Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, November 12, 2013

Name: Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, November 12, 2013
Start: 2013-11-12T00:00
End: 2013-11-12T13:00
Location: Michigan

November 12, 2013 · NWS IWX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

An intense lake effect snow band set up over far southwest Lower Michigan during the morning hours of November 12th. Localized snowfall totals in excess of a foot were common.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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.

An intense lake effect snow band set up over far southwest Lower Michigan during the morning hours of November 12th. Localized snowfall totals in excess of a foot were common.

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 Nov 11, 5:43 PM EST, 6 hours 17 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 11, 5:43 PM EST, 6 hours 17 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 11, 9:33 AM EST, 14 hours 27 minutes before

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Event by event

1 lake-effect snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Lake-Effect Snow, Berrien

When: November 12, 12:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
Where: Berrien forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A band of heavy lake effect snow set up over the western half of Berrien County during the morning hours of November 12th. Snowfall totals ranged from a dusting in far eastern Berrien County to 17 inches in Saint Joseph. Many locations across western and northern portions of the country received more than a foot of snow. The accumulating snow and reduced visibilities with snowfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour at times created hazardous driving conditions across the area. Accidents and slide-offs were reported across the region.

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

Every storm in Michigan in 2013 Every state in 2013 This day in weather history Warnings in Michigan, November 2013

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: 478310.