Heavy Snow, Mackinac
- When
- January 21, 1:45 PM EST to 4:00 PM EST
- Where
- Mackinac forecast zone
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
Heavy Snow in Michigan, January 21 to 23, 2004
Low pressure moved east across northern Lake Superior, pushing a cold front into and through the northern Great Lakes on the night of the 21st. Out ahead of the the front, widespread snow fell, which was enhanced by southwest winds off of Lake Michigan.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 10 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
- 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 APX wrote it up.
Low pressure moved east across northern Lake Superior, pushing a cold front into and through the northern Great Lakes on the night of the 21st. Out ahead of the the front, widespread snow fell, which was enhanced by southwest winds off of Lake Michigan. This contributed to heavy snow over Eastern Upper Michigan, and near the Lake Michigan shoreline in Northwest Lower Michigan, during the day on the 21st. Four to twelve inches of snow fell in these areas, with the highest amounts near Lake Ann, Arcadia, Interlochen, and Petoskey. Winds gusted up to 40 mph, producing substantial blowing and drifting snow, and at times zero visibility. US-2 was closed west of St Igance due to the snowy and windy conditions.After the cold front went through, winds turned northwest and ushered in a more classic lake effect snow event. Another six inches of wind-blown snow fell from Charlevoix to Grayling and Gaylord, as well as from Paradise to DeTour Village.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
13 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy Snow, Leelanau
- When
- January 21, 2:45 PM EST to January 22, 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Leelanau forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 45.152, -86.038 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Benzie
- When
- January 21, 4:00 PM EST to January 22, 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Benzie forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 44.617, -86.139 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Grand Traverse
- When
- January 21, 4:00 PM EST to January 22, 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Grand Traverse forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 44.716, -85.552 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Manistee
- When
- January 21, 5:00 PM EST to January 22, 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Manistee forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 44.238, -86.288 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Emmet
- When
- January 21, 6:00 PM EST to January 22, 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Emmet forecast zone
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 45.588, -84.981 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Charlevoix
- When
- January 21, 6:00 PM EST to January 23, 3:00 AM EST
- Where
- Charlevoix forecast zone
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
Heavy Snow, Wexford
- When
- January 21, 8:15 PM EST to January 22, 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Wexford forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 44.338, -85.578 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Chippewa
- When
- January 21, 9:00 PM EST to January 23, 3:00 AM EST
- Where
- Chippewa forecast zone
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
Heavy Snow, Antrim
- When
- January 22, 4:00 AM EST to January 23, 3:00 AM EST
- Where
- Antrim forecast zone
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 45.007, -85.176 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Otsego
- When
- January 22, 4:00 AM EST to January 23, 3:00 AM EST
- Where
- Otsego forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 45.021, -84.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Kalkaska
- When
- January 22, 6:00 AM EST to January 23, 3:00 AM EST
- Where
- Kalkaska forecast zone
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 44.685, -85.090 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Crawford
- When
- January 22, 6:00 PM EST to January 23, 3:00 AM EST
- Where
- Crawford forecast zone
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 44.684, -84.610 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- Heavy Snow
- Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
More
Every storm in Michigan in 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, January 2004
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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5382594, 5382597, 5382595, 5382601, 5382598, 5382596, 5382600, 5382604, 5382599, 5382602, 5382603, 5382606, 5382605.