A reinforcing Arctic cold front moving across Upper Michigan brought more lake effect snow to the northwest wind snow belts from the 14th into the 16th. Wind chill values also plummeted to 20 to 40 below zero from late evening on the 13th through the morning of the 16th.
Every event with a place to put it; 12 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.
A reinforcing Arctic cold front moving across Upper Michigan brought more lake effect snow to the northwest wind snow belts from the 14th into the 16th. Wind chill values also plummeted to 20 to 40 below zero from late evening on the 13th through the morning of the 16th.
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 14, 5:12 AM EST, 48 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARQUETTE MI
512 AM EST TUE JAN 14 2009
.DISCUSSION...
KMQT 88D RADAR REMAINS DOWN AT THIS TIME...AFTER A TECHNICAL GLITCH
THAT OCCURRED AROUND 730Z. TECHNICIANS WILL BE IN SHORTLY TO LOOK
AT THE PROBLEM.
THE COLD AIR REMAINS...WITH NORTHWESTERLY FLOW CONTINUING TO BRING
LIGHT TO MODERATE LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS TO PORTIONS OF THE
KEWEENAW PENINSULA...AND EAST OF MARQUETTE NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR.
TEMPERATURES REMAIN TRICKY...SINCE MODELS ARE HAVING A DIFFICULT
WITH THE NON CLIMATOLOGICAL...NEAR RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES THROUGH
THURSDAY. AS A RESULT...CONTINUING TO UNDERCUT GUIDANCE BY AT LEAST
2 TO 5 DEGREES SEEMS LIKE A GOOD BET...ESPECIALLY WITH LOW
TEMPERATURES. EARLY THIS MORNING TEMPERATURES HAVE BEEN ABE TO RISE
SLIGHTLY...KEEPING THE LOWEST WIND CHILL READINGS IN LINE.
STILL...THE HIGHER CLOUDS LOOK TO BE SHORT LIVED (OTHER THAN
CONTINUED LAKE EFFECT)...AS CLEAR SKY ABOUNDS ACROSS NORTHERN
MINNESOTA AND NORTH DAKOTA.
THE NORMAL HIGH TEMPERATURE AT THE NWS OFFICE/MARQUETTE IS
20F...WHILE THE NORMAL LOW IS 3F. THE RECORD LOW IS -22F...WHICH
OCCURRED IN 1965. THIS RECORD LOOKS TO BE SAFE FOR NOW...AS THE LOW
SHOULD BOTTOM OUT AROUND -15F. HOWEVER...WITH NORTHWESTERLY WINDS
GUSTING NEAR 20 MPH...WIND CHILL READINGS WILL FALL TO NEAR -35F
AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. HAVE ADJUSTED THE WIND CHILL WATCH TO A
WARNING MOST PLACES. WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF IT NEEDS TO BE
EXPANDED IN AREAL COVERAGE TONIGHT.
FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING...WE MAY EXPERIENCE NON DIURNAL
TEMPERATURES...RISING THROUGH THE NIGHT IN RESPONSE TO THE SURFACE
LOW MOVING FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS TO UPPER MICHIGAN. WILL ONLY
MENTION IT AT THIS DISTANCE/TIME...BUT WILL NEED TO LOOK INTO THE
POSSIBILITY ON LATER SHIFTS.
MODEL WISE...THE GFS LOOKS TO BE THE MODEL TO OVERLOOK THIS MORNING
AS IT BEGINS TO DIVERGE FROM MODEL CONSENSUS FOR THE END OF THE WORK
WEEK. THIS IS SEEN SATURDAY ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS
STATES...WITH THE HANDLING OF THE SURFACE LOW...WITH THE GFS BEING
QUICKER AND FARTHER NORTHEAST. BY 00Z SUNDAY...THE GFS WOULD HAVE
THE SURFACE LOW OVER EAST CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN...WITH THE
CANADIAN/ECMWF SETTING IT UP OVER INDIANA. THIS WILL BRING US OUR
NEXT CHANCE OF SYSTEM...NON LAKE EFFECT SNOW. THE
CANADIAN/ECMWF/NAM DO HAVE A SIMILAR PATTERN AND WILL BE LEANED UPON
MORE FOR THIS FORECAST...THAT IS FOR MOST THINGS OTHER THAN SURFACE
TEMPERATURES AS DISCUSSED ABOVE. STILL...FEW CHANGES WERE MADE TO
THE ONGOING FORECAST BEYOND FRIDAY NIGHT.
