Water year (Nov.1-Oct. 31) statewide precipitation total for Michigan
© NOAAWater year (Nov.1-Oct. 31) statewide precipitation total for Michigan
It should be no surprise that Michigan has had abundant precipitation over the past year. The Great Lakes water levels are a good sign of the above-average precipitation. Now NOAA has given us the numbers on just how much precipitation has fallen across Michigan.

First, there are two different calendars to track precipitation amounts. A common timeframe used for water from precipitation is called a "water year," which runs from Nov. 1 of one year to Oct. 31 of the next year. A water year is often used because some of the snow that falls in November and December isn't melted and released into the soil until the next spring. The other calendar for precipitation is simply a Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 timeframe.

The water year from Nov.1, 2018 to Oct. 31, 2019 has been declared the wettest water year on record across Michigan. Records date back to 1901 for this type of data. The whole state of Michigan average 39.85″ of precipitation in the water year.

What I like about this data is it's not just one measurement point. The number for total precipitation for a year uses dozens of reporting sites and averages them together. This number truly gives us a statewide precipitation total.

The water year of Nov. 1, 2018 to Oct. 31, 2019 beat the old record in 1986 by 0.44″ of precipitation.

It is also interesting to see 2016-17, 2015-16 and 2013-14 in the Top 10 wettest water years for Michigan.

This shows the Great Lakes water levels didn't just rocket to record highs on this year's wetness. The water levels now also have three other wet years in the very recent past.

If we look at the calendar year wetness, 2019 is on pace to possibly set a new record.

Year to date (through October 31) precipitation statewide average for Michigan, compared to other years.
Year to date (through October 31) precipitation statewide average for Michigan, compared to other years.
The graph above shows the statewide average amount of precipitation through the end of October. You can see so far through October, Michigan has easily had its wettest year since records started in 1901.

Precipitation ranking for January to October, 2019. Darkest green shaded states have had record precipitation amounts.
© NOAAPrecipitation ranking for January to October, 2019. Darkest green shaded states have had record precipitation amounts.
Michigan isn't alone on the wettest weather. Five states across the Midwest and Great Lakes have had the wettest year up to Oct. 31.

With two months left to go on the precipitation totals, the wettest calendar year record is also possible. Michigan's November and December have to total an average of 3.79″ of precipitation for a new statewide calendar precipitation record.