Blizzard, Alcona
- When
- March 9, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Alcona forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 44.712, -83.344 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard in Michigan, March 9, 1998
together with a strong upper low and strong cold front crossing the state brought blizzard conditions to Northern Lower Michigan during the 8th. freezing rain and snow quickly changed to all snow in the morning following the passage of the cold front.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 22 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
- 23
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.
Low pressure tracking through the Eastern Great Lakes region...together with a strong upper low and strong cold front crossing the state brought blizzard conditions to Northern Lower Michigan during the 8th. A mix of sleet...freezing rain and snow quickly changed to all snow in the morning following the passage of the cold front. Snow...heavy at times...then continued into the evening hours. Winds rapidly increased to sustained speeds of 20 to 30 mph behind the front. Sustained winds of 20 to 30 mph...with gusts in excess of 45 mph...then continued into the evening causing widespread blowing and drifting snow. Snowfall totals generally ranged from 8 to 12 inches across the region...with some totals in exces of 12 inches. Snow drifts of 3 to 4 feet closed many roads and the combination of poor visibilities and hazardous road conditions caused many accidents. The combination of heavy wet snow and strong winds also brought down branches and powerlines producing scattered power outages across the region. Nearly 100 school districts in Northern Lower Michigan either cancelled classes or dismissed students early. Many buisnesses also closed early due to the hazardous conditions.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
23 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
Blizzard, Alpena
- When
- March 9, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Alpena forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 45.064, -83.460 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Antrim
- When
- March 9, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Antrim forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 45.007, -85.176 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Arenac
- When
- March 9, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Arenac forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 44.043, -83.747 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Benzie
- When
- March 9, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Benzie forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 44.617, -86.139 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Charlevoix
- When
- March 9, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Charlevoix forecast zone
Blizzard, Cheboygan
- When
- March 9, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Cheboygan forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 45.473, -84.492 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Crawford
- When
- March 9, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Crawford forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 44.684, -84.610 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Emmet
- When
- March 9, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Emmet forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 45.588, -84.981 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Gladwin
- When
- March 9, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Gladwin forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 43.991, -84.388 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Grand Traverse
- When
- March 9, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Grand Traverse forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 44.716, -85.552 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Iosco
- When
- March 9, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Iosco forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 44.301, -83.514 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Kalkaska
- When
- March 9, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Kalkaska forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 44.685, -85.090 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Leelanau
- When
- March 9, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Leelanau forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 45.152, -86.038 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Manistee
- When
- March 9, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Manistee forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 44.238, -86.288 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Missaukee
- When
- March 9, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Missaukee forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 44.337, -85.095 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Montmorency
- When
- March 9, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Montmorency forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 45.028, -84.127 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Ogemaw
- When
- March 9, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Ogemaw forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 44.335, -84.126 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Oscoda
- When
- March 9, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Oscoda forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 44.682, -84.130 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Otsego
- When
- March 9, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Otsego forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 45.021, -84.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Presque Isle
- When
- March 9, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Presque Isle forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 45.398, -83.843 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Roscommon
- When
- March 9, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Roscommon forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 44.336, -84.612 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Wexford
- When
- March 9, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Wexford forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 44.338, -85.578 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- Blizzard
- Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or more with falling or blowing snow that cuts visibility below a quarter mile for three hours or longer.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Florida, March 9, 1998
- Tornado in Florida, March 9, 1998
- Cold in Michigan, March 9, 1998
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Florida, March 9, 1998
- Tornado and Damaging Wind in Florida, March 9, 1998
- Tornadoes in Florida, March 9, 1998
- Damaging Wind in Florida, March 9, 1998
- Blizzard and Winter Storm in Michigan, March 9, 1998
- Tornado and Damaging Wind in Pennsylvania, March 9, 1998
- Damaging Wind in North Carolina, March 9, 1998
- Damaging Wind in Florida, March 9, 1998
- Damaging Wind in Florida, March 9, 1998
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: 5632223, 5632224, 5632225, 5632226, 5632227, 5632228, 5632229, 5632230, 5632231, 5632232, 5632233, 5632234, 5632235, 5632344, 5632345, 5632346, 5632347, 5632348, 5632349, 5632350, 5632351, 5632352, 5632353.