Michigan, 1996

Winter Storm in Michigan, February 28, 1996

February 28, 1996 · NWS GRR · 9 events in 9 counties and zones

The combination of wind driven lake effect snow and ice formed from the freezing of the previous day's rains made highways treacherous. Visibilities were reduced to near zero at times, and several multi-car pile-ups occurred.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
9

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS GRR wrote it up.

The combination of wind driven lake effect snow and ice formed from the freezing of the previous day's rains made highways treacherous. Visibilities were reduced to near zero at times, and several multi-car pile-ups occurred.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Kalamazoo

When
February 28, 2:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where
Kalamazoo forecast zone
Coordinates
42.245, -85.531 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Calhoun

When
February 28, 2:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where
Calhoun forecast zone
Coordinates
42.247, -85.006 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, St. Joseph

When
February 28, 2:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where
St. Joseph forecast zone
Coordinates
41.914, -85.528 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Branch

When
February 28, 2:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where
Branch forecast zone
Coordinates
41.916, -85.059 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Allegan

When
February 28, 2:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where
Allegan forecast zone
Coordinates
42.518, -85.910 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Barry

When
February 28, 2:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where
Barry forecast zone
Coordinates
42.595, -85.309 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Van Buren

When
February 28, 2:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where
Van Buren forecast zone
Coordinates
42.285, -86.306 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Berrien

When
February 28, 2:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where
Berrien forecast zone

Winter Storm, Cass

When
February 28, 2:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where
Cass forecast zone
Coordinates
41.915, -85.993 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm
A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Michigan in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, February 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5540351, 5540352, 5540353, 5540354, 5540355, 5540356, 5540357, 5540358, 5540359.