Coldest winter in Ironwood continued throughout April

IRONWOOD - Ironwood's coldest winter in 100 years continued into April, with temperatures for the month nearly 6 degrees below normal.

April 2014 in Ironwood enters the weather statistic books as the ninth coldest on record, according to Kevin Crupi, of the National Weather Service office in Marquette.

Records date to 1901.

"For the fifth month in a row, a cold northwest flow of Canadian air dominated the Upper Great Lakes," Crupi said in his monthly summary.

The combined December through April mean temperature at Ironwood was almost 9 degrees below normal, qualifying that period as Ironwood's coldest on record. For the December through April period, the thermometer averaged 12.6 degrees, compared with the long-term mean of 21.5. The 12.6 degrees was 2 degrees colder than the same period in 1995-'96.

The average temperature for the month was 33.5 degrees, compared with the long-term norm of 39.3.

The 34.7 inches of snow that fell in April was the third highest total on record. The high mark was set in April 2013 at 44.9 inches.

The high reading was 66 on April 20, while the low was 0 on April 5.

Elsewhere in the Upper Peninsula:

-It was the fifth coldest April at Manistique.

-Marquette experienced its seventh coldest April.

-It was the tenth wettest April at Newberry and Manistique.

Lake rises

Crupi added that the spring run-off, combined with lingering ice cover, caused Lake Superior to rise throughout April. The ice eliminated much of the evaporation that normally occurs in April.

Lake Superior rose about 4 inches for the month. As a result, at the end of the month the lake was around 3 inches above the long-term normal depth.