A cold northwest flow across Lake Superior generated lake effect snow showers over portions of north central Upper Michigan on the 1st and 2nd.
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 MQT wrote it up.
A cold northwest flow across Lake Superior generated lake effect snow showers over portions of north central Upper Michigan on the 1st and 2nd.
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 Dec 1, 3:51 PM EST, 3 hours 9 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARQUETTE MI 351 PM EST WED DEC 1 2010 .SHORT TERM TO 00Z FRI... UPPER AIR PATTERN CONSISTS OF A CLOSED 500 MB LOW ACROSS ONTARIO INTO LAKE SUPERIOR WITH A TROUGH ACROSS THE UPPER GREAT LAKES AND THIS PATTERN WILL NOT CHANGE MUCH THROUGH THU WITH THE TROUGH AXIS EAST OF THE CWA. WHAT THIS WILL MEAN IS LAKE EFFECT SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE PERIOD AND BE HEAVY AT TIMES...ESPECIALLY IN THE EAST. DEEPER MOISTURE WILL BE IN THE EAST WHICH WILL HELP THE LAKE EFFECT AS WELL. THINGS WILL NOT CHANGE MUCH FOR 850 MB TEMPERATURES OR WIND DIRECTIONS THROUGH THE PERIOD EITHER WHICH SHOULD CONTINUE TO KEEP THINGS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME. PREVIOUS FORECAST HAD THINGS WELL IN HAND AND DID NOT MAKE TOO MANY CHANGES. LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING FOR LUCE AND ALGER COUNTIES STILL LOOKS GOOD. LOOKED AT KERY SOUNDING OFF OF NAM BUFKIT AND CONTINUES TO SHOW STRONGEST OMEGA REMAINING BELOW THE IDEAL DENDRITIC GROWTH ZONE WHICH WILL CUT SOME SNOW AMOUNTS DOWN A BIT AS SNOWFLAKE SIZE WILL BE LESS THAN IDEAL. WILL CONTINUE WITH SNOW RATIOS AROUND 15 TO 17 TO 1 WHICH LOOKS REALISTIC. ADDED NORTHERN SCHOOLCRAFT INTO AN ADVISORY AS IT WAS CLOSE. EVEN THOUGH HEAVIEST SNOW WILL FALL WHERE NO ONE LIVES...ENOUGH SNOW FALLS ALONG M-28 TO HOIST IT UP SINCE IT IS CLOSE. MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY MEET THE DEFINITION OF A LAKE EFFECT SNOW ADVISORY AND MORE TOWARDS SNOW ADVISORY...BUT IT IS LAKE EFFECT SNOW CAUSING IT. COULD SEE UP TO 15 INCHES OF SNOW NEAR GRAND MARAIS WITH THIS LONG LIVED LAKE EFFECT EVENT. DID NOT MAKE TOO MANY CHANGES TO GOING TEMPERATURES AND WEATHER AS THEY LOOKED GOOD. .LONG TERM DISCUSSION /THU NGT THRU WED/... THU NGT...HGTS WL BE ON THE RISE OVER THE UPR LKS AS TROF IN SE CAN BEGINS TO WEAKEN AND SHRTWV RDG IN THE PLAINS BLDS TO THE E. AS HI PRES TO THE W UNDER THE SHRTWV RDG APRCHS...SUBSIDENCE/DRYING ALF WITH STRENGTHENING INVRN ARND 3K FT MSL WL RESULT IN DIMINISHING LES W-E. THE SHSN WL BE MOST PERSISTENT OVER THE E...BUT EVEN THERE SLOWLY VEERING FLOW TO MORE NW WL TEND TO TRANSITION THE LES REGIME FM A DOMINANT BAND IMPACTING LOCATIONS E OF P53 TO A MORE MULTIPLE BAND...LESS INTENSE MORPHOLOGY. FCST SDNGS INDICATE BULK OF OMEGA WL BE BLO THE DGZ AFT 03Z...ANOTHER REASON LES SHOULD DIMINISH. BUT WL ALLOW GOING LES WRNG TO CONT THRU 12Z FRI. EXPECT THE LOWEST MIN TEMPS OVER THE INTERIOR W CLOSEST TO THE INCOMING RDG AND WHERE THERE IS MOST LIKELY TO BE SOME CLRG OVERNGT UNDER AXIS OF MIN PWAT. FRI...AS SHRTWV RDG/SFC HI PRES RDG AXIS BLDS INTO THE UPR GRT LKS ON FRI...EXPECT ANY LES TO DSPT OVER THE W...WITH AT LEAST SOME GLIMMERS OF SUNSHINE. BUT LK CLDS/LGT LES SHOULD PERSIST E OF MQT WITH LGT NW FLOW SLOWLY VEERING TO THE N. GOING FCST HI TEMPS NEED LTL ADJUSTMENT. FRI NGT/SAT...SHRTWV WITHIN NW FLOW ALF AND ACCOMPANYING SFC LO WL BE DIGGING SEWD FM THE NCNTRL PLAINS INTO THE OH RIVER VALLEY. LGT ACYC FLOW ON FRI NEAR SFC HI PRES IS FCST TO TRANSITION TO SHARPER NNE FLOW DURING THIS TIME...WHICH WL SLOWLY DRAG COLDER AIR INTO THE UPR LKS. MAINTAINED SCHC POPS OVER THE SW CWA NEAR THE NRN FRINGES OF PCPN SHIELD ASSOCIATED WITH LO PRES DIGGING SEWD THRU THE PLAINS. ALSO MAINTAINED SCHC POPS ON FRI NGT DOWNWIND OF LK SUP WITH VEERING FLOW FM N TO MORE NE. LO INVRN/POOR SN GROWTH WOULD TEND TO LIMIT POTENTIAL SN AMNTS. ELEVATED POPS A BIT ON SAT IN FAVORED AREAS FOR N WIND NEAR LK SUP TO ACCOUNT FOR SLOW ARRIVAL OF COLDER AIR. IN THE MEDIUM TO EXTENDED RANGE...NEGATIVE NAO PATTERN WL DOMINATE AND FEATURE A N TO NW FLOW OF CHILLY ARCTIC AIR ON THE WRN FLANK OF DEEP CUTOFF LO OVER NEW ENGLAND HELD IN PLACE BY BLOCKING RDG NEAR GREENLAND SAT NGT THRU WED. WITH H85 TEMPS IN THE -10C TO -15C RANGE THRU THE PD AND CYC NLY FLOW...EXPECT LES NEAR LK SUP. SO TENDED TOWARD LIKELY POPS IN THE FAVORED AREAS FOR LES. TEMPS SHOULD AVG BLO NORMAL. && .AVIATION /FOR THE 18Z TAF ISSUANCE/... CMX...LES