New to Michigan weather?

Rain on The Meadows golf course

Late Summer and Fall Storms

While tornados are infrequent here, you will hear the campus tornado warning test at noon on the first Friday of the month.  Some of our storms do arrive with significant wind, hail, heavy rain or even some rotation.  TV and radio will give you a warning.  The campus alert system will let you know via your phone and email—be sure to sign up.

Sign up to receive notification from GVSU's emergency contact system
 

You can prepare your home for these events by stowing patio furniture, placing hanging plants in a sheltered spot, tending to any overhanging tree limbs, clearing your gutters, and removing fallen leaves—especially those that may clog storm drains. 

Blown-over trees sometimes down power lines.  Surge protectors on important electronics can save you some heartache. Having a battery operated lamp, a solar flashlight, a lighter to light a gas stove, etc. can be very handy.  Charging phones, electric cars, and household electronics in advance of a storm also helps.


Mackinac Hall courtyard under heavy snow

Snow

While you may see some falling snow by Halloween, it usually doesn’t “stick” until a little later in the season.

If you are planning on changing to snow tires, buying a snow blower or roof rake, or acquiring pet-safe salt for your sidewalk and driveway, you’ll want to do this early.  Selection will be better.  Neighbors are a great resource for information about how snow affects your area.  This varies a great deal.  You’ll be able to plan accordingly if you know how frequently your street is plowed, if your municipality clears sidewalks, whether there are street parking restrictions to facilitate plowing, whether your driveway is likely to be blocked by a snow mound when the plow comes through, if the local elementary school will allow your child to come inside before school hours (this can even vary by school based on temperature).

Snow texture and moisture vary.  Drier light snow is easy to clear.  Wetter snow may be very heavy and slower to shovel and difficult for a lightweight snow blower to handle.

Snow on the roads will affect traffic speed and visibility.  Start carrying a scraper (the kind with a brush is handy) from late October to avoid surprises.  Make sure wiper fluid is topped up.  Allow more room to stop.  Don’t use cruise control. For EVs, turn off regenerative braking. A little practice in a slippery empty lot can teach some valuable lessons about dealing with any sliding.  Clear the top of your car so snow will not slide over the windshield when you brake or fly off toward cars following you.

 

Lake Effect snow

Our proximity to the lake and the prevailing winds mean that we sometimes get lake-effect snow.  Wikipedia explains this as “when a cold air mass moves across long expanses of warmer lake water, warming the lower layer of air which picks up water vapor from the lake, rises up through the colder air above, freezes and is deposited on the leeward (downwind) shores.”  In practice, you will be able to identify it as snow that comes down prodigiously—and rather beautifully— in large flakes.

Snow shovels and salt are kept by many campus building doorways so that, as a community, we can assist on heavy snow days to keep ramps and accessibility doorways clear.

Any student or employee can report to 331-SNOW an area that needs tending or a problem such as ice falling from a building roof.

 

When Does the Campus Close for a "Snow Day"?

The rule of thumb is that campus is open if it is possible for our facilities team to clear the campus roads, lots, and paths to an acceptable degree.  The team that evaluates our ability to cope with the weather event tries to let everyone know via the emergency contact system by about 7 a.m.  Every so often, the weather event occurs during the day and campus is closed to all but essential personnel at some point during the day (for instance, from 3 p.m.).

If a snow closure of the campus happens during finals, follow the policy.  GVSU emergency closing policy.   Please note that there is the expectation that classes will be conducted remotely if feasible.  Read guidance about this policy.

Picture of snow pile and slush on campus

Ice

When the temperature fluctuates above and below 32 degrees during a snowy day, melting snow can refreeze.  This can be hard to see on roads.  Salting helps until temperatures get very low.  Allow extra space between cars and reduce speed.

For walking, there are several brands of cleats that can be added to shoes or boots, such as Yaktrax Walk Traction Cleats and STABILicers™. 

flooding on campus in 2013

Flooding

Local flooding due to heavy rain or fast melting

Clear storm drains and make sure sump pumps are working.  Storing items in basements off the floor and/or in waterproof containers can assist in the event of basement flooding.

Allendale, MI Weather averages

Month

Average high/low in F

Precipitation

Snowfall

January

31°/ 19°

9 days

32 inches

February

33°/ 20°

5 days

25.9 inches

March

43°/ 28

7 days

6.4 inches

April

55°/ 38°           

7 days

2.5 inches

May

67°/ 48°

6 days

 

June

75°/ 57°          

7 days

 

July

80°/ 63°           

6 days

 

August

78°/ 62°      

6 days

 

September

71°/54°

7 days

 

October

60°/ 44°    

7 days

 

November

47°/ 34°

9 days

6.5 inches

December

35°/ 24°

9 days

25.2 inches

snowy tree near the Lake buildings

What's it looking like in Allendale or on the Pew campus?

The university has webcams which can be handy for assessing the campus situation from the comfort of home.



Page last modified October 28, 2021