GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Today’s high temperature of 94° at the National Weather Service office in Grand Rapids was good for another daily record high. The old record for the date was 91° set back in 2007. This was our fourth consecutive record high, and our fourth straight day with high temperatures of 90° or higher. This was also our ninth day of temperatures of 90° or above in the year 2017, which is about average for a calendar year.
Here is a look at the records we set the three previous days. The numbers in parenthesis represent the old records for the date, along with the year they were set:
This fall heat wave hasn’t been isolated to the southern half of the Lower Peninsula, either. Northern and Upper Michigan (along with Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota) have also been unusually hot. Here is a sample of some of today’s regional high temperatures:
The 95° high in Traverse City was a record for the date, beating the old 2007 standard of 89°. In Marquette the 88° high bested the old record of 82°, also set back in 2007.
Temperatures should cool slightly tomorrow and Tuesday as the big dome of high pressure aloft responsible for the unusually hot temperatures slowly breaks down. However, tomorrow’s forecast high of 91° for Grand Rapids would still beat the old record of 90° set in 1900 and again in 1920.
Noticeable relief from the heat will come to the area on Wednesday as a cold front moves across the state from west to east, bringing a chance for showers and storms along with much cooler temperatures for the rest of the week.
