Michigan, 1999

High Wind in Michigan, December 25 to 26, 1999

December 25 to 26, 1999 · NWS MQT · 8 events in 7 counties and zones

A strong cold front associated with an intense low pressure center over Hudson Bay swept across Upper Michigan Christmas Night with 35 to 45 mph winds and gusts over 60 mph. The strongest winds were reported over the Keewenaw Peninsula where 90 percent of the area lost power overnight and hundreds of trees were blown down, ranging from 5 to 6 inch diameter fir trees to 12 inch birch and maple…

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.

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  • Floods
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  • Cold
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  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$50,000
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 MQT wrote it up.

A strong cold front associated with an intense low pressure center over Hudson Bay swept across Upper Michigan Christmas Night with 35 to 45 mph winds and gusts over 60 mph. The strongest winds were reported over the Keewenaw Peninsula where 90 percent of the area lost power overnight and hundreds of trees were blown down, ranging from 5 to 6 inch diameter fir trees to 12 inch birch and maple trees. Power companies worked well into the afternoon of the 26th removing downed trees and reparing damaged power lines.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Keweenaw

When
December 25, 7:30 PM EST to December 26, 10:00 AM EST
Where
Keweenaw forecast zone
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
UTILITY COMPANY
Coordinates
47.283, -88.212 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Keweenaw

When
December 25, 10:55 PM EST to December 26, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Keweenaw forecast zone
Measured
59 kt (68 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
47.283, -88.212 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Houghton

When
December 25, 11:05 PM EST to December 26, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Houghton forecast zone
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
46.992, -88.652 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Ontonagon

When
December 25, 11:05 PM EST to December 26, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Ontonagon forecast zone
Measured
55 kt (63 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
46.778, -89.305 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Marquette

When
December 25, 11:35 PM EST to December 26, 3:15 AM EST
Where
Marquette forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
46.663, -87.573 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Alger

When
December 26, 12:25 AM EST to 3:30 AM EST
Where
Alger forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
46.451, -86.548 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Gogebic

When
December 26, 12:35 AM EST to 4:30 AM EST
Where
Gogebic forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
46.496, -89.796 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Schoolcraft

When
December 26, 1:10 AM EST to 4:00 AM EST
Where
Schoolcraft forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
PARK/FOREST SERVICE
Coordinates
46.043, -86.177 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Michigan in 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, December 1999

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: 5724726, 5724728, 5724727, 5724732, 5724730, 5724733, 5724729, 5724731.