Michigan, 2008

Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, November 20 to 21, 2008

November 20 to 21, 2008 · NWS APX · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

Colder air surged into the region behind a departing Alberta Clipper. This kicked off locally heavy lake effect snow downwind of Lake Michigan.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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

Open the live radar over this ground

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 APX wrote it up.

Colder air surged into the region behind a departing Alberta Clipper. This kicked off locally heavy lake effect snow downwind of Lake Michigan. Bellaire, Manton, Lake Ann, and Beulah were among the communties that picked up around 8 inches of snow.

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 Nov 19, 6:40 PM EST, 11 hours 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 19, 6:40 PM EST, 11 hours 20 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 19, 6:57 PM EST, 11 hours 3 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

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

Lake-Effect Snow, Antrim

When
November 20, 6:00 AM EST to November 21, 5:00 PM EST
Where
Antrim forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.007, -85.176 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Benzie

When
November 20, 7:00 AM EST to November 21, 11:00 AM EST
Where
Benzie forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
44.617, -86.139 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Wexford

When
November 20, 7:00 AM EST to November 21, 11:00 AM EST
Where
Wexford forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.338, -85.578 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Grand Traverse

When
November 20, 7:00 AM EST to November 21, 5:00 PM 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, Charlevoix

When
November 20, 11:30 AM EST to November 21, 5:00 PM EST
Where
Charlevoix forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

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 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, November 2008

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: 139646, 139644, 139645, 139647, 139648.