Michigan, 1998

Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, March 10 to 11, 1998

March 10 to 11, 1998 · NWS GRR · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

Northwest winds blowing across Lake Michigan behind an arctic cold front brought lake effect snow showers and squalls inland across portions of the counties bordering the lake in western Lower Michigan and as far inland as Cass County in extreme southwest Lower Michigan. Lake effect snow began around 1:00 am EST Tuesday, March 10th and continued until 7:00 am Wednesday, March 11th.

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.

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  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
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  • Cold
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  • Marine and coastal
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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

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.

Northwest winds blowing across Lake Michigan behind an arctic cold front brought lake effect snow showers and squalls inland across portions of the counties bordering the lake in western Lower Michigan and as far inland as Cass County in extreme southwest Lower Michigan. Lake effect snow began around 1:00 am EST Tuesday, March 10th and continued until 7:00 am Wednesday, March 11th. In the counties listed, lake effect snowfall accumulations ranged from 2 to 9 inches. Snowfall was heaviest across northwest Mason, extreme western Allegan, western Van Buren, northern Berrien, and northwest Cass counties. Snowfall accumulations reached 9 inches near Glenn and Ganges (Allegan County) and South Haven (Van Buren County); 6 inches near Saugatuck (Allegan), Coloma and Watervliet (Berrien), and Dowagiac (Cass); and 4 inches in Niles and Benton Harbor (Berrien).

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 lake-effect snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Lake-Effect Snow, Allegan

When
March 10, 1:00 AM EST to March 11, 7:00 AM EST
Where
Allegan forecast zone
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
42.518, -85.910 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Berrien

When
March 10, 1:00 AM EST to March 11, 7:00 AM EST
Where
Berrien forecast zone
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY

Lake-Effect Snow, Cass

When
March 10, 1:00 AM EST to March 11, 7:00 AM EST
Where
Cass forecast zone
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
41.915, -85.993 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Oceana

When
March 10, 1:00 AM EST to March 11, 7:00 AM EST
Where
Oceana forecast zone
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
43.682, -86.317 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Ottawa

When
March 10, 1:00 AM EST to March 11, 7:00 AM EST
Where
Ottawa forecast zone
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
43.003, -86.179 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Van Buren

When
March 10, 1:00 AM EST to March 11, 7:00 AM EST
Where
Van Buren forecast zone
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
42.285, -86.306 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Mason

When
March 10, 1:00 AM EST to March 11, 7:00 AM EST
Where
Mason forecast zone
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
43.956, -86.423 (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

More

Every storm in Michigan in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, March 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5661396, 5661397, 5661398, 5661399, 5661400, 5661401, 5661402.