Heavy Snow in Michigan, February 18 to 19, 2000

A pair of low pressure systems moved up the Ohio Valley during the afternoon and evening of the 18th. These systems brought large amounts of moisture north from the Gulf of Mexico, producing snow across all of southeast Michigan. A brief surge of drier air aloft during the day resulted in somewhat less snowfall than was expected. Heavy snow still fell across part of southeast Michigan, and the effects of the storm were many.The highest snowfall amounts were generally close to the Interstate 69 corridor. Eight inches of snow fell in Flushing, seven inches in New Lothrop and Port Huron, and six inches in Montrose, Howell, Imlay City, Columbiaville, northern Macomb County, and Ann Arbor. The National Weather Service Office in White Lake received 5.9 inches of snow. The storm also brought blustery east winds as high as 30 mph, producing snow drifts as high as a foot near Port Huron and in Monroe County.There were a number of fender benders on area highways during the storm, with a few minor injuries. Interstate 94 was closed near Mt Clemens for about half an hour due to an accident. About 500 flights at Detroit Metropolitan Airport were cancelled, many before the snow even started - in anticipation of heavier snowfall that did not materialize. Indeed, the 'hype' before the storm arrived was intense, and in this case the storm had a bark much worse than its bite.