last year (66.9%).  There were eleven clear days - five more than average (6), fourteen partly cloudy days - six more than usual (8), and six cloudy days - eleven fewer than average (17).

Rainfall records: 0.91" on October 19 broke the previous record of 0.77" in 1985.

Peak Wind records: west wind of 47 mph on October 15 broke the previous record of west wind of 38 mph in 1952; west wind of 40 mph on October 17 broke the previous record of southwest wind of 39 mph in 1990; west wind of 41 mph on October 23 broke the previous record of southwest wind of 39 mph in 1995.