&&
.AVIATION (FOR THE 06Z TAF ISSUANCE)...
KCMX...EXPECT NW FLOW OF ARCTIC AIR TO SUPPORT LAKE EFFECT SNOW
SHOWERS THROUGH THE PD. GENERALLY LIGHT WINDS TONIGHT SHOULD KEEP
BLOWING SNOW TO A MINIMUM SO EXPECT PREVAILING MVFR CONDITIONS WITH
OCCASIONAL IFR CONDITIONS UNDER LIGHT SNOW. INCREASING NW WINDS BY
EARLY WED MORNING WILL LEAD TO IFR CONDITIONS AGAIN IN SNOW AND
BLOWING SNOW.
KSAW...CONTINUED LIGHT WRLY FLOW SHOULD KEEP SKIES GENERALLY CLEAR
THROUGH 10Z. WINDS SHIFTING NW WIND BY 10Z SHOULD BRING MVFR CIGS
BACK INTO THE AREA FOR THE REST OF THE FCST PD. SOME FLURRIES COULD
DEVELOP BY LATE WED MORNING AS WINDS VEER SLIGHTLY MORE NNW AND
INCREASE.
&&
.MARINE (FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE)...
AS LOW PRESSURE IN THE OHIO VALLEY THIS MORNING MOVES OFF THE MID
ATLANTIC COAST ON THURSDAY...A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE OVER SOUTH
CENTRAL CANADA WILL DRIFT OVER IOWA BEFORE REACHING THE OHIO VALLEY
ON FRIDAY. ALTHOUGH THERE WILL BE NO GALES THROUGH SATURDAY... THE
COMBINATION OF W-NW WINDS TO 30 KNOTS AND ARCTIC AIR WILL BRING
PERIODS OF HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY TO MUCH OF LAKE SUPERIOR INTO
FRIDAY. WINDS/FREEZING SPRAY LOOKS TO DIMINISH ON FRIDAY/SATURDAY
WITH RIDGE AXIS NORTH OF THE HI CENTER IN THE OHIO VALLEY DOMINATING
THE UPPER GREAT LAKES. A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL DIVE OUT OF
SOUTHERN CANADA INTO MINNESOTA ON SATURDAY AND THEN THE OHIO VALLEY
ON SUNDAY...LEAVING A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE OVER THE CENTRAL GREAT
LAKES ON SUNDAY. GALES ARE POSSIBLE ON SUNDAY WITH TIGHT PRESSURE
GRADIENT BETWEEN THIS RIDGE AND FALLING PRESSURE IN ONTARIO.
&&
.MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
UPPER MICHIGAN...
WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST /12 PM CST/ THURSDAY FOR
MIZ001-003-004-012-013-084.
WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 11 AM EST THURSDAY
FOR MIZ006-007-014-085.
WIND CHILL WARNING FROM 7 PM EST /6 PM CST/ THIS EVENING TO 2 PM
EST /1 PM CST/ THURSDAY FOR MIZ002-009-010.
WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST /6 PM CST/ THIS EVENING FOR
MIZ002-009-010.
WIND CHILL WARNING FROM MIDNIGHT EST /11 PM CST/ TONIGHT TO 1 PM
EST /12 PM CST/ THURSDAY FOR MIZ005-011.
WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT EST /11 PM CST/ TONIGHT FOR
MIZ005-011.
LAKE SUPERIOR...
HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 AM
EST THURSDAY FOR LSZ267.
HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST FRIDAY FOR LSZ266.
HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST FRIDAY FOR LSZ265.
HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING UNTIL 7 AM EST /6 AM CST/ FRIDAY
FOR LSZ241>245-263-264.
HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING UNTIL 7 AM EST FRIDAY FOR
LSZ248>250.
HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST /6 PM CST/ THURSDAY
FOR LSZ162.
HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING UNTIL 7 AM EST THURSDAY FOR LSZ251.
LAKE MICHIGAN...NONE.
