Michigan, 2010

Winter Weather in Michigan, December 31, 2010

December 31, 2010 · NWS MQT · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A low pressure system over the Plains moved toward western Lake Superior and deposited a glaze of freezing drizzle over portions of western Upper Michigan on the 31st.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
2

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.

A low pressure system over the Plains moved toward western Lake Superior and deposited a glaze of freezing drizzle over portions of western Upper Michigan on the 31st.

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 Marquette, MI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 31, 4:51 AM CST, 6 hours 9 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 31, 4:51 AM CST, 6 hours 9 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 31, 5:13 AM CST, 5 hours 47 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Dec 31, 8:41 AM CST, 2 hours 19 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Dec 31, 9:16 AM CST, 1 hour 44 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

2 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Iron

When
December 31, 11:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Iron forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
46.209, -88.530 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A spotter near Iron River reported a glaze of freezing drizzle. Icy roads lead to some minor accidents.

Winter Weather, Ontonagon

When
December 31, 1:00 PM EST to 11:30 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 a glaze of freezing drizzle on cars, sidewalks and roads. Very slippery conditions were reported from Ontonagon to Rockland.

What these are

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 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, December 2010

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 274023, 274022.