Arctic air in the wake of a strong cold front produced heavy lake effect snow showers on the 1st and 2nd across portions of west and north central Upper Michigan.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 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.
Arctic air in the wake of a strong cold front produced heavy lake effect snow showers on the 1st and 2nd across portions of west and north central Upper Michigan.
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 Jan 1, 7:30 AM EST, 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARQUETTE MI 730 AM EST TUE JAN 1 2008 .SYNOPSIS... IR LOOP AND RUC 500MB HEIGHT ANALYSIS SHOW AN UPPER LEVEL LOW DRIFTING SLOWLY SOUTH INTO NORTHERN MINNESOTA...WITH A BROAD TROUGH ACROSS THE CENTRAL UNITED STATES. A POTENT SHORTWAVE MOVING INTO LOWER MICHIGAN IS TOUCHING OFF PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE NORTHERN OHIO RIVER VALLEY. A BROAD RIDGE IS PUSHING ONSHORE ALONG THE WEST COAST. AT THE SURFACE...LOW PRESSURE IS DEEPENING ACROSS THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY. HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS NEARLY STATIONARY ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. && .DISCUSSION... TODAY AND TONIGHT...MODELS SHOW VERY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH A CONVERGENCE AREA ALREADY PRESENT AT 12Z ALONG THE WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR SHORELINE. CONVERGENCE LOOKS TO BE FOCUSED THE BEST IN GOGEBIC AND ONTONAGON COUNTIES...WHICH IS ALSO REFLECTED BY THE WARNING IN EFFECT FOR GOGEBIC COUNTY. NAM AND LOCAL HI-RES WRF-ARW MODEL BOTH SHOW THE FAVORED CONVERGENCE ZONE MOVING OUT OF ONTONAGON COUNTY AND INTO GOGEBIC COUNTY BETWEEN 12Z AND 18Z. AM SOMEWHAT CONCERNED THAT AN ISOLATED LOCATION IN WESTERN ONTONAGON COUNTY MIGHT SEE WARNING CRITERIA...BUT HAVE DECIDED TO NOT UPGRADE THAT COUNTY. CONVERGENCE BEGINS TO DIMINISH LATE IN THE AFTERNOON AT THE SAME TIME THAT OMEGA VALUES BEGIN TO DECREASE. WINDS WILL STILL REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR CONTINUED LES AT REDUCED RATES...AND INVERSION HEIGHTS WILL BECOME TO COME DOWN AFTER MIDNIGHT. HEADLINES EXPIRING AT 06Z WEDNESDAY LOOKS FINE. MODELS SHOW A SECOND MAJOR AREA OF 950MB CONVERGENCE DEVELOPING ALONG THE MARQUETTE AND ALGER COUNTY SHORELINES IN THE LATE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS. ALTHOUGH GREATEST VERTICAL MOTION WILL BE JUST BELOW THE DENDRITIC GROWTH ZONE...WINDS VEERING FROM NORTHWEST TO NORTH IN THE AFTERNOON WILL PROVIDE MAXIMUM FETCH OVER LAKE SUPERIOR AND BEST CHANCES FOR HIGH SNOWFALL RATES IN MARQUETTE COUNTY. OVERNIGHT WINDS BACK TO THE NORTHWEST AGAIN...SHIFTING AREAS OF BEST CONVERGENCE EAST INTO ALGER COUNTY. WINDS SHOULD REMAIN FAIRLY GUSTY DURING THIS TIME PERIOD...WHICH SHOULD RESULT IN BLOWING SNOW...ESPECIALLY NEAR THE SHORELINE. IN ADDITION...HIGHER WIND SPEEDS SHOULD HELP A BIT WITH COMPACTION OF SNOWPACK...AND SHOULD PREVENT SNOW-LIQUID RATIOS FROM CREEPING INTO THE 30:1 RANGE. PREVIOUS FORECAST USED RATIOS OF 25:1...AND WILL CONTINUE THAT IN THIS FORECAST. OVERALL...SNOW ACCUMULATIONS IN THIS TIME PERIOD WERE ONLY SLIGHTLY MODIFIED. WEDNESDAY...AS WINDS SHIFT MORE TO A WEST-NORTHWEST DIRECTION...SNOWFALL SHOULD BEGIN TO TAPER OFF ALONG THE WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR SHORELINE AS A RESULT OF THE SHORTER FETCH. CONDITIONS LOOK FAVORABLE FOR ALGER COUNTY TO PICK UP ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL...WITH ACCUMULATIONS OF TWO TO FOUR INCHES DURING THE