Winter Storm in Michigan, January 12 to 13, 2012

Name: Winter Storm in Michigan, January 12 to 13, 2012
Start: 2012-01-12T16:00
End: 2012-01-13T22:00
Location: Michigan

January 12 to 13, 2012 · NWS IWX · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

Snow and blowing snow impacted much of southern Michigan late January 12th into January 13th as a low pressure system deepened northward towards Lake Huron. System snow transitioned to heavy lake effect snow on January 13th with total snow accumulations generally ranging between 6 and 10 inches.

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: 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 IWX wrote it up.

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 Northern Indiana wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 12, 3:13 PM EST, 47 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 12, 3:13 PM EST, 47 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
313 PM EST THU JAN 12 2012

.SHORT TERM... / LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT /

DEEPENING VIGOROUS MID LVL CIRCULATION NEAR SAINT LOUIS WILL SPIN
EWD THROUGH THE OH VALLEY TONIGHT. SIGNIFICANT 12HR 5H HEIGHT FALLS
OF 200-220 METERS WILL SUPPORT FURTHER DEEPENING OF THE ASSOCIATED
SFC CYCLONE NEAR LAKE HURON TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY WITH A CLASSIC MID
LVL DEFORMATION ZONE TAKING SHAPE AND PIVOTING EWD THROUGH THE FA. A
WEST TO EAST ORIENTED BAND OF LGT/MOD SNOW LIFTING NORTH INTO THE FA
AS OF THIS WRITING IS GENERALLY TIED TO THE DPVA/FGEN WING OF THIS
SYSTEM JUST BEHIND A SFC CDFNT...WITH TEMPS ALREADY FALLING INTO THE
20S IN STRONG CAA REGIME ACROSS OUR SOUTHERN/WESTERN ZONES. THIS
FRONT SHOULD WORK THROUGH NORTHEASTERN AREAS LATE THIS AFTERNOON
WITH ANY RAIN QUICKLY CHANGING OVER TO SNOW. A DRY SLOT SHOULD WORK
INTO AREAS MAINLY ALONG AND EAST OF INTERSTATE 69 THIS EVENING AS
SNOW BAND TAKES ON A MORE NORTH TO SOUTH ORIENTATION WITHIN
DEFORMATION/TROWAL AXIS ACROSS WESTERN ZONES. THE PREVAILING
BOUNDARY LAYER FLOW WILL BECOME NEARLY PARALLEL TO THE LONG AXIS OF
THE LAKE TONIGHT RESULTING IN SIG MOISTURE FLUX AND INCREASING
FRICTIONAL/THERMAL CONVERGENCE OVER THE LAKE...WITH 30-40 KNOT 925
HPA FLOW ALLOWING LOW LVL MOISTURE/CONVERGENCE TO WORK WELL INLAND
UNDER TROWAL. THIS SHOULD GIVE A RATHER IMPRESSIVE BOOST TO THE
DEFORMATION SNOW BAND OVERNIGHT WITH HEAVIEST TOTALS NEAR THE
LAKE...WITH THE BAND EVENTUALLY PIVOTING NEWD THROUGH OUR EASTERN
ZONES BY LATER TONIGHT AND FRIDAY MORNING. STARTED SNOW RATIONS NEAR
CLIMO (12:1) TO START BUT INCREASED TO BETWEEN 15-20:1 WITH TIME AS
BUFKIT SOUNDINGS CONTINUE TO SHOW A COOLING COLUMN WITH A DEEP
ISOTHERMAL LAYER LOCATED MAINLY WITHIN THE DGZ AFTER 04-06Z.
PRESSURE RISES AND INCREASING SFC PRESSURE GRADIENT BEHIND DEEPENING
CYCLONE WILL SUPPORT GUSTY WINDS / 15-25 MPH WITH GUSTS 25-35 MPH /
WHICH WILL RESULT IN SOME BLOWING/DRIFTING BY TONIGHT/FRIDAY AS
FLUFF FACTOR INCREASES. AS FOR SNOW AMOUNTS AND IMPACTS CHECK
WSWIWX...WITH TOTAL AMOUNTS FORECAST TO RANGE FROM 2-4" FAR
SOUTHEAST (LIMA/MARION) TO 8-14" NORTHWEST (SOUTH BEND/BENTON
HARBOR).