&&
DISCUSSION...KF
AVIATION...JV
MARINE...KCHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARQUETTE MI 531 AM EST WED JAN 14 2009 MIZ001>007-009>014-084-085-151200- KEWEENAW-ONTONAGON-NORTHERN HOUGHTON-BARAGA-MARQUETTE-ALGER-LUCE- GOGEBIC-IRON-DICKINSON-MENOMINEE-DELTA-SOUTHERN SCHOOLCRAFT- SOUTHERN HOUGHTON-NORTHERN SCHOOLCRAFT- 531 AM EST WED JAN 14 2009 /431 AM CST WED JAN 14 2009/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN UPPER MICHIGAN AND CENTRAL UPPER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT EXPECT WIND CHILLS AS LOW AS 15 TO 35 BELOW ZERO TODAY AND A MORE DANGEROUS 20 TO 45 BELOW TONIGHT. THE LOWEST WIND CHILLS WILL BE OVER THE INTERIOR WEST HALF OF UPPER MICHIGAN AWAY FROM THE MODERATING INFLUENCE OF LAKE SUPERIOR. SEE THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER STATEMENT FOR COMPLETE DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY EXPECT WIND CHILLS AS LOW AS A DANGEROUS 20 TO 45 BELOW TO PERSIST THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING. THE LOWEST WIND CHILLS WILL BE OVER THE INTERIOR WEST HALF OF UPPER MICHIGAN AWAY FROM LAKE SUPERIOR MODERATION. SEE THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER STATEMENT FOR COMPLETE DETAILS. WINDS CHILLS WILL LIKELY FALL TO BETWEEN 20 AND 40 BELOW ZERO AGAIN THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING. PLAN ON THE LOWEST WIND CHILLS AGAIN OVER THE INTERIOR WEST HALF OF UPPER MICHIGAN. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... THE NEED FOR WEATHER SPOTTER REPORTS IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. LSZ162-240>251-263>267-151200- 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- 531 AM EST WED JAN 14 2009 /431 AM CST WED JAN 14 2009/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN LAKE SUPERIOR...CENTRAL LAKE SUPERIOR AND WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT EXPECT HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY OVER A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF LAKE SUPERIOR. SEE THE LATEST MARINE WEATHER MESSAGE AND MARINE FORECASTS FOR MORE DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY PLAN ON HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY TO CONTINUE OVER PORTIONS OF LAKE SUPERIOR INTO FRIDAY. SEE THE LATEST MARINE WEATHER MESSAGE AND MARINE FORECASTS FOR MORE DETAILS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... THE NEED FOR WEATHER SPOTTER REPORTS IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. LMZ221-248-250-151200- 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- 531 AM EST WED JAN 14 2009 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...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... THE NEED FOR WEATHER SPOTTER REPORTS IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. KC
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 cold/wind chill, 3 winter weather, 1 extreme cold/wind chill, 1 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
An observer ten miles south of Grand Marais received nearly a foot of lake effect snowfall over a two-day period. Schools were closed throughout Alger County on the 15th and 16th due to poor visibility and adverse travel conditions from the combination of lake effect snow and blowing snow.
An observer ten miles south of Grand Marais received nearly a foot of lake effect snowfall over a two-day period.
The observer at Rainbow Lodge measured 15 inches of lake effect snowfall over a two-day period.
Wind chill readings dipped to 25 to 35 below zero on the mornings of January 15th and 16th. Schools were closed throughout Ontonagon County on the 15th and Ewen Headstart remained closed on the 16th.
Wind chill readings dipped to 25 to 30 below zero on the mornings of January 15th and 16th. Schools were closed throughout much of Baraga County on the 15th due to the cold weather.
Wind chill readings dipped to 25 to 35 below zero on the mornings of January 15th and 16th. Schools were closed both days throughout much of Marquette County due to the cold weather.
Wind chill readings dipped to 25 to 35 below zero on the mornings of January 15th and 16th. Schools were closed both days throughout much of Iron County due to the cold weather.
Wind chill readings dipped to 25 to 30 below zero on the mornings of January 15th and 16th. Schools were closed both days throughout much of Dickinson County due to the cold weather.
Wind chill values plummeted to 30 to 40 below zero on the mornings of January 15th and 16th. Schools were closed throughout Gogebic County on the 15th while Watersmeet Schools remained closed on the 16th.
Wind chill readings dipped to 25 to 35 below zero on the mornings of January 15th and 16th. Schools were closed both days throughout Delta County due to the cold weather.
Wind chill readings dipped to 25 to 30 below zero on the mornings of January 15th and 16th. Schools were closed both days throughout Menominee County due to the cold weather.
Observers in Ontonagon and four miles east of Silver City measured 12 inches of snow in 24 hours. Whiteout conditions were reported in Ontonagon throughout the period due to the combination of snow and blowing snow.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, January 2009
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: 151289, 151290, 151291, 151281, 151284, 151285, 151286, 151287, 151280, 151278, 151288, 151292.