DAY...SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THE PREVIOUS FORECAST. LATER SHIFTS MAY NEED TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE ADVISORY IN ALGER COUNTY WOULD NEED TO BE EXTENDED LONGER THAN 12Z...ALTHOUGH THIS ENDING TIME APPEARS TO BE SUFFICIENT FOR MARQUETTE COUNTY. WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...MODELS APPEAR TO BE SLIGHTLY SLOWER WITH MOVING THE RIDGE INTO THE AREA...AND THEREFORE LES MIGHT PERSIST INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING. WITH CLOUDS TAKING LONGER TO MOVE OUT OF THE AREA...LOW TEMPERATURES MIGHT NOT BOTTOM OUT QUITE AS MUCH AS PREVIOUSLY EXPECTED. A WEAK TROUGH MOVES THROUGH THE AREA ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON...BUT WITH A LACK OF MOISTURE PRECIPITATION DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE LIKELY. FRIDAY NIGHT...GOING FORECAST FOR SLIGHT POPS OF FREEZING DRIZZLE AND/OR SNOW STILL LOOKS ON TARGET. SOUNDINGS SHOW DRY MID LEVELS WITH SHALLOW NEAR-SURFACE SATURATED LAYER. WITH CLOUD TOPS NO HIGHER THAN ABOUT -5C...FROZEN PRECIPITATION LOOKS LIKE IT WOULD HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF OCCURRING. HOWEVER...GFS ONLY HAS ONE OR TWO HUNDREDTHS OF PRECIP AT THAT TIME...WITH THE ECMWF ONLY PUTTING PRECIP OUT OVER THE WESTERN HALF OF UPPER MICHIGAN. AT THIS POINT...SEE NO NEED TO MAKE ANY CHANGES. NO CHANGES MADE TO THE FORECAST BEYOND FRIDAY NIGHT. && .AVIATION (FOR THE 12Z TAF ISSUANCE)... MVFR CONDITIONS SHOULD GRADUALLY LOWER TO IFR AT KCMX BY LATE MORNING AS BOUNDARY LAYER FLOW SHIFTS FROM NORTHWEST TO MORE FAVORABLE NORTHERLY DIRECTION BEHIND TROUGH PASSAGE. COLDER AIR BEHIND THE TROUGH WILL CONTRIBUTE TO BETTER SNOWFLAKE GROWTH AND INCREASED MIXING WILL IN TANDEM WILL LEAD TO LOWER VSBYS IN SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. VFR CONDITIONS AT KSAW WILL ALSO LOWER TO IFR BY MID/LATE AFTERNOON WITH PASSAGE OF TROUGH AND SHIFT TO NORTHERLY WIND DIRECTION. EXPECT CONDITIONS TO IMPROVE TO MVFR BY LATE EVENING AT BOTH TAF SITES AS DRIER AIR FILTERS IN FROM NORTH OF LAKE SUPERIOR AND LES BANDS WEAKEN SOME. MVFR VSBYS AT KCMX MAY DIP DOWN TO IFR AFT 08Z WED AS A WEAK CLIPPER SHORTWAVE COULD ENHANCE LES BANDS. EXPECT VSBYS TO IMPROVE TO VFR AT KSAW BY 08Z AS WINDS BACK NORTHWEST AND LES DIMINISHES TO FLURRIES. && .MARINE (FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE)... A LOW PRESSURE TROUGH AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT OVER LAKE SUPERIOR WILL DROP SE TODAY NIGHT AND TUE. COLD AIR FLOWING IN AND PRESSURES RISING RAPIDLY BEHIND THIS LOW WILL LIKELY PRODUCE 30 KT WINDS TODAY WITH EVEN A FEW GALE FORCE GUSTS POSSIBLE. WINDS WILL DIMINISH BELOW 25 KT FOR WED AFTERNOON THROUGH WED NIGHT AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FROM THE WEST. BEHIND THIS HIGH...A TIGHTENING PRESSURE GRADIENT IS EXPECTED ON THU AS LOW PRESSURE MOVES ACROSS CENTRAL CANADA. SW WINDS STILL LOOK LIKE THEY WILL INCREASE TO GALES ON LAKE SUPERIOR FOR THU INTO THU NIGHT...ESPECIALLY NORTH CENTRAL AND EAST AREAS. EXPECT WINDS TO DIMINISH TO 30 KT OR LESS FOR FRI INTO SAT AS THE LOW MOVES TO THE EAST...BUT A SOMEWHAT TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR MIZ009. LAKE EFFECT SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY UNTIL 1 AM EST WEDNESDAY FOR MIZ002. LAKE EFFECT SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 AM EST WEDNESDAY FOR MIZ005-006. && SYNOPSIS/DISCUSSION...TAG AVIATION...JV MARINE...JV
