Another in a series of lake effect snow events resulted in snowfall totals in excess of ten inches across portions of Ottawa and Allegan counties. Some of the heaviest snowfall also reached western Kent county.
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 GRR wrote it up.
Another in a series of lake effect snow events resulted in snowfall totals in excess of ten inches across portions of Ottawa and Allegan counties. Some of the heaviest snowfall also reached western Kent county.
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 Grand Rapids, MI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 5, 6:50 AM EST, 2 hours 46 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI 650 AM EST FRI DEC 5 2008 LATEST UPDATE...AVIATION... .SYNOPSIS...(459 AM EST FRI DEC 5 2008) LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH ACROSS THE AREA DURING THE DAY TODAY AS A PORTION OF A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE MOVES ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. SNOW IS EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY ACROSS THE AREA THEN OVERNIGHT TONIGHT AS AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE OVER ALBERTA THIS MORNING APPROACHES THE AREA. MOST AREAS WILL SEE AT LEAST A COUPLE OF INCHES OF SNOW FROM TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. HEAVIER AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE LIKELY NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM HOLLAND TO BALDWIN AS SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL ALLOW LAKE MICHIGAN TO ENHANCE SNOWFALL. && .SHORT TERM...(459 AM EST FRI DEC 5 2008) (TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY) WE HAVE MAINTAINED THE LAKE EFFECT SNOW ADVISORY FOR THE SW CORNER OF THE CWFA THROUGH NOON TODAY. WE HAVE HOISTED A WINTER STORM WATCH OVER THE NW CORNER OF THE CWFA FOR OVERNIGHT TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT FOR HEAVY SNOW POTENTIAL. LATEST RADAR IMAGERY SHOWS THE BEST BAND OF LAKE EFFECT STRETCHING FROM HOLLAND...TO HASTINGS...AND THEN TO THE EATON/CALHOUN COUNTY LINE. NUMEROUS SNOW SHOWERS ARE OCCURRING ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS BAND. THE TREND OF THE LAKE EFFECT OVER THE PAST FEW HOURS HAS BEEN A WEAKENING TREND AS THE SHORT WAVE TROUGH THAT MOVED THROUGH THE AREA LAST EVENING HAS NOW PASSED EAST OF THE AREA. INVERSION HTS PEAKED AROUND 8K FT OR SO AS THE WAVE MOVED THROUGH...AND NOW IT WILL GRADUALLY LOWER THROUGH THE MORNING. UNTIL THE INVERSION HEIGHT LOWERS DOWN TO AROUND 4K FEET BY MID MORNING...THERE WILL BE THE POTENTIAL OF A COUPLE MORE INCHES. THE BEST POTENTIAL WILL SHIFT FROM THE CURRENT POSITION OF THE MAIN BAND...TO THE I-96 CORRIDOR AS THE WINDS BACK TO ALMOST DUE WEST BY 12Z. THERE WILL BE A BREAK IN THE ACCUMULATION POTENTIAL THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING AS THE INVERSION HEIGHTS DROP WITH SHORT WAVE RIDGING ALOFT AND SFC RIDGING MOVING OVERHEAD. THIS WILL BE SHORT LIVED AS A SHORT WAVE OVER NRN ALBERTA THIS MORNING...WILL RACE SE TO ERN WI BY 12Z SAT. MID AND HIGH CLOUDS WILL MOVE IN AHEAD OF THE WAVE...ALLOWING FOR A DEEP LAYER OF MOISTURE OVERHEAD. SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE AREA FROM THE WNW AFTER MIDNIGHT. SW FLOW AHEAD OF THE SYSTEM WILL TRY TO ADVECT SOME WARMER AIR IN...HOWEVER H850 TEMPS ARE EXPECTED TO WARM ONLY TO AROUND -9 TO -10C. PLENTY OF OVER-LAKE INSTABILITY WILL REMAIN AND WILL COMBINE WITH THE SYNOPTIC FORCING TO ENHANCE SNOWFALL ACROSS THE NW CORNER OF THE CWFA. PAST CASES OF A SW FLOW SUCH AS THIS AND A GOOD DEAL OF LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE...BOTH SUPPORT HEAVIER SNOW ALONG AND NW OF A LINE FROM HOLLAND TO BALDWIN. MODELS