Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, January 15 to 16, 2007

Name: Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, January 15 to 16, 2007
Start: 2007-01-15T08:00
End: 2007-01-16T08:00
Location: Michigan

January 15 to 16, 2007 · NWS APX · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

Lake effect snow developed on north winds, just behind a departing low pressure system. The snow was locally heavy on the night of the 15th in parts of Northwest Lower Michigan.

Where it happened

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.

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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.

Lake effect snow developed on north winds, just behind a departing low pressure system. The snow was locally heavy on the night of the 15th in parts of Northwest Lower Michigan. Up to 13 inches of snow was reported south of Traverse City, while Maple City picked up 11 inches. On the Lake Huron side, Rogers City picked up 10 inches of snow, while 13 inches fell in Moltke Township (Presque Isle County).

What forecasters said that day

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 Gaylord, MI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 15, 3:30 AM EST, 4 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 15, 3:30 AM EST, 4 hours 30 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 15, 4:02 AM EST, 3 hours 58 minutes before

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In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 15, 7:39 AM EST, 21 minutes before

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Local storm report, Jan 15, 7:45 AM EST, 15 minutes before

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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 lake-effect snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Lake-Effect Snow, Presque Isle

When: January 15, 8:00 AM EST to January 16, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Presque Isle forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 45.398, -83.843 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Grand Traverse

When: January 15, 4:00 PM EST to January 16, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Grand Traverse forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.716, -85.552 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Leelanau

When: January 15, 4:00 PM EST to January 16, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Leelanau forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.152, -86.038 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Lake-Effect Snow: Heavy snow in bands downwind of a large lake as cold air crosses warmer water.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Michigan in 2007 Every state in 2007 This day in weather history Warnings in Michigan, January 2007

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 11945, 10095, 10096.