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARQUETTE MI 521 AM EST TUE JAN 1 2008 MIZ001>007-009>014-084-085-021300- KEWEENAW-ONTONAGON-NORTHERN HOUGHTON-BARAGA-MARQUETTE-ALGER-LUCE- GOGEBIC-IRON-DICKINSON-MENOMINEE-DELTA-SOUTHERN SCHOOLCRAFT- SOUTHERN HOUGHTON-NORTHERN SCHOOLCRAFT- 521 AM EST TUE JAN 1 2008 /421 AM CST TUE JAN 1 2008/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN UPPER MICHIGAN AND CENTRAL UPPER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT MODERATE TO HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE TODAY AND TONIGHT OVER NORTH UPPER MICHIGAN AS ARCTIC AIR MOVES INTO THE AREA ON NORTHERLY WINDS. THE GREATEST ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF WEST AND NORTH CENTRAL UPPER MICHIGAN. SEE THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER STATEMENT FOR COMPLETE DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY FREEZING DRIZZLE IS POSSIBLE FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. LSZ162-240>251-263>267-021300- LAKE SUPERIOR WEST OF A LINE FROM SAXON HARBOR WI TO GRAND PORTAGE MN BEYOND 5NM-SAXON HARBOR WI TO BLACK RIVER MI- BLACK RIVER TO ONTONAGON MI- ONTONAGON TO UPPER ENTRANCE OF PORTAGE CANAL MI- UPPER ENTRANCE OF PORTAGE CANAL TO EAGLE RIVER MI- EAGLE RIVER TO MANITOU ISLAND MI- MANITOU ISLAND TO POINT ISABELLE MI- POINT ISABELLE TO LOWER ENTRANCE OF PORTAGE CANAL MI- LOWER ENTRANCE OF PORTAGE CANAL TO HURON ISLANDS MI INCLUDING KEWEENAW AND HURON BAYS-HURON ISLANDS TO MARQUETTE MI- MARQUETTE TO MUNISING MI-MUNISING TO GRAND MARAIS MI- GRAND MARAIS TO WHITEFISH POINT MI- LAKE SUPERIOR FROM SAXON HARBOR WI TO UPPER ENTRANCE TO PORTAGE CANAL MI 5NM OFF SHORE TO THE US/CANADIAN BORDER INCLUDING ISLE ROYALE NATIONAL PARK- LAKE SUPERIOR FROM UPPER ENTRANCE TO PORTAGE CANAL TO MANITOU ISLAND MI 5NM OFF SHORE TO THE US/CANADIAN BORDER- LAKE SUPERIOR WEST OF LINE FROM MANITOU ISLAND TO MARQUETTE MI BEYOND 5NM FROM SHORE- LAKE SUPERIOR EAST OF A LINE FROM MANITOU ISLAND TO MARQUETTE MI AND WEST OF A LINE FROM GRAND MARAIS MI TO THE US/CANADIAN BORDER BEYOND 5NM FROM SHORE- LAKE SUPERIOR FROM GRAND MARAIS MI TO WHITEFISH POINT MI 5NM OFF SHORE TO THE US/CANADIAN BORDER- 521 AM EST TUE JAN 1 2008 /421 AM CST TUE JAN 1 2008/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN LAKE SUPERIOR...CENTRAL LAKE SUPERIOR AND WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A FEW NORTH GALE FORCE GUSTS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST GALES ARE POSSIBLE THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. LMZ221-248-250-021300- GREEN BAY NORTH OF LINE FROM CEDAR RIVER MI TO ROCK ISLAND PASSAGE-SEUL CHOIX POINT TO POINT DETOUR MI- 5NM EAST OF A LINE FROM FAIRPORT MI TO ROCK ISLAND PASSAGE- 521 AM EST TUE JAN 1 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN LAKE LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST GALES ARE POSSIBLE THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. TAG
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 lake-effect snow, 2 winter weather, 1 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
The observer in Herman reported 10.6 inches of snow in 24 hours.
Observers in Phoenix and Mohawk measured nine inches of snow in 24 hours.
The observer at Rainbow Lodge measured five inches of snow in 12 hours.
A spotter in Rockland measured 15.4 inches of snow in 13 hours.
The Calumet observer reported 10 inches of snow in 24 hours.
Storm total snowfall of 11.1 inches was measured at the National Weather Service in Negaunee Township.
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, January 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: 75812, 75814, 75815, 75805, 75810, 75808.