GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Clouds, clouds, and more clouds – Mother Nature hasn’t been kind with the ‘Winter Blues’ this January. It’s been one of the cloudiest Januarys on record in Grand Rapids, with sunshine at a premium.
However, there’s reason to be optimistic; that elusive yellow orb in the sky is set to shine on West Michigan for several days as the calendar flips to February.
OVERCAST JANUARY
January is typically one of our cloudier months each year, attributed to a combination of storm systems and lake-effect processes. Grand Rapids averages only 22.4% of possible sunshine in a given January.
However, January of 2024, has been exceptionally overcast, with Grand Rapids recording only 8.1% of possible sunshine, making it the third cloudiest January on record. Only January 1998 (6.2%) and January 2004 (8.0%) were cloudier.
17 out of the 31 days this January featured no sunshine, meaning an overcast sky start to finish. Only two days – the 19th and 21st – saw more than 50% sunshine. The last day with 100% sunshine in Grand Rapids was November 18th, over 70 days ago.
SUNSHINE IS ON THE WAY
Find your sunglasses! Sunshine is set to return in the coming days.
Heading into February, a favorable weather pattern for a stretch of sunshine is on the horizon. First, the overall storm track will be directed across the Deep South and Gulf Coast, well removed from the Great Lakes region. Second, warmer temperatures both at the surface and aloft in the atmosphere will suppress lake-effect cloud processes. Lastly, the presence of sprawling high pressure across the Great Lakes increases the potential for abundant sunshine.
Clouds are expected to scurry out as Friday progresses, with sunshine taking over throughout the afternoon. The weekend appears to be the most promising for sunny skies, with a mostly clear forecast expected Saturday and Sunday. This favorable pattern looks to continue into the first half of next week.
Temperatures will also remain above average for the foreseeable forecast. High temperatures will frequently reach the 40s, which is 10+ above the early February average (typically in the lower 30s). Nighttime lows will mostly hover in the 20s through early next week (average low temperatures are in the upper 10s).
INCREASING DAYLIGHT
Daylight has been slowly increasing since the winter solstice, with West Michigan gaining approximately 54 minutes. The length of daylight continues to grow in February, with an additional hour and 16 minutes gained. On February 1st, West Michigan sees approximately 9 hours and 56 minutes of daylight. By February 29th, there’ll be 11 hours and 12 minutes of daylight.
Sunset will officially move into the 6 p.m. hour on February 5th, while sunrise will gradually shift back through the 7 a.m. hour over the course of the month.
Have a 30-second video or photo to share? We'd love to share it with everyone! Share your images by texting your name and location to 616.559.1310 or email to Weather@13OnYourSide.com or post it to our 13OnYourSide Facebook Page
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Watch 13 ON YOUR SIDE for free on Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV and on your phone.
