Where’s the snow?
Photo: Walking the Lake Michigan shoreline near Sunset Shores Drive on Jan. 15 with her dog and her friend Leslie, Amy Messano noticed the frozen sand forming long, fingerlike stalactites.
From staff reports
The first half of January was brown and green in Leelanau County. According to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Gaylord, we’re on pace to set a record for lack of snow this month. Even with a few white flurries late in January, we may still eclipse the previous mark. NWS measures snow accumulation in two County locations—Maple City and Northport.
Maple City has recorded an average January snowfall of 46 inches since records were kept beginning in 1959. The record low was in 2006 when the town received 11.4 inches. As of this Jan. 17, the NWS had recorded only 2.9 inches in Maple City.
Northport has recorded an average January snowfall of 25.7 inches since records were kept beginning in 1987. The record low there was in 2021 when the County’s northernmost town received 6 inches. But as of Jan. 17, the NWS had recorded only 0.8 inches in Northport.
The average January temperature for Leelanau County is 22 degrees. This month the NWS’ recorded average has been a balmy 31.8 degrees Fahrenheit through Jan. 17—barely below freezing.
This story was sponsored by Bay Lavender
