Michigan, 1999

Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, February 12 to 13, 1999

February 12 to 13, 1999 · NWS GRR · 13 events in 13 counties and zones

Lake effect snow developed across southwestern lower Michigan as strong west winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour moved over the relatively warm waters of Lake Michigan. Reports of 1 to 4 inches of snow were common.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 13 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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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
13

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.

Lake effect snow developed across southwestern lower Michigan as strong west winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour moved over the relatively warm waters of Lake Michigan. Reports of 1 to 4 inches of snow were common. Due to the strength of the wind, the lake effect snow bands were able to move inland quite a ways. As the wind diminished overnight and became more northwest, the snow ended east of US-131. However, snow continued until the early morning hours from US-131 west to the lakeshore. The following is a list of specific snowfall totals for the 12th through the early morning hours of the 13th:6.2 inches in Allegan (Allegan County); 3.9 inches in Grand Rapids (Kent County); 3.2 inches in Hastings (Barry County); 3 inches in Grandville (Kent County); 3 inches in Sparta (Kent County); 2 inches in Holland (Allegan County); 1 inch in St. John's (Clinton County); 1 inch in Hudsonville (Ottawa County); 1 inch in Muskegon (Muskegon County); 0.4 inches in Lansing (Ingham County).

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Lake-Effect Snow, Allegan

When
February 12, 11:00 AM EST to February 13, 4:00 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, Barry

When
February 12, 11:00 AM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where
Barry forecast zone
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
42.595, -85.309 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Calhoun

When
February 12, 11:00 AM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where
Calhoun forecast zone
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
42.247, -85.006 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Eaton

When
February 12, 11:00 AM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where
Eaton forecast zone
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
42.596, -84.838 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Ionia

When
February 12, 11:00 AM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where
Ionia forecast zone
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
42.945, -85.075 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Kalamazoo

When
February 12, 11:00 AM EST to February 13, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Kalamazoo forecast zone
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
42.245, -85.531 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Kent

When
February 12, 11:00 AM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where
Kent forecast zone
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
43.032, -85.549 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Montcalm

When
February 12, 11:00 AM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where
Montcalm forecast zone
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
43.311, -85.152 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Muskegon

When
February 12, 11:00 AM EST to February 13, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Muskegon forecast zone
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
43.219, -86.212 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Newaygo

When
February 12, 11:00 AM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where
Newaygo forecast zone
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
43.554, -85.801 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Oceana

When
February 12, 11:00 AM EST to 9:00 PM 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
February 12, 11:00 AM EST to February 13, 4:00 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
February 12, 11:00 AM EST to February 13, 4:00 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)

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 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, February 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: 5688595, 5688596, 5688597, 5688598, 5688599, 5688672, 5688673, 5688674, 5688675, 5688676, 5688677, 5688678, 5688679.