Low pressure originating in the Plains moved into the Great Lakes and dumped heavy snow over much of central Upper Michigan on the 25th and 26th. Strong east winds gusting to 35 mph accompanied the storm system and caused extensive blowing snow and near blizzard conditions over the Keweenaw Peninsula and along Green Bay.
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.
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.
Low pressure originating in the Plains moved into the Great Lakes and dumped heavy snow over much of central Upper Michigan on the 25th and 26th. Strong east winds gusting to 35 mph accompanied the storm system and caused extensive blowing snow and near blizzard conditions over the Keweenaw Peninsula and along Green Bay. The storm forced the closure of numerous schools throughout central Upper Michigan on the 26th.
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 24, 9:08 PM CST, 6 hours 52 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARQUETTE MI 1008 PM EST SAT FEB 24 2007 .UPDATE... MAIN FCST ISSUE OVERNIGHT IS TIMING ONSET OF SNOW ACROSS THE SRN FCST AREA AS MOISTURE SURGE FROM THE S FIGHTS VERY DRY AIRMASS OVER UPPER MI. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS SHOW A DEEP/STRONG MIDLEVEL SYSTEM CENTERED OVER ERN KS. 00Z RAOBS REVEAL THE INTENSITY OF SYSTEM AS EXTREMELY IMPRESSIVE 12HR 500MB HEIGHT FALLS OF 250M HAVE OCCURRED OVER SW MO. TO E...SYSTEM HAS FORCED THE DEVELOPMENT OF EQUALLY IMPRESSIVE LOW-LEVEL JET UPWARDS OF 60-80KT AT 850MB ACROSS THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY PER 00Z RAOBS/PROFILERS. TREMENDOUS MOISTURE ADVECTION COMBINED WITH STRONG DYNAMICS IS RESULTING IN A MASSIVE OF AREA OF PCPN FROM THE LWR OHIO VALLEY TO THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. 00Z RAOBS INDICATE PRECIPITABLE WATER OF 200-275PCT OF NORMAL FROM MN TO THE GULF COAST...SUPPORTING THE POTENTIAL FOR HVY PCPN FROM THIS SYSTEM. CLOSER TO HOME...IT WILL BE A BATTLE BTWN THE INCOMING MOISTURE SURGE AND THE DRY AIRMASS RESIDING OVER UPPER MI WHICH CONTINUES TO BE HELD IN PLACE BY DRY ERLY LOW-LEVEL FLOW. 00Z KAPX SOUNDING SHOWED VERY DRY AIR BTWN 700MB AND 850MB (DWPT DEPRESSIONS WERE 30-40C). THIS IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LOW-LEVEL DRY AIRMASS THAT CONTINUES TO ADVECT WNW INTO UPPER MI. EVENING TAMDAR SOUNDING FROM KSAW SHOWS A SIMILAR DRY LAYER...BUT IT IS NOT AS DEEP...BEING CONFINED TO THE 900-800MB LAYER. IT IS ALWAYS A VERY DIFFICULT FCST ISSUE TO DETERMINE WHEN A DRY LAYER WILL BE SATURATED...BUT DONT THINK THE DRY AIR TONIGHT WILL BE ABLE TO HOLD OFF THE STRONG ISENTROPIC ASCENT/DEEP LAYER FORCING THAT IS SUPPORTING THE MDT/HVY PCPN SHIELD MOVING N INTO WI ATTM. AT THIS POINT...WILL MAKE SOME MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO DELAY HIGHER POPS OVERNIGHT ACROSS THE S....BUT FULLY EXPECT SNOW TO DEVELOP NEAR THE WI BORDER NO LATER THAN BTWN 09-12Z. DESPITE THE INITIAL DRY AIR...HAVE SOME CONCERN THAT HEADLINES MAY NEED TO BE EXPANDED AS 18Z GFS WAS A BIT MORE AGGRESSIVE BRINGING SNOW N INTO MORE OF UPPER MI. 18Z RUN OF THE LOCAL NAMERICAN WRF-ARW IS VERY AGGRESSIVE WITH NWD PUSH OF SNOW SUN...SUGGESTING HEADLINES WILL NEED TO BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE NEARLY ALL OF THE FCST AREA. IT SHOWS PCPN AMOUNTS OF 0.5 TO 0.75 INCHES ACROSS ALL BUT THE NW AND FAR E BY 06Z SUN. QUICK CHECK OF INCOMING 00Z NAM SHOWS THAT IT IS HOLDING THE LINE...ALLOWING DRY AIR TO PREVAIL