SUPPORT A GENERAL 1-3/2-4 INCH TYPE OF EVENT ACROSS MOST OF THE CWFA. WITH THE DEEP MOISTURE... MODERATE OVER-LAKE INSTABILITY...AND THE BEST FORCING CLOSE TO THE DGZ...WARNING CRITERIA SNOWS ARE VERY POSSIBLE OVER THE NW. WE EXPECT THAT AN ADVISORY WILL EVENTUALLY BE NEEDED SURROUNDING THE WATCH AREA. THE WINDOW OF BEST SNOW OVER THE NW LOOKS TO BE AFTER 06Z TONIGHT AND THROUGH 18Z TOMORROW. AFTER 18Z SAT...THE FLOW BECOMES NW BEHIND THE FRONT. ADDITIONAL SNOWS WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE AFTER 18Z AS THE SNOW TRANSITIONS TO LAKE EFFECT. ENOUGH MOISTURE AND A FAVORABLE FLOW WILL KEEP THE POTENTIAL OF ACCUMULATING SNOW IN THROUGH THE EVENING SAT EVENING. AS THE FLOW BECOMES NW...THE SW COUNTIES WILL BEGIN TO SEE LAKE EFFECT TAKE CHARGE. H850 TEMPS WILL FALL BACK DOWN TO AROUND -17C OR SO BY 12Z SUN. INVERSION HEIGHTS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN UP THROUGH 10K FEET THROUGH A GOOD PORTION OF SAT NIGHT. THIS COMBINATION WILL BRING POTENTIAL FOR SOME HEAVIER LAKE EFFECT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS SOUTHWEST OF A LINE FROM HOLLAND TO KALAMAZOO. WE CONTEMPLATED ISSUING A WATCH FOR THIS AREA. HOWEVER WITH THE POTENTIAL OF SIGNIFICANT ACCUMS HOLDING OFF UNTIL MAINLY SAT NIGHT...WE FELT IT WAS BEST TO HOLD OFF FOR NOW WITH EVERYTHING ELSE GOING ON. LAKE EFFECT WILL THEN DIMINISH THROUGH THE DAY ON SUNDAY AS THE UPPER TROUGH PULLS AWAY AND SFC RIDGING MOVES IN. && .LONG TERM...(459 AM EST FRI DEC 5 2008) (SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY) LONG TERM BEGINS WITH HIGH PRESSURE IN PLACE FOR SUNDAY NIGHT. MODELS HAVE SHIFTED SOMEWHAT FOR NEXT WEEK...YIELDING A LESS CONFIDENT FORECAST. FOR THAT REASON DID NOT MAKE MANY CHANGES TO THE GOING FORECAST. MODELS WERE BRINGING A HEALTHY CLIPPER THROUGH THE REGION ON MONDAY...NOW IT IS MORE OF AN INVERTED TROUGH. IN ADDITION...THE STRONG LOW THAT THE GFS WAS ROLLING UP INTO EASTERN CANADA MID WEEK (WHICH WAS TUGGING VERY COLD AIR SOUTH OUT OF CANADA INTO THE GREAT LAKES) IS NO LONGER THERE. TO ADD FURTHER COMPLEXITY...ON THURSDAY MORNING...THE GFS HAS A 1004MB LOW DROPPING OUT OF THE NORTHERN PLAINS...WHEREAS THE EURO HAS A SPRAWLING HIGH BUILDING IN. SUFFICE IT TO SAY CONFIDENCE IS LOW. IT DOES STILL LOOK TO BE A COLDER THAN NORMAL PERIOD...WITH CHANCES AT LAKE EFFECT SNOW. HOPING FOR MORE IN THE WAY OF MODEL CONSISTENCY OFF THE 12Z MODEL RUNS. && .MARINE...(459 AM EST FRI DEC 5 2008) HAVE GONE AHEAD AND HOISTED A GALE WARNING FOR THE PERIOD FROM OVERNIGHT TONIGHT THROUGH MOST OF SATURDAY NIGHT. WINDS REMAIN IN THE 15 TO 25 KNOT RANGE THIS MORNING AT THE OBSERVATION SITES AT BIG SABLE AND THE MUSKEGON GLERL. WINDS WILL PICK UP THIS EVENING AHEAD OF THE INCOMING SYSTEM THAT WILL MOVE THROUGH ON SATURDAY. MODELS INDICATE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO MIX A PORTION OF THE 40+ KNOT SOUTHWEST WIND CORE AROUND 2K FEET BEGINNING AFTER 00Z THIS EVENING. THERE MAY BE A BRIEF LULL WHERE WINDS DROP DOWN TO AROUND 25 KNOTS FOR A FEW HOURS ON SAT WHEN THE FRONT COMES THROUGH. HOWEVER NORTHWEST WINDS WILL KICK UP TO GALES ONCE AGAIN AS THE FRONT PASSES AND COLDER AIR ADVECTS IN. FREEZING SPRAY WILL BE POSSIBLE ON SATURDAY NIGHT...HOWEVER WATER TEMPS MAY BE A TAD TOO WARM PER LOCAL STUDIES. THIS CAN BE ADDRESSED MORE BY LATER SHIFTS. && .AVIATION...