# UP Michigan weather



## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

It's been a very long time since I lived in the UP but it still appeals to me with all the public land for wandering. Early this summer I plan on taking the pooch on a road trip to look around and see what land is available for sale with the idea of finding retirement property.

What's the weather like throughout the year? I understand that the Great Lakes can really have an impact on weather especially precipitation and maybe cloud cover.


----------



## BlackWillowFarm (Mar 24, 2008)

Here's a couple links you might find interesting:

Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan (MI 49783) profile: population, maps, real estate, averages, homes, statistics, relocation, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, moving, houses, news, sex offenders

Michigan Bigger Cities (over 6000 residents) - Real Estate, Housing, Schools, Residents, Crime, Pollution, Demographics and More


The UP is a beautiful place there's no denying that. The lakes will have an effect on the weather and the number of cloudy days. I've never lived there but I know a couple people from Marquette and they tell me about winters with three feet of snow on the ground. My husbands uncle lives in Fayette on the point of land reaching into Lake Superior. He built his own log cabin with trees from his property. There's a cave on his property and they've found old animal bones in there. It's big enough to stand up and walk around in but you have to enter through a little slit in the ground. I really enjoy my visits there.

You can have rocks and hills, or rolling farmland depending where you are.

We would retire there if it weren't for the long, cold winters. Property prices are reasonable, land is plentiful and the roads are in pretty good shape from what I remember.


----------



## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

BlackWillowFarm said:


> Here's a couple links you might find interesting:
> 
> Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan (MI 49783) profile: population, maps, real estate, averages, homes, statistics, relocation, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, moving, houses, news, sex offenders
> 
> ...


Thanks!

We used to have heavy snowfalls before the drought but never like the snowfall totals I see for the UP. A good snowblower takes care of that.

Mainly I'm wondering if solar heating might be possible. Temperature wise it can be done but it takes sunshine.


----------



## Yoopers (Jan 30, 2012)

Can't help you on the solar heating question because I don't know enough about it but I live in the Western UP so If I can answer other questions let me know.

Moved here 6 years ago and would never go back. The winters are long but if you go out and play in the snow its not that bad.


----------



## Kazahleenah (Nov 3, 2004)

Many folks have said that solar doesn't work as well as wind turbines up there. Just too much cloud cover in the winter espically.
I do love the UP though, miss it, but came back "under" for work.


----------



## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Yoopers said:


> Can't help you on the solar heating question because I don't know enough about it but I live in the Western UP so If I can answer other questions let me know.
> 
> Moved here 6 years ago and would never go back. The winters are long but if you go out and play in the snow its not that bad.


How much snow do you get? I enjoy winters more than summers as long as it isn't bitter cold like -20 or -30 for days on end.

For solar I'm thinking more along the lines of home heating rather than electric.


----------



## dirtman (Sep 15, 2011)

We live a ways south of the UP but I keep an eye on the temps for the whole of northern Michigan and there is really that much difference between there and here in Leelanau county. The lakes moderate the temps and it has been a while since there was anything like -20. Solar is not practical though because the lakes provide a pretty constant cloud cover in the winter. I'd move there in a heartbeat


----------



## wirejeweler (May 1, 2011)

We are east of Marquette and get approx. 120 inches of snow. Thinking we may have had our last frost so we can plant our small garden.


----------



## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Is it cloudy there a lot?


----------



## Welshmom (Sep 7, 2008)

Yes. Not like Seattle, but a fair amount of the time. Not much of a growing season.


----------



## Jerngen (May 22, 2006)

http://marquettefood.coop/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/U.P.-Farm-Directory-2011-ONLINE.pdf

As the link will show..... the growing season is plenty long enough for a large variety of things. 

The winters ARE long....... you have to get outside or you'll go nuts.

Fishhead - I believe you and I chatted at one time about the Gwinn area  

Let me know if there are any other questions I can help with


----------



## wirejeweler (May 1, 2011)

fishhead said:


> Is it cloudy there a lot?


Quite a bit cloudy during the winter months.


----------



## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Jerngen, yes we did talk about the Gwinn area. The Little Lake area is burned into my brain out of the probably 2 dozen places we lived. I'm going to make it back for a look around soon. Winter suits me fine. I like to snowshoe and XC ski.

wirejeweler, thanks for the info. I'll have to find one of those solar maps to see if solar heating might work.


----------



## Yoopers (Jan 30, 2012)

So sorry for the delay on replying. I don't check in daily just when i have some down time on the computer.

