GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The unofficial start of summer is here — and after a tumultuous winter and despite a cool start, it’s looking pretty normal.
The forecast is a result of a balance of many factors, but one of the most reliable is that years similar to this one also had normal summers. Those similar years are called “analog years.”
“We take a look at the factors that matter in terms of long-range weather and we try and look back through history to see which years had similar patterns,” Storm Team 8 Chief Meteorologist Bill Steffen explained.
This year features a weak to nonexistent El Nino and a warm Gulf of Mexico. Usually a set up like this calls for a pretty standard summer.
WHAT IS NORMAL?
Summer officially begins this year on June 21. Astronomically, it lasts for a full 93 days, although the summer warmth usually lingers around West Michigan for 120 days.
Our hottest days are usually in July with the first 90-degree day gracing our part of the state around mid-June.
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