REGIME WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE FCST PERIOD AS COLD AIR AND MOISTURE WRAPPING AROUND THE DEPARTING LOW PRES MOVES THROUGH THE UPPER GREAT LAKES. EXPECT PREDOMINANT IFR VSBYS/MVFR CIGS WITH FREQUENT SHSN UNTIL LATE THU MORNING WHEN WIND DIES DOWN A BIT TO ALLOW MVFR CONDITIONS TO OCCUR. SAW...MVFR CONDITIONS SHOULD PREVAIL THROUGH THE FCST PERIOD EVEN THOUGH -SHSN MAY BECOME MORE FREQUENT WITH THE ARRIVAL OF DEEPER MSTR/COLDER AIR. && .MARINE /FOR 4 PM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE/... NW WINDS 20 TO 30 KTS EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT AS PRESSURE GRADIENT STAYS SHARP OVR UPR LAKES BTWN DEPARTING LOW PRESSURE IN SE CAN AND HI PRESSURE BUILDING INTO THE PLAINS. WILL GET CLOSE TO GALES AND WILL MENTION WITH SOME GALE GUSTS ACROSS THE EAST HALF OF THE LAKE THIS EVENING...BUT NOT EXPECTING FULL FLEDGED GALES FROM THIS SYSTEM. WINDS BECOME LIGHTER LATER THU INTO FRI AS HIGH PRESSURE OVR THE PLAINS MOVES OVR THE UPR LAKES. LIGHT WINDS CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY AS HIGH REMAINS IN VCNTY. NRLY WINDS INCREASE ON SUNDAY DUE TO TIGHTENING PRESSURE GRADIENT BTWN STRONG HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING ACROSS THE PLAINS AND A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SLIDING ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY. NO GALES SEEN ANYTIME SOON. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING UNTIL 7 AM EST FRIDAY FOR MIZ006-007. LAKE EFFECT SNOW ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EST FRIDAY FOR MIZ085. LAKE SUPERIOR...NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && SHORT TERM...07 LONG TERM...KC AVIATION...07 MARINE...07
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARQUETTE MI 408 PM EST WED DEC 1 2010 MIZ001>007-009>014-084-085-021200- KEWEENAW-ONTONAGON-NORTHERN HOUGHTON-BARAGA-MARQUETTE-ALGER-LUCE- GOGEBIC-IRON-DICKINSON-MENOMINEE-DELTA-SOUTHERN SCHOOLCRAFT- SOUTHERN HOUGHTON-NORTHERN SCHOOLCRAFT- 408 PM EST WED DEC 1 2010 /308 PM CST WED DEC 1 2010/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN UPPER MICHIGAN AND CENTRAL UPPER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT EXPECT MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW SHOWERS AND AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR EAST OF MUNISING. SEE THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER STATEMENT FOR COMPLETE DETAILS. LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW SHOWERS WILL ALSO CONTINUE OVER NORTHWEST UPPER MICHIGAN...PARTICULARLY IN AREAS FAVORED BY A NORTHWEST WIND. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY MODERATE TO HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS AND PATCHY BLOWING SNOW WILL CONTINUE INTO THURSDAY EVENING NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR EAST OF MUNISING. SNOW SHOWERS ARE LIKELY NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR ON SATURDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. THERE COULD BE SOME HEAVY ACCUMULATIONS WHERE THE SNOW SHOWERS ARE MOST PERSISTENT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT REPORTS OF SNOWFALL. LSZ162-240>251-263>267-021200- 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- 408 PM EST WED DEC 1 2010 /308 PM CST WED DEC 1 2010/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN LAKE SUPERIOR...CENTRAL LAKE SUPERIOR AND WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A FEW NORTHWEST GALE FORCE GUSTS TO 35 KNOTS ARE POSSIBLE OVER NORTH CENTRAL AND EASTERN LAKE SUPERIOR. .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. LMZ221-248-250-021200- 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- 408 PM EST WED DEC 1 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN LAKE LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...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.
2 winter weather, 1 lake-effect snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Melstrand received an estimated 12 inches of snow in 24 hours. There were also 12-hour reports of 6 to 7 inches of snow between Munising and Shingleton.
There was an estimated five inches of snow at Pine Stump Junction in a 12-hour period.
There was an estimated five inches of snow at Seney in a 12-hour period.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, December 2010
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: 270251, 270259, 270253.