Extreme Conditions: Historic 50-Degree Temperature Swing Hits West Michigan

The Winter of 2024 has been both woolly and wild and surprisingly mild. It's been overly overcast and sparsely sunny. It's been consistent in its inconsistency. As the 2024 winter wraps up, we got one more startling piece of weather lore.

West Michigan experienced a historic 50 degree temperature swing in one day between February 27-28. It was the most extreme and abrupt change in over 60 years.

WOOD-TV chief meteorologist Ellen Baca shared on social media a map showing the change in temperature from Wednesday February 27 to Thursday February 28.

Grand Rapids, by a degree, had the most extreme temperature change with a 50 degree drop. Many other cities saw a 49 (Benton Harbor, Lansing, Kalamazoo) or 48 degree (Ionia, Mt Pleasant, Big Rapids) change.

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One commenter on Baca's post saw an even more extreme drop. he reported a 54 degree change in Hudsonville.

The last time West Michigan saw such a variant in temperatures over a 24 hour period was 1963 - 61 years ago.

The most extreme temperature change in Michigan history happened during a weather event that came to be known as the Great Blue Norther in November of 1911 when the temperature dropped from a high of 80 to a low in of 13.

Call this the most chaotic winter in Michigan history and few will likely argue with you.