TRAVERSE CITY — The 2025-26 meteorological winter ended with slightly below-average temperatures across much of Northern Michigan, above-average precipitation and above-average snowfall, according to Chief Meteorologist Michael Stevens.
Meteorological winter runs from Dec. 1 through the end of February, Stevens said. He said meteorological spring began March 1.
Stevens reviewed February weather data for Alpena, Houghton Lake, Sault Ste. Marie, Gaylord and Traverse City, then compared winter totals against the Doppler 910 weather team’s outlook given in October.
For February, average temperatures were slightly above normal in all five locations.
Traverse City averaged 25.3 degrees, which Stevens said was 1.5 degrees above average. Alpena averaged 21.3 degrees, 0.5 degrees above average. Houghton Lake averaged 22.1 degrees, 1.8 degrees above average. Sault Ste. Marie averaged 18.6 degrees, about 1 degree above average. Gaylord averaged 20.7 degrees, 2.4 degrees above average.
February started colder than normal, with a first half that was well below average, then finished warmer than normal in the second half.
Precipitation in February ran a little above average across the area. Alpena recorded 2.48 inches, which Stevens said was almost an inch above average. Houghton Lake recorded 1.36 inches, about 0.05 inches below average. Sault Ste. Marie recorded 2 inches, about 0.5 inches above average. Gaylord recorded 2.20 inches, just over a tenth of an inch above average. Traverse City recorded about 2.25 inches, about a quarter-inch above average.
Snowfall in February was below average in most spots, Stevens said, with Alpena and Sault Ste. Marie above average. Alpena recorded nearly 23 inches, about 6 inches above average. Houghton Lake recorded 6.5 inches, 7 inches below average. Sault Ste. Marie recorded 23.2 inches, 2.5 inches above average. Gaylord recorded nearly 20 inches, 9.3 inches below average. Traverse City recorded 15.7 inches, 5.7 inches below average.
For the full winter period, Stevens said temperatures were slightly below average overall for most of Northern Michigan. Alpena averaged 20.5 degrees, about 2 degrees below average. Houghton Lake averaged 20.1 degrees, 1.6 degrees below average. Sault Ste. Marie averaged 17.1 degrees, 2.2 degrees below average.
Traverse City averaged 23.6 degrees, 1.7 degrees below average. Gaylord averaged 19.1 degrees, which Stevens said was around average to almost a degree above average.
Precipitation totals for winter were above average at all five locations, Stevens said.
Alpena recorded 5.82 inches, 0.62 inches above average. Houghton Lake recorded 6 inches, 1.13 inches above average. Gaylord recorded 8.48 inches, nearly three-quarters of an inch above average.
Traverse City recorded 8.31 inches, about 0.9 inches above average. Sault Ste. Marie recorded 11.26 inches, nearly 5 inches above average, which Stevens said ranked as the third wettest winter on record there.
Snowfall totals for winter also finished above average, Stevens said, after a strong start in December and a slower pace through late January and February. Alpena recorded close to 65 inches, 11.5 inches above average. Houghton Lake recorded 49.1 inches, 4 inches above average. Gaylord recorded 104.7 inches, 9.5 inches above average. Traverse City recorded 99 inches, 20.7 inches above average. Sault Ste. Marie recorded 146.7 inches, 65.2 inches above average, which Stevens said was the second snowiest winter on record.
The winter totals generally matched the Doppler 910 weather team’s October outlook, which called for above-average moisture and snowfall with slightly below-average temperatures. Stevens attributed the pattern to La Nina, which he said tends to bring cooler temperatures, higher moisture and higher snow levels.
Stevens said recent precipitation helped reduce drought conditions that had been a concern in parts of the lower peninsula going into fall and winter. He said areas near M-55, US-10 and M-20 that were hard-hit by drought concerns last fall were back to “abnormally dry,” which he described as close to square one.
Looking ahead, Stevens said La Niña was weakening toward ENSO-neutral conditions. That shift suggested a spring with a bit more moisture and temperatures around average to slightly above average, leading to what he described as a “really nice spring” and a “really nice beginning of summer.”
According to Stevens, El Niño was expected to arrive by late summer and into fall, a pattern he said tends to bring above-average temperatures and drier conditions.