SYNOPTIC MOISTURE/LIFT WILL EXIT ON FRIDAY WITH ATTENTION TURNING TO
CHANCES FOR LAKE EFFECT SNOW FRIDAY AFTERNOON/NIGHT. HI-RES GUIDANCE
CONTINUES TO HINT AT ACCUMULATING LAKE EFFECT SNOW AFFECTING AREAS
ALONG/NORTH OF HIGHWAY 6 IN INDIANA AND MICHIGAN DURING THIS
TIME...GIVEN 85H DELTA T/S NEAR 18-19C...LAKE INDUCED EQUILIBRIUM
LEVEL NEAR 7 KFT AND THERMAL TROUGHING/CONVERGENCE LINGERING ACROSS
LAKE MICHIGAN EVENT AS BOUNDARY LAYER FLOW VEERS MORE WESTERLY WITH
TIME. AS A RESULT CONTINUED WITH CATEGORICAL POPS IN THE FAR NORTH
WITH ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS EXPECTED. MAINLY DRY/BREEZY/COLDER
ELSEWHERE.

&&

.LONG TERM... / SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY /

CR ALLBLEND LOADED AND GENERALLY ACCEPTED THROUGH THE LONG TERM
PERIOD WITH FOCUS TODAY ON ONGOING SHORT TERM FORECAST AND IMPACTS.
FEW CHANGES IN 12Z MODELS SO PREVIOUS FORECAST THOUGHTS ON TRACK.
STILL LOOKS LIKE WEAK CLIPPER TO CROSS AREA SATURDAY WITH LIGHT SNOW
POSSIBLE. SOUTHERN AREAS CURRENTLY FAVORED BUT ONLY LIGHT AMOUNTS
ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. GRADUAL WARMUP THROUGH TUESDAY BEFORE NEXT
ARCTIC FRONT. MUCH COLDER AGAIN BY WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY WITH SNOW
SHOWERS EXPECTED AT TIMES.

&&

.AVIATION... / 18Z TAFS /

A SIGNIFICANT WINTER STORM IS UNDERWAY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN GREAT
LAKES.  THIS STORM WILL LEAD TO DETERIORATING CONDITIONS AT BOTH
TERMINALS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON.  COLD AIR APPEARS TO BE KEEPING UP
WITH THE FRONT EDGE OF THE PRECIPITATION SHIELD...SO HAVE CHANGED TO
ALL -SN AFTER 18Z.

AT KFWA...12Z GUIDANCE SHOWS A DRY SLOT MOVING VERY
NEAR THE TERMINAL AROUND 23Z.  IF THE DRY SLOT DOES MOVE OVER THE
TERMINAL...KFWA COULD SEE SEVERAL HOURS OF DRY CONDITIONS AND
INCREASED CIGS/VIS..BUT THE EXACT LOCATION WHERE THIS WILL SET UP IS
UNKNOWN AT THIS POINT.  WENT WITH -SHSN DURING THE PERIOD IN
QUESTION AND WILL UPDATE AS NEEDED.  AS THE TROWAL REGION PIVOTS
ACROSS THE AREA...CIGS/VIS WILL DECREASE AGAIN AND THE WINDS WILL
PICK UP.  CONCERN THROUGH THE LATE NIGHT AND MORNING HOURS WILL BE
GUSTY WINDS AND BLOWING SNOW WHICH COULD RESTRICT VISIBILITIES EVEN
AFTER THE SNOWFALL SUBSIDES.

AT KSBN...SN SHOULD BEGIN SHORTLY AND INCREASE INTENSITY THROUGH THE
AFTERNOON.  THE PERIOD OF HEAVIEST SNOW APPEARS TO BE FROM 00Z
TONIGHT THROUGH 12Z FRIDAY.  DURING THIS PERIOD...VISIBILITIES 1/4SM
OR LESS WILL BE LIKELY.  DURING THE OVERNIGHT AND MORNING
HOURS...THERE WILL BE ADDED CONCERN DUE TO GUSTY WINDS AND BLOWING
SNOW.  LAKE EFFECT SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY AT KSBN WITH
GUSTY WINDS AND BLOWING SNOW.

&&

.IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IN...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST FRIDAY FOR INZ013-015-017-
     018-020-022>027-032>034.

     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST /6 PM CST/ FRIDAY FOR
     INZ003>006-008-012-014-016.

     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST FRIDAY FOR INZ007-009.