TO THE N. IT STRONGLY SUPPORTS GOING HEADLINE AREAS WITH NO NEED TO EXPAND. SO...NO CHANGES ARE NEEDED TO SUN FCST RIGHT NOW. MENOMINEE COUNTY WILL BE HIT HARDEST BY THIS WINTER STORM. CONDITIONS WILL BE WORST IN EXPOSED AREAS ALONG THE BAY AS COASTAL CONVERGENCE WILL BOOST WINDS SPEEDS THERE...CREATING NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. && .PREV DISCUSSION (ISSUED AT 357 PM EST)... TAKING A LOOK AT CURRENT CONDITIONS...HIGH PRESSURE RULES...AT LEAST THE NORTHEASTERN TWO THIRDS OF THE REGION. THE CENTER OF HIGH PRESSURE IS WELL TO OUR NORTHEAST...WITH ITS CORE OVER HUDSON BAY. THIS HIGH WILL NOT BUDGE MUCH OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS...HELPING TO KEEP THE EXTREME EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA CLOUD FREE...AND DRYING UP THE LOWER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE...SLOWING DOWN THE ONSET OF SNOW FROM THE SOUTHWEST. LOOKING TO OUR SOUTHWEST...A SLOWLY WEAKENING LOW OVER EASTERN KANSAS IS POISED TO HEAD INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION...BRINGING ITS MIXED BAG OF PRECIPITATION TOWARDS THE AREA. FREEZING RAIN WAS BEING REPORTED AS FAR NORTH AS SOUTHEASTERN MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...AS TEMPERATURES HOVER RIGHT AROUND THE FREEZING MARK. WITH PLENTY OF GULF MOISTURE TO WORK WITH...THUNDERSTORMS WERE COMMON FROM LOUISIANA UP THROUGH EASTERN MISSOURI...AND THEN BACK INTO KANSAS AROUND THE SURFACE LOW...OUT AHEAD OF THE 115KT 250MB JET ACROSS NORTHERN TEXAS AND WESTERN ARKANSAS. MAIN FCST CONCERNS ARE HANDLING OF POTENT SHRTWV SET TO LIFT NE FM THE SRN PLAINS AND SN TIMING/AMTS/HEADLINES. PER NCEP PREFERENCE... GENERALLY FOLLOWED THE GFS THRU F36...THEN A BLEND OF GFS/NAM AFT F36 FOR EVOLVING LO PRES SYS. FOR TNGT...125KT H3 JET MAX ROUNDING UPR LO OVER THE SRN ROCKIES FCST TO LIFT NEWD AND DRAG OCCLUDING LO TO THE MO/IA BORDER BY 12Z SUN...FARTHER N THAN FCST BY PREVIOUS GUIDANCE BUT NOT UNRSNBL CONSIDERING THE HEFTY DYNAMICS THAT CAUSED 00Z-12Z H3 HGT FALLS UP TO 200M AT AMA LAST NGT. NAM IS EVEN FARTHER N WITH THE CENTER OF LOWEST HGTS/PRES (INTO CNTRL IA)...BUT WL FOLLOW MORE CONSISTENT GFS FOR NOW. THE AREA OF UPR DVGC TO THE N OF THE UPR JET ROUNDING THE E SIDE OF THE LO FCST TO LIFT N INTO THE FA AFT MIDNGT. QUESTION REMAINS HOW QUICKLY/EFFECTIVELY ACCOMPANYING UVV CAN SATURATE THE BONE DRY LO-MID LVLS SHOWN ON THE 12Z APX RAOB/ 15Z TAMDAR SDNG FM TVC THAT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF AIRMASS OVER THE FA. GIVEN THE SHARP GRADIENT OF MSTR BTWN GRB/APX AT 12Z...EXPECT A VERY SHARP GRADIENT BTWN MODERATE SN AND LTL IF ANY SN. LLVL FLOW FCST TO REMAIN E TNGT...MAXIMIZING DRY ADVCTN. EXPECT A MAINLY DRY EVNG...BUT WL THEN INCRS POPS OVERNGT NEAR THE WI BORDER WITH ARRIVAL OF UPR DVGC. ADJUSTED FOR SLOWLY FALLING TO STEADY TEMPERATURES...MAINLY ACROSS THE WESTERN HALF OF THE CWA THROUGH MIDNIGHT TONIGHT...GIVEN GOOD MIXING IN THE LOWER LEVELS AND CLOUD COVER. AS FOR SUNDAY NIGHT...WENT SLIGHTLY COOLER WEST AND WARMER EAST FOR HIGH TEMPERATURES GIVEN THE FACT THAT CLOUDS WILL STILL HAVE A TOUGH TIME GETTING INTO THE EASTERN MOST COUNTIES OF THE CWA. NAM/GFS IN GOOD AGREEMENT SHOWING QPF BULLSEYE ARND 0.50 INCH S OF IMT-ESC TO MNM BTWN 12Z-18Z SUN UNDER AREA OF SHARPER H4-2 DVGC IN LEFT EXIT OF UPR JET LIFTING INTO THE LWR GRT LKS INTERACTS WITH SHARPER ISENTROPIC LIFT ON THE 280-300K SFC (H85-6)/ESE H85 WINDS TO 50KT/AXIS OF HIER SPECIFIC HUMIDITY (ABOUT 3 