Michigan, 2007

Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, January 27 to 28, 2007

January 27 to 28, 2007 · NWS MQT · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

Low pressure diving down from central Canada brought an Arctic cold front through the Upper Great Lakes on the 27th. Lake effect snow showers which developed in the wake of the cold front lasted into the morning of the 28th and brought heavy accumulation to locations downwind of Lake Superior.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

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 MQT wrote it up.

Low pressure diving down from central Canada brought an Arctic cold front through the Upper Great Lakes on the 27th. Lake effect snow showers which developed in the wake of the cold front lasted into the morning of the 28th and brought heavy accumulation to locations downwind of Lake Superior.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Lake-Effect Snow, Alger

When
January 27, 4:00 AM EST to January 28, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Alger forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
46.451, -86.548 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Twelve inches of snowfall was observed in 24 hours by a spotter five miles north of Shingleton. The Alger County Sheriff reported that numerous cars slid off the highways due to the snowpacked highways and poor visibility...especially along Highway M-28 between Munising and Shingleton. One minor traffic crash occurred near Eben, but no injuries were reported.

Lake-Effect Snow, Ontonagon

When
January 27, 10:00 AM EST to January 28, 1:00 AM EST
Where
Ontonagon forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
46.778, -89.305 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Observers reported 14.2 inches of snowfall in 15 hours at Rockland. Visibility was reported near zero at times in heavy snowfall.

Lake-Effect Snow, Gogebic

When
January 27, 9:00 AM CST to January 28, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Gogebic forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
46.496, -89.796 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Observers reported 12.5 inches of snowfall in less than 24 hours at Ironwood.

Lake-Effect Snow, Baraga

When
January 27, 1:00 PM EST to January 28, 1:00 PM EST
Where
Baraga forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
46.700, -88.352 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A spotter at Herman measured 12 inches of snow in 12 hours and 18 inches of snow in 24 hours.

Lake-Effect Snow, Marquette

When
January 27, 2:00 PM EST to January 28, 2:00 AM EST
Where
Marquette forecast zone
Reported by
NWS Employee
Coordinates
46.663, -87.573 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Nine inches of snowfall was observed in 12 hours by a NWS employee in Ishpeming.

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

More

Every storm in Michigan in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyWarnings 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: 11593, 11590, 11591, 11594, 11592.