[NomadJustice]

Hello all!

I’m new to this forum and Michigan in general. I’ve been living in Hawaii for the better part of 4 years but I’m originally from Kansas. In my area of Kansas (and Kansas in general) the snowfall was pretty pitiful most years; only 15 inches on average. Now that it looks like my family and I have found a nice house in the Lansing area I was wondering if Lansing receives a lot of snow. There’s nothing better than a winder wonderland!

[djmilf]

I spent two winters (1980, 1981) at Michigan State University in East Lansing. I can only tell you how it was then, not how it is now.

The winters were cold, dark, and depressing. Days were short, nights were long, and skies almost always overcast. It was rare to see the sun, moon, or stars. The sun wouldn't rise until roughly around 8 in the morning; it would set around 5:30 in the evening.

Too far away for lake-effect snow. When snow did fall, perhaps once a week or less, it was at best just an inch or so. A dry snow that would swirl across the frozen landscape, driven by the constant slow winds that swept across the flat farmland plains.

[gemstone1]

City-Data has a wealth of data/demographics on most cities/towns, here is the Lansing data.

[scorpio516]

different from Kansas. But not too different.

storms come down from Alberta with cold temperatures and snow. BUT most of the snow is dumped instead in Grand Rapids. And Lake Michigan tempers the air.

So it's a lot warmer and less snowy than Minnesota or Wisconsin or the Dakotas. All of the lower third of Michigan east of GR gets less than 4' of snow a year, about a foot a month for the whole winter.

But on the other hand, it's cloudy. Don't expect to see the sun from November until March. December is overcast 70% of the time. Then the sun rises after 8 am and sets before 5 pm.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by scorpio516

different from Kansas. But not too different.

storms come down from Alberta with cold temperatures and snow. BUT most of the snow is dumped instead in Grand Rapids. And Lake Michigan tempers the air.

So it's a lot warmer and less snowy than Minnesota or Wisconsin or the Dakotas. All of the lower third of Michigan east of GR gets less than 4' of snow a year, about a foot a month for the whole winter.

But on the other hand, it's cloudy. Don't expect to see the sun from November until March. December is overcast 70% of the time. Then the sun rises after 8 am and sets before 5 pm.

As someone that has lived in Kansas as well as the Great Lakes region, I would say that have almost nothing in common in terms of winter weather.

Kansas has some winter weather "events," but lacks any type of consistent cold with snow cover that stays on the ground for very long at all. It can easily be 60F in January there, followed by 10F two days later. It is also much sunnier in the Great Plains in the winter with lots of dry air masses and wind.

The Great Lakes region has a consistently cold/chilly winter with much less sunlight with off and on snow and mixed precipitation being the norm. The further west you get away from the Great Lakes, the colder the low temperatures are, such as the interior UP northern lower Michigan (Iron River, Crystal Falls, Wolverine, Vanderbilt, Gaylord, etc.), or Wisconsin away from Lake Michigan or Superior, (Rhinelander, Eagle River, Hayward, Phillips, etc.).

Lansing would be a milder version of Madison, WI in terms of climate. I used to live in Madison and Sun Prairie areas in Wisconsin in addition to Michiana (NWI).
Edit: Both Lansing, MI and Madison, WI average between 45-55 inches of snowfall per winter. Most areas of Kansas averages 10-15 inches of snowfall per winter.

[Zenstyle]

NomadJustice, welcome to the Mitten!
Protect yourself from possible Seasonal Affective Disorder (not saying you’ll get it) by spending time outdoors everyday. Even under overcast skies, you’re still getting good sun rays on your skin by walking outside, though it may not feel like it. Stay active and enjoy Michigan!

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by Zenstyle

NomadJustice, welcome to the Mitten!
Protect yourself from possible Seasonal Affective Disorder (not saying you’ll get it) by spending time outdoors everyday. Even under overcast skies, you’re still getting good sun rays on your skin by walking outside, though it may not feel like it. Stay active and enjoy Michigan!

I always take a Vitamin D supplement every day between October through April because it isn't easy getting outside for long periods with my work schedule.

[TwinbrookNine]

Snow is around 40” a year but varies somewhat from year to year. Depends on the general weather pattern. In some winters Lansing is often on the border line between a good 12” snow vs a slop storm (3" snow goes to freezing rain, goes to rain, goes to flash frozen with a dusting of flurries). The big problem in Lower Michigan is weeks of depressing overcast skies - typically Oct-Nov-Dec Can go 15 - 20 days without even a peek of sun. Spring and summer are very nice.

[Coney]

It seemed like there were daily snow flurries between November and March that would coat the cars, even when there wasn't a major snow event.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by TwinbrookNine

Snow is around 40” a year but varies somewhat from year to year. Depends on the general weather pattern. In some winters Lansing is often on the border line between a good 12” snow vs a slop storm (3" snow goes to freezing rain, goes to rain, goes to flash frozen with a dusting of flurries). The big problem in Lower Michigan is weeks of depressing overcast skies - typically Oct-Nov-Dec Can go 15 - 20 days without even a peek of sun. Spring and summer are very nice.

Yes, that's why I prefer Wisconsin winters over Michigan winters because they are colder, drier, and a bit sunnier, even though the snow amounts don't vary that substantially.