Climate and Weather
Emojis Have Meanings to Guide You!
📚--->Supplemental Resource!
📚 Did you know that both Michigan's hottest and coldest temperatures on record have been in the Lake Huron watershed?
Check out an article on Michigan's record setting weather events here!
What do the terms mean?
This 2-minute video gives a great explanation and visual on the difference between climate and weather!
This graphic highlights the difference between the terms weather and climate.
Definitions
Weather
"The state of the atmosphere, mainly with respect to its effects upon life and human activities; distinguished from climate by focusing on short-term (minutes to about 15 days) variations of the atmosphere state."
- National Snow and Ice Data Center
Climate
"Synthesis of weather conditions in a given area, characterized by long-term* statistics (mean values, variances, probabilities of extreme values, etc.) of the meteorological elements in that area."
- National Snow and Ice Data Center
*Typically on the 30-year scaleIn Focus: Great Lakes Basin and Your Place
Seasonality and Latitude
The Great Lakes basin lies in the climate zone called "temperate". Read about how latitude impacts our seasons, climate, and weather here.
Temperature: Water Moderation
Because of water's high heat capacity, it heats and cools more slowly than landmasses. This can impact the local temperature on land (areas sometimes referred to as a microclimates) and as we move further inland from the Great Lakes which moderate coastal temperatures.
Temperature: Freezing
From 1981-2010, Michiganders experienced on average 129 to 174 days below freezing each year.
This table identifies the number of annual number of freezing days (and other weather information) through the data period (1981-2010).
📚 Get the down low on the daily data of temperatures and precipitation. These are downloadable tables.
Precipitation: What was the chance of that storm event?
What do we mean when we say that was an 100-year storm event? This language can be confusing but understanding the language is helpful as you look to how often (frequency) a given amount of precipitation falling for a specific amount of time (intensity) may occur at your site.
This 3-minute video that helps explain this concept. Note they use a flood event from the point of view of rivers but that is applies for all precipitation.
📚 Explore this tool that will help you estimate how often a specific storm might occur in your area.
The Role of Wind
Wind is caused by air moving from surface areas of high pressure (where the air above is cool and descending) to surface areas of low pressure (where the air above is warm and ascending).
📚 4-minute video on wind currents and weather.
📚 30-minute HOMES at Home Episode on GL Winds
Temperature, Precipitation & Climate Change
This page includes an interactive map (or scroll to the bottom and click the maps to enlarge) highlighting how the average temperature and total precipitation have changed in the past 50 years for your area.
This page includes two maps that show projected changes for temperature and precipitation in the next century.
👥 Community Partner Connections 👥
Who are some of the partners that focus on Climate and Weather in the Great Lakes basin and Michigan?
✅ National Weather Service
📚 Find the office closest to you! They often have staff that are able to present to the public.
✅ Michigan's State Climatologist
📚 Find contact information and more about what they do here.
✅ Midwest Regional Climate Center
📚 Find contact information and more about what they do here .
📚Supplemental Resources📚
National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation
NNOCCI partnered with the Frameworks Institute to develop a set of tested tools to help ensure the success of conversations about climate change with the average person in our communities. One tool is using the heat trapping blanket to help explain the impact of man-made Carbon Dioxide. Below is a comic of the metaphor in action!
U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit
Explore the Great Lakes Region toolkit. It includes information and tools on climate change resilience as it relates to these four areas: People and Communities; Infrastructure and the Built Environment; Agriculture, Forests, and Ecosystems; Building Resilience in the Great Lakes.
This 10-minute video explores how a few degrees of change will impact the globe.
Weather Underground
Interested in more robust weather data collection at your home, project site or school? Check out the Personal Weather Station Network effort!
