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Shaded-relief map of Walker, Michigan: rivers, roads, the city limits and where the water drains.
MICHIGAN · KENT COUNTY

Walker

25,921 people, 750 ft above sea level in Kent County.

750 ftElevation, city center
25,921People, 2024 estimate
25 sq miLand area
Clear 42°
Clear now Dew point 34° · NNW 9 mph · high 41°
City of Walker River Interstate 2 miles
Explore the plate Order a print

The Walker plate. Relief from Copernicus GLO-30; rivers and lakes from USGS NHD; watersheds from the USGS Watershed Boundary Dataset; roads and city limits from Census TIGER 2024.

MILE1
TODAY

Today in Walker

NWS forecast and National Blend of Models · updated 6:00 PM EST
RIGHT NOW Gerald R. Ford International Airport (KGRR) · 5:53 PM
Clear
42° Clear Feels like 37° · high of 41° near 6 PM
WindNNW 9 mphno gusts
Humidity73%rising to 100% by morning
Pressure30.20 in →steady
Visibility10 mihaze-free
CloudsClear
UV index—no forecast
Dew point 34° · Dryabout the same for three days
DryComfortableStickyMuggyOppressive
NEXT RAIN
Clear
Not this weeknone in the forecast for a week
LIKELY AMOUNT—nothing expected
LAST RAINNov. 120.2 in · 2 dry days
ALERTS & OUTLOOKS
No watches or warnings for Kent County
NWS Grand Rapids and the Storm Prediction Center · checked 6:46 PM
SUN & MOON
↑ 7:34 AM5:20 PM ↓
9 h 46 m of daylight, 2 minutes less than yesterday
Waxing crescent, 26% lit. Next full moon: Nov. 24.
AIR & POLLEN
42
GOODAir quality index · fine particles
Tomorrow: None, good. No pollen source yet.

The next three days, hour by hour

Sky: clear, cloudy, night Rain likely National Blend of Models
SATURDAY, NOV. 14
SUNDAY, NOV. 15
MONDAY, NOV. 16
TUESDAY, NOV. 17
6p
9p
Mid
3a
6a
9a
Noon
3p
6p
9p
Mid
3a
6a
9a
Noon
3p
6p
9p
Mid
3a
6a
9a
Noon
3p
mostly cloudy night
mostly cloudy night
mostly cloudy night
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy day
mostly cloudy day
partly cloudy day
partly cloudy night
mostly clear night
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy night
mostly sunny
mostly sunny
mostly sunny
mostly clear night
mostly clear night
partly cloudy night
clear night
mostly clear night
clear day
clear day
clear day
TEMPERATURE °F
41°
33°
46°
31°
48°
35°
CHANCE OF RAIN
50%
WIND, MPH
9
7
5
5
2
1
5
5
2
0
0
0
5
7
12
10
7
8
8
8
8
9
12
10
HOW IT FEELS · DEW POINT
Dry: dew points 31 to 35° ↑ Humid air returns More humid: 37° by Tuesday

The next seven days, and how sure we are

Forecast, with the range 8 in 10 ensemble members agree on Normal, about 48° / 33°
SAT Nov. 14 Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy
41° 32°
0% rain — NNW 8 A
SUN Nov. 15 Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
48° 30°
0% rain — N 3 B
MON Nov. 16 Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
52° 34°
0% rain — WSW 9 A
TUE Nov. 17 Sunny Sunny
54° 36°
0% rain — SSW 7 A
WED Nov. 18 Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
55° 42°
0% rain — S 10 A
THU Nov. 19 Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
58° 44°
10% rain — WSW 10 B
FRI Nov. 20 Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
59° 45°
20% rain — S 6 B
How sure are we? AModels agree: highs within 4° BSome spread: within 8° CWide spread: check back
Range from the National Blend of Models percentiles · graded on Forecast Scores
AIR MAIL

Where today’s air came from

The air arriving over Walker about 5,000 feet above the ground was over British Columbia three days ago, and over the northern Plains a day ago, about 2,430 miles back along its path. It came down from about 9,200 feet up, warming and drying as it sank. Near the ground the air came from British Columbia; at 10,000 feet, from the open Pacific. It has stayed over land, which is why it feels dry. Traced back 72 hours through NOAA’s hourly RAP analyses and the GFS beyond them, nine paths at each of three heights.

THIS WEEK IN 1959 Nov. 17, 1959

The coldest this week has been

9° on Nov. 17, 1959, the coldest reading for this week of the year since 1892. Next is 10° in 1933.

