Heavy Snow in Michigan, November 25 to 26, 2002

A low pressure system over eastern Canada pushed cold air across Lake Superior, generating lake effect snow showers over the lake shore counties of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The snow began falling on the 24th and continued into the 27th with bursts of heavy snow ( 1 to 2 inches an hour) falling on the 25th and 26th. During the heaviest snowfall, Ironwood accumulated 11 inches, Ontonagon reported 15 inches, and Rockland received 17 inches. Further east, The National Weather Service Office recorded 13 inches of new snow, downtown Marquette reported 15 inches, 20 inches accumulated in Harvey and 24 inches covered Skandia. Downtown Munising only received 7 inches, but 10 inches fell at Sand Point and Chatham measured 11 inches of new snow. The heaviest snowfalls were fairly localized, but 4 to 8 inches of snow fell over most parts of the lakeshore counties, contributing to numerous minor traffic accidents, a few school closings and difficult travel conditions along two of the major travel routes across the Upper Peninsula.