February among snowiest on record for Flint, Detroit, Saginaw
February's snow across southeast Michigan made it into the record books, the National Weather Service found.
February 2021 ranks among the top 15 snowiest Februaries in Detroit, Flint and Saginaw, according to a climate summary the agency released Monday.
The 29.7 inches recorded at Flint Bishop International Airport was enough to rank it the second snowiest February there, just shy of the all-time record of 31.7 inches set in 2011, the report said.
Meanwhile, the 21.8 inches notched at Detroit Metro Airport and 18.1 inches in Saginaw were enough for the 11th snowiest February in both locations, weather service data shows.
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Much of the snowfall owes to the storm that crossed the region on Feb. 15-16.
It sparked the area's first winter storm warning this season, the latest first storm warning since at least 2005-2006, the weather service said.
Two-day snowfall totals included 9.6 inches in Flint and 7.6 in Detroit.
"The large scale pattern during the middle of February was dominated by an arctic air mass over the Great Plains that placed Southeast Michigan on its eastern periphery," the weather service said in an analysis last month. "The storm track brought numerous light snow events through the Great Lakes during this period."
Saginaw's airport and Detroit Metro both recorded measurable snow on 16 out of 28 days. In Flint, measurable snow was recorded on 18 days.
The normal snowfall totals for Flint, Detroit and Saginaw in February are 10.8 inches, 10.2 inches and 8.6 inches, respectively, according to the weather service.
March so far is not starting off with snow.
After dipping into the teens overnight, Tuesday's temperatures should top out in the upper 30s under mostly sunny skies.
Wednesday's high could soar into the upper 40s — nearly 10 degrees above average for the date. The low should be in the 20s.
The forecast calls for Thursday to remain sunny, with the mercury reaching the upper 30s.