Muskegon closed out 2003 with the year’s most above average month. Temperatures were 4.6 degrees above normal. This was .7 degrees warmer than August which was the 2nd warmest month relative to average temperature in Muskegon.

Muskegon had a Jekyll and Hyde year temperature-wise. The first 6 months were below the norm, while the last 6 were above the norm. For the year warmer than normal won out with temperatures .6 degrees above normal for 2003.

The warmest day in December was 50� on the 10th. A few days later on the 13th the monthly low of 15 degrees was recorded.

December precipitation and snow were lighter than normal. 1.56 inches of rain fell, which is 1.08 below normal. On the 10th .81 inches of rain fell, likely helped by the month’s warmest temperatures.

Snowfall was particularly light with just 7.3 inches touching down. This is 30.8 inches below normal. Four inches of this fell on the 17th the most snow of any December day. This is better than last year’s 2.5 inches.

Winds were above average. December’s average wind was 11.0 knots which is .7 above the norm. Windiest day was the 21st at 22.4, least wind day was the 26th at 3.4 knots.

Muskegon’s winter tendency towards clouds was on display with 17 cloudy days. There were also 8 clear days and 6 partly cloudy ones.

For the 4th year in a row Muskegon has warmer than normal temperatures. For the 2nd December in a row snow fall was skimpy, bad news for higher lake levels.

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