10°
9°
19331959
Source: NOAA RCC-ACIS, the Grand Rapids Area threaded record since 1892.
MILE2
THE GROUND

What Walker stands on

Walker’s center stands about 750 ft above sea level. Within three miles the land runs from 670 ft to 810 ft, a difference of 140 ft: gently rolling country.

Under the town center the state geologic map shows Bayport Limestone, from the Carboniferous, 324 to 359 million years old.

The section below crosses 2 rock units mapped at the surface.

Byron Center to Sparta, cut in half

A section south to north, 24 miles through the town center
600 ft700 ft800 ft900 ft WALKER750 ftGrandville630 ftHigh point of the line950 ft ← S · Byron CenterSparta · N →

Heights every 0.1 mile from the Copernicus GLO-90 surface model; vertical exaggeration about 53×. The colored band under the surface is the rock the state geologic map shows at the surface, not a picture of what lies beneath.

Rock at the surface along the line

Michigan Formation

Shale. Age: Carboniferous, 324 to 359 million years old. About 19 mi of the line.

Bayport Limestone

Limestone. Age: Carboniferous, 324 to 359 million years old. About 5 mi of the line.

From the USGS State Geologic Map Compilation (Horton and others, 2017), the states’ geologic maps joined at a common scale.

Heights from Copernicus GLO-90 (a surface model: it includes buildings and tree canopy); summits from USGS GNIS; rivers from USGS NHDPlus HR; rock from the USGS State Geologic Map Compilation.

MILE3
THE WATER

Where Walker’s rain goes

A raindrop that lands in Walker reaches Lake Michigan by way of Brandywine Creek, Indian Mill Creek and the Grand River: about 45 river miles. From there it moves on through the Great Lakes, over Niagara Falls and down the St. Lawrence to the Atlantic.

THE WAY DOWN, TO SCALE
Walker≈ 45 mi · Lake Michigan
FROM THE CENTER OF WALKER ≈ 45 mi to Lake Michigan and the St. Lawrence Brandywine Creek → Indian Mill Creek → Grand River

Traced down the USGS NHDPlus V2.1 river network from the Census center point of Walker; river miles along the main stem, rounded.

MILE5
THE ALMANAC

Walker’s year

1991–2020 normals · records since 1892 · Grand Rapids Gerald R Ford International Airport, 15 mi east-southeast

Walker has a hot-summer humid continental climate. Summer afternoons average 83° in July; winter nights fall to about 19° in January. A normal year brings about 78 inches of snow; with the rain, that comes to about 39 inches of water.

31°19°34°20°45°27°58°37°70°49°79°58°83°63°81°61°74°53°61°42°47°33°36°25° JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC 123 TODAY WALKER 39.4 in rain and snowmelt
Normal high to low, by month Record high to low, by day Rain by month Freezing
July, average83° / 63°high / low, the warmest month
January, average31° / 19°high / low, the coldest month
Rain and melted snow39.4 inwettest months: October and May
Snow a year77.6 insnowiest: January
Hottest on record108°FJuly 13, 1936
Coldest on record−24°FFebruary 14, 1899
Wettest day on record4.22 inAugust 19, 1939
Snowiest day on record16.1 inJanuary 26, 1978
90° days a year10very few reach 100°
Nights at or below 32°133and 51 days that stay below freezing
Climate typeHot-summer humid continentalKöppen Dfa

AROUND THE RING

1Freeze seasonfrom the first fall freeze, about Oct. 17, to the last in spring, about April 30 (median dates)
2Highs below freezingJan. 1 to Feb. 11; normal highs stay below 32°
3Lows below freezingNov. 17 to April 2; normal lows fall below 32°
NOVEMBER 14 IN THE RECORD

On November 14 Walker normally reaches 48° and falls to 33°. The record high is 68°, in 1902; the record low 13°, in 1969. The most rain on this date, 1.41 in, fell in 1957.

