Michigan, 2008

Lake-Effect Snow and Winter Weather in Michigan, November 8 to 10, 2008

November 8 to 10, 2008 · NWS MQT · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

Locally moderate to heavy lake effect snow fell over portions of west and central Upper Michigan from the evening of the 8th through the morning of the 10th.

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
4

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.

Locally moderate to heavy lake effect snow fell over portions of west and central Upper Michigan from the evening of the 8th through the morning of the 10th.

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, 1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Lake-Effect Snow, Alger

When
November 8, 5:30 PM EST to November 10, 7:00 AM EST
Where
Alger forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
46.451, -86.548 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The spotter five miles north of Shingleton reported 12 inches of snow.

Lake-Effect Snow, Northern Schoolcraft

When
November 8, 5:30 PM EST to November 10, 7:00 AM EST
Where
Northern Schoolcraft forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
46.043, -86.177 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A spotter reported 12 inches of snow near the northwest portion of the county.

Lake-Effect Snow, Luce

When
November 9, 7:00 AM EST to November 10, 7:00 AM EST
Where
Luce forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.368, -85.509 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Observers between McMillan and Newberry reported eight inches of heavy lake effect snow in 24 hours.

Winter Weather, Ontonagon

When
November 9, 9:00 AM EST to 9:30 PM EST
Where
Ontonagon forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
46.778, -89.305 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The spotter in Rockland reported 5.9 inches of snow in 12 hours.

What these are

Lake-Effect Snow
Heavy snow in bands downwind of a large lake as cold air crosses warmer water.
Winter Weather
Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 142292, 142293, 142294, 142295.