Over here in the western end we get between 200 and 300 inches of snow a year. 200 or less are considered mild winters. We have had three mild winters in a row to date and its helpful for the deer and other wildlife like grouse. 300 inches is a hard winter and they get old quick.

My wife and I are working on finding a place out a bit further and plan to do solar for power. Its cloudy here but solar power is still a viable option if you plan for it. Solar heat I don't know enough about to offer any information.


----------



## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

That's a lota snow! Definitely have to include that in building plans.


----------



## Yoopers (Jan 30, 2012)

fishhead said:


> That's a lota snow! Definitely have to include that in building plans.


Keep in mind it shrinks so its not all 200" outside at the end of the year.

The snow is measured in two ways here. Beginning of winter " I can still get around in the woods without snow shoes" and the rest of the winter. " I need snow shoes". I love it!

I hope you move up this is a wonderful place to be.


----------



## pheasantplucker (Feb 20, 2007)

The few times I've been up there (always in the summer), I'm pleased with the lack of humidity...very pleasant and comfortable. Good luck. I love it up there.


----------



## beeshurt (Apr 6, 2011)

I moved up here 6 years ago as well (purchased my house 8 years ago). Property is on the less expensive side in the rural areas. I'm halfway between Marquette and Escanaba. As you travel southward in the UP, there is less snow. Lots of farmland or small town living in Cornell, Hyde, Trenary, Traunik, Chatham, Eben Junction, Rumeley areas. A friend of mine just moved up here from downstate Michigan and loves it as well.


----------



## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

I've been in the Sault Ste. Marie area near 30 years. 100 inches of snow average. May snow the end of October, but generally no snow 'til near Christmas. The Big Lake keeps things warmer in the Fall. But by Christmas, the snow starts. 4 to 6 inches a day is common. Two feet would be called a storm. By late January, most of the Big Lake is frozen over and the moisture sealed off, the snowfall is greatly reduced. But it gets cold. Expect a few -30 mornings. But the amount of sunshine is greater here than in Texas. While it seemed that we had lots of cloud cover, the info I dfound showed a high percentage of clear skies. The UP has longer daylight summer hours than Florida, by a bit, too.
There is generally snow on the ground in mid-April, but by late April the snow is gone and streams warm up enough for the smelt to run. Expect 80 degrees by mid/late May.
Having "Lake Effect" adds a few inches of snow to every storm, but also drops night time summer temperatures by an extra 10 degrees, too. Almost always good sleeping temperatures without air conditioning. With a well insulated house, open the windows at night, shut up the house in the morning and stay cool all day.

Many areas have lost population, so houses available. Consider buying a home instead of building your "dream home".


----------



## copperkid3 (Mar 18, 2005)

BlackWillowFarm said:


> My husbands uncle lives in Fayette on the point of land reaching into Lake Superior. He built his own log cabin with trees from his property. There's a cave on his property and they've found old animal bones in there. It's big enough to stand up and walk around in but you have to enter through a little slit in the ground. I really enjoy my visits there .


*******
but Fayette is closer to Lake MICHIGAN, than Lake Superior. :shocked:


----------



## secretcreek (Jan 24, 2010)

What I would give to trade SE Ohio's humidity for my Michigan childhood days of low humidity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My family now lives in Upper MI from Mt Pleasant-to Traverse City. My parents have a lake home (prowfront two story-basement walkout...) In a private lake community (sandy roads) near Farwell/near Jay's Sporting Goods, for sale! 

-scrt crk


----------



## BlackWillowFarm (Mar 24, 2008)

copperkid3 said:


> *******
> but Fayette is closer to Lake MICHIGAN, than Lake Superior. :shocked:



Ooops, a Great Lakes mix up. Yes, it's Lake Michigan. Thanks for pointing it out.


----------



## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

secretcreek said:


> What I would give to trade SE Ohio's humidity for my Michigan childhood days of low humidity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My family now lives in Upper MI from Mt Pleasant-to Traverse City. My parents have a lake home (prowfront two story-basement walkout...) In a private lake community (sandy roads) near Farwell/near Jay's Sporting Goods, for sale!
> 
> -scrt crk


Mt. Pleasant is in north central Lower P. Traverse City is in north west Lower P. 

Upper P is across the Mackinac Bridge. Those that live above the Bridge are U.P ers, or Yoopers. Those that live below the Bridge are troals.

Jay's is an Outdoorsman's mecca, north of Clare.


----------

