Lake-Effect Snow, Muskegon
- When
- December 30, 7:00 AM EST to December 31, 1:00 PM EST
- Where
- Muskegon forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 43.219, -86.212 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, December 30 to 31, 1997
A northwest wind flow around a strong low pressure system which was moving up the East Coast brought a surge of arctic air south across Lake Michigan from Tuesday morning, December 30th, through midday Wednesday, December 31st. Lake effect snow brought accumulations which ranged from 2 to 12 inches across the counties bordering Lake Michigan.
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
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.
A northwest wind flow around a strong low pressure system which was moving up the East Coast brought a surge of arctic air south across Lake Michigan from Tuesday morning, December 30th, through midday Wednesday, December 31st. Lake effect snow brought accumulations which ranged from 2 to 12 inches across the counties bordering Lake Michigan. The only inland county which received significant accumulations was Cass County, which received 2 to 4 inches of snow. Major highways affected by the heavy snow showers included Interstate 94 west of Paw Paw, Interstate 196 south of Zeeland, Interstate 96 in Muskegon County, and U.S. Highway 31 along the length of the West Michigan lake shore. Snowfall reports included 12 inches in New Buffalo, 8-12 inches in South Haven area, around 6 inches in the Benton Harbor/St. Joseph area, and 5-8 inches across Muskegon, Oceana, and Lake Counties.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
9 lake-effect snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Lake-Effect Snow, Ottawa
- When
- December 30, 7:00 AM EST to December 31, 1:00 PM EST
- Where
- Ottawa forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 43.003, -86.179 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Lake-Effect Snow, Allegan
- When
- December 30, 7:00 AM EST to December 31, 1:00 PM EST
- Where
- Allegan forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 42.518, -85.910 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Lake-Effect Snow, Van Buren
- When
- December 30, 7:00 AM EST to December 31, 1:00 PM EST
- Where
- Van Buren forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 42.285, -86.306 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Lake-Effect Snow, Berrien
- When
- December 30, 7:00 AM EST to December 31, 1:00 PM EST
- Where
- Berrien forecast zone
Lake-Effect Snow, Cass
- When
- December 30, 7:00 AM EST to December 31, 1:00 PM EST
- Where
- Cass forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 41.915, -85.993 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Lake-Effect Snow, Mason
- When
- December 30, 7:00 AM EST to December 31, 1:00 PM EST
- Where
- Mason forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 43.956, -86.423 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Lake-Effect Snow, Lake
- When
- December 30, 7:00 AM EST to December 31, 1:00 PM EST
- Where
- Lake forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 43.990, -85.802 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Lake-Effect Snow, Oceana
- When
- December 30, 7:00 AM EST to December 31, 1:00 PM EST
- Where
- Oceana forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 43.682, -86.317 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- Lake-Effect Snow
- Heavy snow in bands downwind of a large lake as cold air crosses warmer water.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Heavy Snow in Illinois, December 30, 1997
- Heavy Snow in New York, December 30, 1997
- High Wind in Nebraska, December 30, 1997
- Winter Storm in Tennessee, December 30 to 31, 1997
- Heavy Snow in North Carolina, December 30 to 31, 1997
- High Wind in South Dakota, December 30, 1997
- Winter Weather in Illinois, December 30, 1997
- Winter Weather in South Carolina, December 30 to 31, 1997
- High Wind in Kansas, December 30, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Indiana, December 30, 1997
- Winter Storm in Virginia, December 30 to 31, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Kentucky, December 30, 1997
More
Every storm in Michigan in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, December 1997
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: 5623270, 5623271, 5623272, 5623273, 5623274, 5623275, 5624390, 5624391, 5624392.