G/KG AT H7-75)/SHARPER H85-7 FGEN AND WHERE E LLVL FLOW OFFERS POTENTIAL FOR LK ENHANCEMENT OFF NRN LK MI. 280-290KISENTROPIC LIFT/MSTR TO THE NE IS QUITE A BIT WEAKER/ LESS...SO EXPECT A SHARP TRANSITION TO JUST THICKENING MID CLD ASSOCIATED WITH THE BETTER LIFT PRESENT THERE ON THE 300K SFC. THE BETTER ISENTROPIC LIFT/UPR DVGC/FGEN IS FCST TO DRIFT TO THE NE IN THE AFTN INTO THE DRIER AIR...SO THE HVY SN IN THE MRNG OVER THE SCNTRL MAY DIMINISH A BIT IN THE AFTN. TENDED TO SHARPEN THE NRN EDGE OF THE HIER QPF VS WHAT WAS FCST BY GUIDANCE TO ACCOUNT FOR TENACIOUS DRY AIR ASSOCIATED WITH SLOWLY BACKING LLVL FLOW AND MODEL TENDENCY TO SMOOTH QPF TOO FAR INTO THE DRIER AIR. ON SUN NGT/MON...GFS/NAM INDICATE OCCLUDED LO DRIFTING SLOWLY E... WITH FA IN GENERAL UPR DVGC TO THE N OF CLOSED LO CENTER. BEST H85-5 QVECTOR CNVGC REMAINS OVER THE SCNTRL ZNS. ALTHOUGH THERE IS A SLOW BACKING TREND TO THE LLVL WINDS...FLOW REMAINS FVRBL FOR A CONTINUED LONG FETCH ACRS NRN LK MI AND PERSISTENT WEAK LK ENHANCEMENT... MAINLY S OF HIGHWAY 2. BUT CONSIDERING THE LACK OF SHARP PERSISTENT FGEN AND APPRECIABLE JET DYNAMICS/SHARPER UPR DVGC...AND TENDENCY FOR SLOWLY BACKING LLVL FLOW TO ADVECT LLVL DRY AIR INTO THE FA AND WEAKEN THE OCCLUSION TO THE S...THINK SN INTENSITY WL BE LESS THAN EARLY ON SUN. BEST CHC FOR ADDITIONAL HEAVIER SN WL BE OVER THE FAR SCNTRL WHERE THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR LK ENHANCEMENT/UPSLOPING. SLOWED THE EXIT OF WEATHER DOWN SLIGHTLY...ADDING FLURRIES BEHIND THE DEPARTING SYSTEM...FOR TUESDAY...WITH THE EXITING 500MB LOW STILL STUCK NEAR CHICAGO AND NORTHERN INDIANA. UPGRADED GOING WATCH TO WRNG FOR DELTA/DICKINSON/MNM COUNTIES FOR SUN THRU MON EVEN THOUGH SN INTENSITY AT MOST PLACES WL TEND TO DIMINISH SUN NGT/MON. SINCE BEST DYNAMICS ON SUN WL MISS IRON COUNTY TO THE E AND THERE IS LESS CHC FOR APPRECIABLE LK ENHANCEMENT THERE...OPTED TO ISSUE ONLY ADVY FOR THAT COUNTY. IN THE MEDIUM/EXTENDED RANGE...EXPECT HI PRES RDG TO BRING RELATIVELY TRANQUIL WX TUE NGT THRU WED BEFORE LO PRES E OF DEEPENING TROF IN THE ROCKIES EJECTS TO THE NE. OPERATIONAL GUIDANCE HAS COME INTO BETTER AGREEMENT SHOWING LO TRACKING TO THE W OF THE CWA INTO MN BY LATE THU AND THEN INTO ONTARIO ON FRI WHILE DRAGGING AN OCCLUSION ACRS THE FA AS ANOTHER LO DVLPS IN THE OHIO VALLEY. EXPANDED AREA OF MIXED PCPN TO INCLUDE RA OVER THE SCNTRL ON THU/THU NGT CONSIDERING THE STRENGTH OF SLY FLOW AHEAD OF DEEP LO TRACKING TO THE W AND ECMWF FCST H85 TEMPS AOA 0C AT 00Z FRI. THEN COLDER FRI-SAT WITH CYC WNW FLOW TO THE S OF LO IN ONTARIO BRINGING LES CHCS. COORDINATED WITH GRB. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING 08Z SUN-00Z TUE MIZ012. WINTER STORM WARNING 12Z SUN-00Z TUE MIZ011-013. SNOW ADVY 12Z SUN-00Z TUE MIZ010. GALE WARNING ALL OF LAKE SUPERIOR. GALE WARNING LAKE MICHIGAN NEAR SHORE AREAS. && ROLFSON (UPDATE) KC/KF (PREV DISCUSSION)
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARQUETTE MI 436 PM EST SAT FEB 24 2007 MIZ001>007-009>014-084-085-251300- KEWEENAW-ONTONAGON-NORTHERN HOUGHTON-BARAGA-MARQUETTE-ALGER-LUCE- GOGEBIC-IRON-DICKINSON-MENOMINEE-DELTA-SOUTHERN SCHOOLCRAFT- SOUTHERN HOUGHTON-NORTHERN SCHOOLCRAFT- 436 PM EST SAT FEB 24 2007 /336 PM CST SAT FEB 24 2007/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN UPPER MICHIGAN AND CENTRAL UPPER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT EXPECT UP TO 2 INCHES OF SNOW TO FALL OVER SOUTHERN MENOMINEE COUNTY BY DAWN ON SUNDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY EXPECT SNOW TO FALL HEAVY AT TIMES ALONG AND SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 2 BETWEEN CRYSTAL FALLS AND RAPID RIVER ON SUNDAY. AS MUCH AS 10 TO 12 INCHES WILL ACCUMULATE SOUTH OF A LINE FROM IRON MOUNTAIN TO ESCANABA BY LATE IN THE DAY...AND EAST WIND GUSTS TO 35 MPH WILL CAUSE AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW AND NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AT TIMES NEAR THE GREEN BAY SOUTH OF ESCANABA INTO SUNDAY NIGHT. AN ADDITIONAL 4 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW WILL FALL SOUTH OF IRON MOUNTAIN AND ESCANABA ON SUNDAY NIGHT WITH ANOTHER 1 TO 3 INCHES ON MONDAY BEFORE THE SNOW DIMINISHES IN THE AFTERNOON. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. LSZ221-241>248-263-264-251300- 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- 436 PM EST SAT FEB 24 2007 /336 PM CST SAT FEB 24 2007/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN LAKE SUPERIOR...CENTRAL LAKE SUPERIOR AND WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT EXPECT EAST GALES TO 35 KNOTS OVER ALL OF LAKE SUPERIOR AFTER MIDNIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY PLAN ON EAST GALES TO 40 KNOTS OVER THE WEST HALF OF LAKE SUPERIOR AND EAST GALES TO 35 KNOTS OVER THE EAST HALF OF LAKE SUPERIOR SUNDAY AND SUNDAY EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. LMZ221-248-262-251300- 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- 436 PM EST SAT FEB 24 2007 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT EXPECT EAST GALES TO 40 KNOTS OVER THE OPEN WATERS OF NORTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN AFTER EARLY EVENING AND EAST GALES TO 35 KNOTS OVER THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN AND THE BAY OF GREEN BAY AFTER MIDNIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY PLAN ON EAST GALES TO 40 KNOTS OVER THE OPEN WATERS OF NORTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN INTO SUNDAY EVENING. THERE WILL BE EAST GALES TO 35 KNOTS OVER THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN AND THE BAY OF GREEN BAY SUNDAY AND SUNDAY EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. KC
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
8 winter storm, 2 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Eight-hour snowfall total of 9 inches observed in Menominee with 6-8 inches reported at Daggett.
Storm total snowfall of 14 inches reported at Iron Mountain.
Storm total snowfall of 12 inches reported at Fortune Lake.
Storm total snowfall reports included 18 inches at Arnold and 12 inches at Negaunee and Green Garden.
Storm snowfall totals from the morning of the 25th through the morning of the 26th included 18 inches at Escanaba, 15 inches at Bark River and 12 inches at Garden Corners.
Storm total snowfall of 21 inches at Trenary.
Storm total snowfall of 10 inches or more reported at Three Lakes.
Storm total snowfall of 8-10 inches reported between Cooks and Garden Corners along Highway US-2.
Storm total of 7.3 inches reported at Calumet. Frequent wind gusts to near 35 mph contributed to near blizzard conditions at times in snow and blowing snow.
Storm total snowfall of 6 inches reported at Phoenix. Wind gusts near 35 mph caused extensive blowing of snow and near blizzard conditions at times.
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: 17254, 17255, 17256, 17258, 16530, 17263, 17261, 17260, 17264, 17265.