(650 AM EST FRI DEC 5 2008) LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS CONTINUE THIS MORNING...WITH CONDITIONS VARYING BETWEEN VFR (FLURRIES AND CEILINGS ABOVE 3000FT) AND MVFR (3-5SM -SHSN AND CEILINGS BETWEEN 1000 AND 3000FT). BRIEFLY IN THE HEAVIER SNOW SHOWERS VISIBILITIES WILL DIP BELOW 3SM. EXPECT A GRADUAL DOWNTURN IN SNOW INTENSITY TODAY WITH TAFS SITES MAINLY SEEING VFR CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON. THE SNOW SHOWERS SHOULD LOSE BOTH COVERAGE AND INTENSITY THIS AFTERNOON. FOCUS WILL THEN SHIFT TO A CLIPPER SYSTEM DROPPING TOWARD THE GREAT LAKES FROM THE NORTHWEST TONIGHT. A WIDESPREAD LIGHT SNOW WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA BETWEEN 06Z AND 12Z. A LAKE ENHANCEMENT IS EXPECTED AT KMKG THOUGH LATE TONIGHT...WHICH WILL DIP VISIBILITIES BELOW A MILE. SIGNIFICANT BLOWING SNOW MAY DEVELOP THERE AS WELL WITH VERY GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS. && .HYDROLOGY...(459 AM EST FRI DEC 5 2008) NO SIGNIFICANT HYDRO ISSUES IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS AS TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TO GENERALLY BE BELOW FREEZING THROUGH THE NEXT WEEK. LITTLE TO NO RUNOFF CAN BE EXPECTED INTO AREA STREAMS AND RIVERS. IT DOES APPEAR THAT WE WILL BUILD A SNOWPACK WITH LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS EXPECTED MOST DAYS AND A FEW SYSTEMS MOVING THROUGH. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...LAKE EFFECT SNOW ADVISORY FOR OTTAWA...KENT...ALLEGAN... BARRY...VAN BUREN AND KALAMAZOO COUNTIES UNTIL NOON TODAY. WINTER STORM WATCH FOR OTTAWA...MUSKEGON...OCEANA...MASON... LAKE...AND NEWAYGO COUNTIES FROM 06Z SAT THROUGH 06Z SUN. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH 00Z SATURDAY. GALE WARNING IN EFFECT 00Z SATURDAY THROUGH 09Z SUNDAY. && SYNOPSIS: NJJ SHORT TERM: NJJ LONG TERM: DUKE MARINE: NJJ AVIATION: DUKE HYDROLOGY: NJJ
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI 618 AM EST FRI DEC 5 2008 MIZ037>040-043>046-050>052-056>059-064>067-071>074-061130- MASON-LAKE-OSCEOLA-CLARE-OCEANA-NEWAYGO-MECOSTA-ISABELLA-MUSKEGON- MONTCALM-GRATIOT-OTTAWA-KENT-IONIA-CLINTON-ALLEGAN-BARRY-EATON- INGHAM-VAN BUREN-KALAMAZOO-CALHOUN-JACKSON- 618 AM EST FRI DEC 5 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT LAKE EFFECT SNOW WILL CONTINUE TODAY WITH LOCAL ACCUMULATIONS OF AN INCH OR TWO POSSIBLE ALONG AND WEST OF HIGHWAY 131. A MORE WIDESPREAD SNOW WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN TONIGHT...BECOMING ENHANCED BY THE LAKE FROM HOLLAND NORTH UP THE COAST. HEAVY SNOW IS EXPECTED NORTH OF A HOLLAND TO NEWAYGO LINE TONIGHT...WHERE 3 TO 6 INCHES MAY FALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY WIDESPREAD SNOW CAN BE EXPECTED ON SATURDAY...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND WEST OF HIGHWAY 131. THE HEAVIEST TOTALS WILL OCCUR TOWARD THE LAKE WHERE 3 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW MAY FALL. AWAY FROM THE LAKE TOWARD LANSING LIGHTER AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED...ON THE ORDER OF 1 TO 3 INCHES. SATURDAY NIGHT THE SNOW WILL BECOME MORE FOCUSED SOUTHWEST OF GRAND RAPIDS TOWARD SAUGATUCK AND SOUTH HAVEN. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. LMZ844>849-061130- ST JOSEPH TO SOUTH HAVEN MI-SOUTH HAVEN TO HOLLAND MI- HOLLAND TO GRAND HAVEN MI-GRAND HAVEN TO WHITEHALL MI- WHITEHALL TO PENTWATER MI-PENTWATER TO MANISTEE MI- 618 AM EST FRI DEC 5 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT CONDITIONS WILL BE HAZARDOUS TO SMALLER CRAFT ON LAKE MICHIGAN TODAY AND TONIGHT. WAVES WILL RUN BETWEEN 5 AND 8 FEET TODAY...BUILDING TO 8 TO 12 FEET TONIGHT AS WINDS INCREASE TO GALE FORCE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY GALE FORCE WINDS WILL LIKELY CONTINUE SATURDAY AND INTO SATURDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. DUKE
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
838 AM EST FRI DEC 05 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0800 AM SNOW IONIA 42.99N 85.06W
12/05/2008 M1.0 INCH IONIA MI CO-OP OBSERVER
THE SNOW DEPTH WAS 6 INCHES.
