Colder air in the wake of a low pressure trough helped intensify lake effect snow showers over Alger and Schoolcraft Counties on the 17th and 18th.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS MQT wrote it up.
Colder air in the wake of a low pressure trough helped intensify lake effect snow showers over Alger and Schoolcraft Counties on the 17th and 18th.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Marquette, MI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 17, 5:45 AM EST, 1 hour 15 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARQUETTE MI 545 AM EST SAT FEB 17 2007 .DISCUSSION... UPR AIR/LATEST RUC ANALYSIS SHOWS A NRLY FLOW INTO THE UPR GREAT LAKES BETWEEN A RIDGE OVER THE WEST COAST AND A BROAD TROF ENVELOPING MUCH OF THE ERN 2/3RDS OF NOAM. ONE SHORTWAVE WAS MOVING ACROSS INTO LAKE SUPERIOR ATTM WHILE ANOTHER SHORTWAVE WAS POSITIONED UPSTREAM OVER NRN SASKATCHEWAN. SHORTWAVE MOVING ACROSS THE UPR GREAT LAKES HELPING TO DRIVE ARCTIC AIR ACROSS LAKE SUPERIOR EARLY THIS MORNING. WITH ARRIVAL OF -18C 850 MB TEMPS...WIND PARALLEL MULTI-BAND LES STARTING TO TAKE SHAPE OVER ERN LAKE SUPERIOR AND EASTERN HALF OF UPR MI WITHIN PAST HR OR TWO. EXPECT HEAVIEST LES BANDS TO SET UP TODAY OVER ERN ALGER...NRN SCHOOLCRAFT AND WRN LUCE COUNTIES WHERE 00Z RUC AND 06Z NAM INDICATES BEST LOW-LEVEL CONVERGENCE IN NNW FLOW. LES WARNINGS FOR ALGER AND NRN SCHOOLCRAFT STILL LOOK ON TRACK. DECIDED TO INCLUDE SRN SCHOOLCRAFT ALONG WITH LUCE FOR LES ADVISORIES. WITH 850 MB TEMPS FALLING TO AROUND -20C AND INVERSION HGTS AROUND 5KFT THROUGH MUCH OF DAY WOULD EXPECT ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO LOCALLY 7 INCHES OVER ALGER-NRN SCHOOLCRAFT AND 2 TO 5 INCHES OVER LUCE AND SRN SCHOOLCRAFT COUNTIES. WOULD EXPECT HEAVIEST LES TO OCCUR TONIGHT AS NEXT CLIPPER SHORTWAVE DIVES SOUTH ACROSS AREA AND PROVIDES OPPORTUNITY FOR LES ENHANCEMENT. GFS/NAM/WRF-ARW FCST SOUNDINGS ALL CONSISTENT IN SHOWING INVERSION HEIGHTS RISING FROM AROUND 5KFT TO 7-8KFT IN RESPONSE TO SHORTWAVE. INCREASING LAND BREEZE COMPONENT TO WIND OFF ONTARIO SHOULD FOCUS MORE INTENSE LES BANDS MAINLY W OF LUCE COUNTY BY LATE TONIGHT SO WILL KEEP ENDING TIME FOR ADVISORY THERE AT 1 AM SUN. LOW-LEVEL CONVERGENCE WILL BECOME MAXIMIZED OVER ALGER AND NRN SCHOOLRAFT COUNTIES AS MODEL SNDGS INDICATE OMEGA FROM SHORTWAVE WILL INTERSECT FAVORABLE DENDRITIC SNOW GROWTH TEMPS. GIVEN FAVORABLE CONDITIONS...WOULD EXPECT SOME LOCATIONS OVER ERN ALGER AND NRN SCHOOLCRAFT COUNTIES TO SEE UP TO 8 INCHES OF SNOW ACCUMULATION TONIGHT. ALSO EXPECT INTENSE LES BANDS COULD REACH INTO SRN SCHOOCLRAFT MAINLY ALONG HIGHWAY M-77 FROM GERMFASK TO BLANEY PARK AND DROP ADVISORY AMTS THERE. EXTENSIVE ICE COVER OVER WRN LAKE SUPERIOR SHOULD EFFECTIVE LIMIT FETCH FOR WRN COUNTIES LIMITING ACCUMS TO JUST A FEW INCHES THERE. GOGEBIC COUNTY WILL LIKELY BE MOST IMPACTED BY ICE COVER...EFFECTIVELY SHUTTING DOWN LES THROUGH MUCH OF THE EVENT. LES WILL BEGIN TO WIND DOWN FROM W TO E SUN AS SFC HIGH PRES RIDGE APPROACHES...INVERSION HEIGHTS FALL TO 3-5KFT...AND DRIER AIR ARRIVES. PATTERN CHANGE OCCURS EARLY NEXT WEEK AS FLOW BECOMES ZONAL...BLOCKING ARCTIC AIR TO NORTH AND SPREADING PACIFIC AIR ACROSS THE CONUS. A PACIFIC SHORTWAVE MOVING ALONG THE U.S./CANADA BORDER MON/TUE WILL INITIATE A WAA PATTERN ACROSS THE UPR GREAT LAKES SUN NIGHT INTO MON...BUT NOT BEFORE A SFC HIGH PRES RIDGE SLIDES ACROSS UPPER MI SUN EVENING. THIS RIDGE WILL BRING AN END TO LES OVER THE NE FCST SUN EVENING...AND MAY ALLOW TEMPS TO PLUMMET EARLY AS WINDS DROP UNDER THE RDG AXIS. MIN TEMP FCST WILL BE A CHALLENGE SUN NIGHT AS RETURN FLOW QUICKLY DEVELOPS QUICKLY BEHIND RIDGE AND MID/HIGH CLOUDS INCREASE IN DEVELOPING STRONG WAA/ISENTROPIC ASCENT PATTERN. MIN TEMPS MAY FALL NEAR 0F OVER INTERIOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND ERN FCST AREA WHERE WINDOW OF IDEAL RADIATIONAL COOLING CONDITIONS WILL BE LONGER. SOME LIGHT SNOW WILL PROBABLY DEVELOP IN THE STRONG WAA/ISENTROPIC ASCENT...BUT GIVEN MORE NORTHERLY TRACK OF SFC LOW AS PROGGED BY MODELS...BEST MOISTENING AND LIFT MAY STAY NORTH OF FCST AREA. WILL KEEP CHC POPS IN FOR FAR NRN AND ERN COUNTIES LATE SUN NIGHT INTO MON BUT HAVE TRIMMED POPS TO SLIGHT CHC ALONG THE WI BDR. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING THROUGH 7 PM EST SUN FOR MIZ006-085. LAKE EFFECT SNOW ADVISORY THROUGH 1 AM EST SUN FOR MIZ007. LAKE EFFECT SNOW ADVISORY THROUGH 1 PM EST SUN FOR MIZ014. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING EAST HALF OF LAKE SUPERIOR. && VOSS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARQUETTE MI 610 AM EST SAT FEB 17 2007 MIZ001>005-009>013-084-181300- KEWEENAW-ONTONAGON-NORTHERN HOUGHTON-BARAGA-MARQUETTE-GOGEBIC- IRON-DICKINSON-MENOMINEE-DELTA-SOUTHERN HOUGHTON- 610 AM EST SAT FEB 17 2007 /510 AM CST SAT FEB 17 2007/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN UPPER MICHIGAN AND CENTRAL UPPER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. MIZ006-085-181300- ALGER-NORTHERN SCHOOLCRAFT- 610 AM EST SAT FEB 17 2007 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL UPPER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT. THE SNOW MAY BE HEAVY AT TIMES TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY BETWEEN MUNISING AND SENEY. SEE THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER STATEMENT FOR MORE DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY EXPECT LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS TO BEGIN DIMINISHING LATE SUNDAY. ADDITIONAL SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY EAST OF MUNISING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. MIZ007-014-181300- LUCE-SOUTHERN SCHOOLCRAFT- 610 AM EST SAT FEB 17 2007 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL UPPER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT...WITH THE GREATEST ACCUMULATIONS WEST OF NEWBERRY AND ALONG M-77 NORTH OF GULLIVER. SEE THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER STATEMENT FOR MORE DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY LOOK FOR LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS TO DIMINISH ALONG M-77 SUNDAY MORNING...THEN ACROSS LUCE COUNTY SUNDAY EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. LSZ221-241>248-263-264-181300- KEWEENAW BAY AND HURON BAY FROM LOWER ENTRANCE LIGHT TO PORTAGE LAKE TO HURON ISLANDS MI-SAXON HARBOR WI TO ONTONAGON MI- ONTONAGON TO UPPER ENTRANCE OF PORTAGE CANAL MI- UPPER ENTRANCE OF PORTAGE CANAL TO MANITOU ISLAND MI- MANITOU ISLAND TO LOWER ENTRANCE OF PORTAGE CANAL MI- HURON ISLANDS TO MARQUETTE MI-MARQUETTE TO MUNISING MI- MUNISING TO GRAND MARAIS MI-GRAND MARAIS TO WHITEFISH POINT MI- LAKE SUPERIOR, EAST OF A LINE FROM SAXON HARBOR WI TO GRAND PORTAGE, MN, TO A LINE NORTHWARD FROM MANITOU IS. MI, BEYOND 5 NM AND SOUTH OF THE US/CANADIAN BORDER- LAKE SUPERIOR, EAST OF A LINE FROM MANITOU IS. MI NORTHWARD BEYOND 5 NM AND SOUTH OF THE US/CANADIAN BORDER, EXCLUDING WHITEFISH BAY- 610 AM EST SAT FEB 17 2007 /510 AM CST SAT FEB 17 2007/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN LAKE SUPERIOR...CENTRAL LAKE SUPERIOR AND WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY IS EXPECTED ON THE EAST HALF OF LAKE SUPERIOR TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY ON THE EAST HALF OF LAKE SUPERIOR. GALE FORCE GUSTS TO 35 KNOTS ARE POSSIBLE ON THE EAST HALF OF LAKE SUPERIOR ON MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. LMZ221-248-262-181300- BAY OF GREEN BAY NORTH OF LINE FROM CEDAR RIVER MI TO ROCK ISLAND PASSAGE-SEUL CHOIX POINT TO POINT DETOUR MI- LAKE MICHIGAN...FROM SEUL CHOIX POINT TO ROCK ISLAND PASSAGE...SOUTHEASTWARD BEYOND 5 NM OFF SHORE TO THE MID- LINE OF THE LAKE- 610 AM EST SAT FEB 17 2007 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. AJ
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 lake-effect snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Twelve inches of snowfall was reported in 24 hours by an observer at Au Train.
Twelve inches of snowfall was reported in 24 hours over rural northern Schoolcraft County.
Twelve inches of snowfall was reported in 24 hours by an observer at Smith Lake, located 10 miles north of Manistique along Highway M-94.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, February 2007
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: 16467, 16468, 16469.