Michigan, 1998

Heavy Snow in Michigan, December 31, 1998

December 31, 1998 · NWS APX · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

Locally heavy lake effect snows produced up to 8 inches of accumulation across the snowbelt areas of northwest and northcentral lower Michigan. up to 12 inches of snow were reported across northern portions of Chippewa county.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
8

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 APX wrote it up.

Locally heavy lake effect snows produced up to 8 inches of accumulation across the snowbelt areas of northwest and northcentral lower Michigan. Across eastern upper Michigan...up to 12 inches of snow were reported across northern portions of Chippewa county. The heavier lake effect snow showers produced whiteout conditions at times. The whiteout conditions contributed to a 100+ vehicle accident on I-75 in Crawford county during the early afternoon hours. One fatality and several injuries were associated with the accident.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Antrim

When
December 31, 8:00 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Antrim forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.007, -85.176 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Charlevoix

When
December 31, 8:00 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Charlevoix forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

Heavy Snow, Cheboygan

When
December 31, 8:00 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Cheboygan forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.473, -84.492 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Chippewa

When
December 31, 8:00 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Chippewa forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

Heavy Snow, Crawford

When
December 31, 8:00 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Crawford forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.684, -84.610 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Emmet

When
December 31, 8:00 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Emmet forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.588, -84.981 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Kalkaska

When
December 31, 8:00 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Kalkaska forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.685, -85.090 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Otsego

When
December 31, 8:00 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Otsego forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.021, -84.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Michigan in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, December 1998

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5674879, 5674880, 5674881, 5674882, 5674883, 5674884, 5674885, 5674886.