&&
IODPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
840 AM EST FRI DEC 05 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0600 AM SNOW 5 SSW MIDDLEVILLE 42.64N 85.49W
12/05/2008 M4.3 INCH BARRY MI TRAINED SPOTTER
SNOWFALL FROM 400PM THURSDAY THROUGH 600AM FRIDAY. SNOW
DEPTH UP TO 8.5 INCHES.
0700 AM SNOW 1 E CUTLERVILLE 42.84N 85.64W
12/05/2008 M3.3 INCH KENT MI COCORAHS
24 HOUR TOTAL.
0700 AM SNOW 2 NNW WYOMING 42.92N 85.72W
12/05/2008 M5.0 INCH KENT MI COCORAHS
24 HOUR TOTAL.
0700 AM SNOW WAYLAND 42.67N 85.64W
12/05/2008 M8.5 INCH ALLEGAN MI TRAINED SPOTTER
24 HOUR TOTAL.
0700 AM SNOW ZEELAND 42.81N 86.01W
12/05/2008 M1.8 INCH OTTAWA MI PUBLIC
SNOWFALL FROM 700 PM THURSDAY TO 700 AM FRIDAY.
0700 AM SNOW HASTINGS 42.65N 85.29W
12/05/2008 M4.1 INCH BARRY MI CO-OP OBSERVER
THE SNOW DEPTH IS 6 INCHES.
0700 AM SNOW EAST GRAND RAPIDS 42.95N 85.61W
12/05/2008 M2.8 INCH KENT MI TRAINED SPOTTER
24 HOUR SNOWFALL.
0700 AM SNOW BLOOMINGDALE 42.38N 85.96W
12/05/2008 M5.0 INCH VAN BUREN MI CO-OP OBSERVER
24 HOUR SNOWFALL.
0800 AM SNOW IONIA 42.99N 85.06W
12/05/2008 M1.0 INCH IONIA MI CO-OP OBSERVER
THE SNOW DEPTH WAS 6 INCHES.
0815 AM SNOW JENISON 42.91N 85.83W
12/05/2008 E5.0 INCH OTTAWA MI PUBLIC
THE SNOW DEPTH WAS 8 INCHES.
&&
IODPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
847 AM EST FRI DEC 05 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0844 AM SNOW 1 W GRANDVILLE 42.90N 85.78W
12/05/2008 M2.0 INCH KENT MI PUBLIC
2 INCHES OF SNOW SINCE 7 AM, SNOW DEPTH NOW 10 INCHES.
STORM TOTAL SINCE 7 AM WEDNESDAY IS 9.9 INCHES.
&&
BMARINOPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
853 AM EST FRI DEC 05 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0800 AM SNOW FENNVILLE 42.59N 86.11W
12/05/2008 M1.0 INCH ALLEGAN MI CO-OP OBSERVER
THE SNOW DEPTH WAS 4 INCHES.
&&
IODPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
910 AM EST FRI DEC 05 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0730 AM SNOW HUDSONVILLE 42.87N 85.86W
12/05/2008 M5.5 INCH OTTAWA MI TRAINED SPOTTER
THE SNOW DEPTH WAS 8 INCHES.
&&
IODPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
916 AM EST FRI DEC 05 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0915 AM SNOW 2 W ADA 42.95N 85.53W
12/05/2008 M2.3 INCH KENT MI NWS EMPLOYEE
&&
JKThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 lake-effect snow. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained spotter in Wayland reported nearly nine inches of snow fell.
Trained spotters across Ottawa county reported anywhere from six to ten inches of snow fell and that snowfall rates of an inch per hour occurred at times.
An amateur radio operator two miles northeast of Byron Center reported that 10.2 inches of snow fell.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, December 2008
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: 142246, 142247, 142248.