MI...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST FRIDAY FOR MIZ077>080.

     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST FRIDAY FOR MIZ081.

OH...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST FRIDAY FOR OHZ001-002-004-
     005-015-016-024-025.

LM...GALE WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST FRIDAY FOR LMZ043-046.

&&

SHORT TERM...STEINWEDEL
LONG TERM...LASHLEY
AVIATION...BENTLEY

Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 12, 11:47 AM EST, 4 hours 13 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1147 AM EST THU JAN 12 2012

INZ003>006-008-012-014-016-MIZ077>080-131700-
LA PORTE-ST. JOSEPH IN-ELKHART-LAGRANGE-NOBLE-STARKE-MARSHALL-
KOSCIUSKO-BERRIEN-CASS MI-ST. JOSEPH MI-BRANCH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MICHIGAN CITY...LA PORTE...SOUTH BEND...
MISHAWAKA...ELKHART...GOSHEN...LAGRANGE...TOPEKA...KENDALLVILLE...
LIGONIER...KNOX...NORTH JUDSON...PLYMOUTH...BREMEN...WARSAW...
WINONA LAKE...NILES...BENTON HARBOR...ST. JOSEPH...BUCHANAN...
DOWAGIAC...CASSOPOLIS...STURGIS...THREE RIVERS...COLDWATER
1147 AM EST THU JAN 12 2012 /1047 AM CST THU JAN 12 2012/

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN INDIANA
AND SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

...WINTER STORM WARNING LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT...

LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS...
USHERING IN BLUSTERY CONDITIONS WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW
ACCUMULATIONS EXPECTED IN MANY AREAS. FOR MORE SPECIFIC DETAILS AND
AMOUNTS...MONITOR THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER PRODUCTS FROM THE
NATIONAL WEATHER OFFICE IN NORTHERN INDIANA.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

...WINTER STORM WARNING INTO FRIDAY AFTERNOON...

LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE WARNING
AREA...ESPECIALLY NORTH OF ROUTE 6 INTO FRIDAY NIGHT. FOR MORE
SPECIFIC DETAILS AND AMOUNTS...MONITOR THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER
PRODUCTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER OFFICE IN NORTHERN INDIANA.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SNOW AND ROAD CONDITION REPORTS WOULD BE APPRECIATED THROUGH INTO
FRIDAY NIGHT.

&&

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR
CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX

INZ007-009-013-015-017-018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ081-131700-
STEUBEN-DE KALB-PULASKI-FULTON IN-WHITLEY-ALLEN IN-WHITE-CASS IN-
MIAMI-WABASH-HUNTINGTON-WELLS-ADAMS-GRANT-BLACKFORD-JAY-HILLSDALE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ANGOLA...AUBURN...GARRETT...WINAMAC...
FRANCESVILLE...ROCHESTER...COLUMBIA CITY...SOUTH WHITLEY...
FORT WAYNE...MONTICELLO...BROOKSTON...LOGANSPORT...PERU...WABASH...
NORTH MANCHESTER...HUNTINGTON...BLUFFTON...OSSIAN...DECATUR...
BERNE...MARION...HARTFORD CITY...MONTPELIER...PORTLAND...HILLSDALE
1147 AM EST THU JAN 12 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST LOWER
MICHIGAN AND NORTHERN INDIANA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT...

LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS...
USHERING IN BLUSTERY CONDITIONS WITH LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW
ACCUMULATIONS EXPECTED IN MANY AREAS. FOR MORE SPECIFIC DETAILS
AND AMOUNTS...MONITOR THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER PRODUCTS FROM THE
NATIONAL WEATHER OFFICE IN NORTHERN INDIANA.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY INTO FRIDAY AFTERNOON...

SNOWSHOWERS WILL SLOWLY DIMINISH ON FRIDAY WITH SOME LIGHT
ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLE.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SNOW AND ROAD CONDITION REPORTS WOULD BE APPRECIATED THROUGH INTO
FRIDAY NIGHT.

&&

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR
CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX

OHZ001-002-004-005-015-016-024-025-131700-
WILLIAMS-FULTON OH-DEFIANCE-HENRY-PAULDING-PUTNAM-VAN WERT-ALLEN OH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BRYAN...MONTPELIER...WAUSEON...ARCHBOLD...
DEFIANCE...NAPOLEON...PAULDING...ANTWERP...OTTAWA...PANDORA...
VAN WERT...DELPHOS...LIMA
1147 AM EST THU JAN 12 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OHIO.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR LATE TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING.

LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS...
USHERING IN BLUSTERY CONDITIONS WITH LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW
ACCUMULATIONS EXPECTED IN MANY AREAS. FOR MORE SPECIFIC DETAILS
AND AMOUNTS...MONITOR THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER PRODUCTS FROM THE
NATIONAL WEATHER OFFICE IN NORTHERN INDIANA.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

SNOW WILL TAPER OFF FRIDAY WITH SOME ADDITIONAL LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS
POSSIBLE.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SNOW AND ROAD CONDITION REPORTS WOULD BE APPRECIATED THROUGH INTO
FRIDAY NIGHT.

&&

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR
CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX

LMZ043-046-131700-
NEW BUFFALO MI TO ST JOSEPH MI-MICHIGAN CITY IN TO NEW BUFFALO MI-
1147 AM EST THU JAN 12 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF
SOUTHEASTERN LAKE MICHIGAN.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

A GALE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR WIND GUSTS OVER 35 KNOTS STARTING
THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUING INTO TONIGHT. SNOW SQUALLS WILL
DEVELOP TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

GALE FORCE WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY...SLOWLY DIMINISHING
FRIDAY NIGHT. SNOW SQUALLS AND FREEZING SPRAY CAN BE EXPECTED INTO
FRIDAY NIGHT.

&&

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR
CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX/?N=MARINE

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Berrien

When: January 12, 4:00 PM EST to January 13, 10:00 PM EST
Where: Berrien forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Snow, moderate to heavy at times, developed during the late afternoon hours of January 12th and continued through most of January 13th. Total snow accumulations across the county generally ranged between 7 and 12 inches. A trained spotter in Niles reported 12 inches of total snow accumulation. Sustained winds of 15 to 25 mph, with gusts to 30 mph, led to considerable blowing and drifting snow. Slide-offs and accidents were reported across the region.

Winter Storm, Cass

When: January 12, 4:00 PM EST to January 13, 10:00 PM EST
Where: Cass forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.915, -85.993 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow, moderate to heavy at times, developed during the late afternoon hours of January 12th and continued through most of January 13th. Total snow accumulations across the county generally ranged between 7 and 10 inches. A trained spotter in Edwardsburg reported 8 inches of total snow accumulation. Sustained winds of 15 to 25 mph, with gusts to 30 mph, led to considerable blowing and drifting snow. |Slide-offs and accidents were reported across the region.

Winter Storm, St. Joseph

When: January 12, 5:00 PM EST to January 13, 10:00 PM EST
Where: St. Joseph forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 41.914, -85.528 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow, moderate to heavy at times, developed during the late afternoon hours of January 12th and continued through most of January 13th. Total snow accumulations across the county generally ranged between 6 and 10 inches. Sustained winds of 15 to 25 mph, with gusts to 30 mph, led to considerable blowing and drifting snow. |Slide-offs and accidents were reported across the region.

Winter Storm, Branch

When: January 12, 5:00 PM EST to January 13, 10:00 PM EST
Where: Branch forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 41.916, -85.059 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow, moderate to heavy at times, developed during the late afternoon hours of January 12th and continued through most of January 13th. Total snow accumulations across the county generally ranged between 5 and 9 inches, heaviest across the northern half of the county. Sustained winds of 15 to 25 mph, with gusts to 30 mph, led to considerable blowing and drifting snow. Slide-offs and accidents were reported across the region.

Winter Storm, Hillsdale

When: January 12, 5:00 PM EST to January 13, 10:00 PM EST
Where: Hillsdale forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 41.888, -84.593 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow, moderate to heavy at times, developed during the late afternoon hours of January 12th and continued through most of January 13th. Total snow accumulations across the county generally ranged between 4 and 9 inches, heaviest across the northern half of the county. A CoCoRaHS observer reported 8.3 inches of total snow accumulation 6 miles east-southeast of Jonesville. Sustained winds of 15 to 25 mph, with gusts to 30 mph, led to considerable blowing and drifting snow. Slide-offs and accidents were reported across the region.

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Michigan in 2012 Every state in 2012 This day in weather history Warnings in Michigan, January 2012

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 354382, 354383, 354384, 354388, 354391.