Michigan, 2010

Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, January 1 to 3, 2010

January 1 to 3, 2010 · NWS APX · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

Very cold north winds resulted in an extended period of locally heavy lake effect snow in Northwest Lower Michigan. The first dominant band of snow produced 6 to 7 inches of accumulation near and south of Kalkaska by morning on New Years Day.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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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.

Very cold north winds resulted in an extended period of locally heavy lake effect snow in Northwest Lower Michigan. The first dominant band of snow produced 6 to 7 inches of accumulation near and south of Kalkaska by morning on New Years Day. A stronger band reformed along the Lake Michigan coast during the day, dumping 10 inches of snow on part of the city of Manistee. By evening of the 1st, bands brought 2 to 3 inch per hour accumulations northwest of Traverse City, and near Williamsburg. Finally, on the night of the 2nd, Beulah and Lake Ann got into the act, with localized 6 to 9 inch accumulations.

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, Kalkaska

When
January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 2, 10:00 AM EST
Where
Kalkaska forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
44.685, -85.090 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Leelanau

When
January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 3, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Leelanau forecast zone
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
45.152, -86.038 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Grand Traverse

When
January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 3, 3:00 AM 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, Benzie

When
January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 3, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Benzie forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.617, -86.139 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Manistee

When
January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 3, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Manistee forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
44.238, -86.288 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, January 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: 207379, 207380, 207381, 207382, 207383.