MONTH BY MONTH
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Normal high31°34°45°58°70°79°83°81°74°61°47°36°
Normal low19°20°27°37°49°58°63°61°53°42°33°25°
Rain and melt, in2.522.122.393.994.003.943.863.553.434.023.102.48
Snow, inches22.617.27.62.00.00.00.00.00.00.37.120.8
Record high66° (1950)73° (2024)87° (2012)90° (1899)95° (1934)102° (1953)108° (1936)102° (1918)98° (1913)89° (1897)81° (1950)69° (2001)
Record low−22° (1994)−24° (1899)−13° (1943)3° (1982)21° (1903)32° (1945)41° (1983)39° (1976)27° (1991)18° (1988)−10° (1950)−18° (1983)

Normals 1991–2020 and records since 1892 from the Grand Rapids Area threaded record (Grand Rapids Gerald R Ford International Airport, 15 miles east-southeast). NOAA, through RCC-ACIS.

MILE7
ON THE NETWORK

Around Walker on the Forecast Network

Neighboring plates

Grand Rapids MI · 6 MI 6 miles southeast Wyoming MI · 8 MI 8 miles south Milwaukee WI · 112 MI 112 miles west Chicago IL · 127 MI 127 miles southwest Detroit MI · 141 MI 141 miles east Madison WI · 186 MI 186 miles west
FORECASTCITY
Map of Walker, Michigan. Explore the plate
MICHIGAN · KENT

Walker

25,921 people, 750 ft above sea level in Kent County.

750 ftElevation
25,921People
25 sq miLand
Clear 42°
ClearDew point 34°
1

Today in Walker

NEXT 15 HOURS
Now mostly cloudy night 41° 0%
9p mostly cloudy night 37° 0%
12a mostly cloudy night 35° 1%
3a partly cloudy night 33° 0%
6a partly cloudy night 33° 0%
9a partly cloudy day 37° 1%
Clear
NEXT RAINNone this week
→
Sat0%
Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy
32
41
A
Sun0%
Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
30
48
B
Mon0%
Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
34
52
A
Tue0%
Sunny Sunny
36
54
A
Wed0%
Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
42
55
A
Thu10%
Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
44
58
B
Fri20%
Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
45
59
B
Letters show how sure the forecast is: A, models agree; B, some spread; C, check back. Sample data.
THIS WEEK IN 1959 · NOV. 17, 1959

9°, the coldest this week of the year has been since 1892.

2

What Walker stands on

Walker’s center stands about 750 ft above sea level. Within three miles the land runs from 670 ft to 810 ft, a difference of 140 ft: gently rolling country.

Walker, south to north Walker750 ft ← SN → 24 miles through the town center; vertical exaggeration about 101×. Colors: rock at the surface.
Elevation, center750 ft
Within 3 miles670 to 810 ft
Lie of the landGently rolling (140 ft of relief)
Rock at the surfaceBayport Limestone
Its ageCarboniferous, 324 to 359 million years old
5

Walker’s year

Walker has a hot-summer humid continental climate. Summer afternoons average 83° in July; winter nights fall to about 19° in January. A normal year brings about 78 inches of snow; with the rain, that comes to about 39 inches of water.

JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC 123 39.4 in
July, average83° / 63° · high / low, the warmest month
January, average31° / 19° · high / low, the coldest month
Rain and melted snow39.4 in · wettest months: October and May
Snow a year77.6 in · snowiest: January
Hottest on record108°F · July 13, 1936
Coldest on record−24°F · February 14, 1899
Wettest day on record4.22 in · August 19, 1939
Snowiest day on record16.1 in · January 26, 1978
90° days a year10 · very few reach 100°
Nights at or below 32°133 · and 51 days that stay below freezing
Climate typeHot-summer humid continental · Köppen Dfa
1Freeze season · from the first fall freeze, about Oct. 17, to the last in spring, about April 30 (median dates)
2Highs below freezing · Jan. 1 to Feb. 11; normal highs stay below 32°
3Lows below freezing · Nov. 17 to April 2; normal lows fall below 32°
NOVEMBER 14 IN THE RECORD

On November 14 Walker normally reaches 48° and falls to 33°. The record high is 68°, in 1902; the record low 13°, in 1969. The most rain on this date, 1.41 in, fell in 1957.

Normals 1991–2020 and records since 1892 from the Grand Rapids Area threaded record (Grand Rapids Gerald R Ford International Airport, 15 miles east-southeast). NOAA, through RCC-ACIS.
3

Where the rain goes

≈ 45 mito Lake MichiganBrandywine Creek → Indian Mill Creek → Grand River

A raindrop that lands in Walker reaches Lake Michigan by way of Brandywine Creek, Indian Mill Creek and the Grand River: about 45 river miles. From there it moves on through the Great Lakes, over Niagara Falls and down the St. Lawrence to the Atlantic.