A series of upper disturbances moving through the Upper Great Lakes brought periods of moderate snow to portions of west and north central Upper Michigan from the 20th into the morning of the 23rd.
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.
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 series of upper disturbances moving through the Upper Great Lakes brought periods of moderate snow to portions of west and north central Upper Michigan from the 20th into the morning of the 23rd.
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 Apr 20, 6:13 AM EST, 47 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARQUETTE MI 713 AM EDT MON APR 20 2015 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 316 AM EDT MON APR 20 2015 UPPER AIR PATTERN CONSISTS OF A ELONGATED 500 MB TROUGH WITH SEVERAL SHORTWAVES EMBEDDED IN IT. THE SHORTWAVE OVER LOWER MICHIGAN WILL BE SPREADING PCPN UP INTO THE CWA THIS MORNING WHILE ANOTHER SHORTWAVE OVER THE RED RIVER VALLEY OF THE NORTH WILL PUT PCPN IN OVER THE FAR WEST THIS MORNING. BOTH THESE SHORTWAVES WILL COMBINE OVER THE AREA AND CAUSE SOME WIDESPREAD PCPN THIS MORNING OVER THE CWA. UPPER TROUGH SLOWLY MOVES EAST WITH A 500 MB LOW MOVING OVER THE U.P. LATE TONIGHT. NAM SHOWS DEEPER MOISTURE AND 850-500 MB Q-VECTOR CONVERGENCE OVER THE CWA THIS MORNING. THE DEEPER MOISTURE REMAIN OVER THE AREA THROUGH TONIGHT WHILE THE Q-VECTOR CONVERGENCE WEAKENS AND MOVES OUT BY THIS EVENING BEFORE MOVING BACK IN LATE TONIGHT WITH THE 500 MB LOW. GFS AND ECMWF SHOW ABOUT THE SAME THING AS WELL. HAD TO HANG ONTO THE DRIER AIR ACROSS THE CENTRAL CWA A BIT LONGER THIS MORNING AND CUT THE QPF AMOUNTS BECAUSE OF THIS. DID GO WITH A COMBO OF WET BULB HEIGHTS AND WARM TEMPERATURES ALOFT TO DETERMINE SNOW FOR THIS FORECAST AND LOOKS LIKE THE ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL BE TONIGHT WHERE UP TO 2 INCHES COULD FALL ACROSS THE WESTERN HIGHLANDS. OTHERWISE...DID NOT MAKE TOO MANY CHANGES TO THE GOING TEMPERATURE FORECAST AND WENT WITH CATEGORICAL POPS FOR TODAY FOR THE CWA AND THEN LIKELY POPS IN NORTHWEST LAKE EFFECT BELTS TONIGHT AND KEPT SOME SLIGHT CHANCE POPS IN THE FAR SOUTH DUE TO THE UPPER LOW MOVING INTO THE AREA AND WRAPAROUND PCPN IN THE AREA. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 507 AM EDT MON APR 20 2015 COLDER...WITH LITTLE BREAK IN IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THE BEST CHANCE OF LIGHT PRECIP WILL BE ALONG THE LAKE SUPERIOR SHORELINE. AT 12Z TUESDAY THE SFC LOW WILL HAVE SHIFTED TO JUST W OF JAMES BAY...WITH A TROUGH/SECONDARY COLD FRONT EXTENDING OVER CENTRAL LAKE SUPERIOR AND CENTRAL UPPER MI. 850MB TEMPS AHEAD OF THE TROUGH WILL AVERAGE AROUND -4C...AND FALL TO AROUND -7C BY THE END OF THE DAY BEHIND THE TROUGH. THIS WILL COINCIDE WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE LARGE 500MB LOW...CENTERED OVER THE CWA TUESDAY. THE SIZABLE TROUGH WILL ENCOMPASS E MT THROUGH THE GULF STATES...AND BACK UP THROUGH THE NEW ENGLAND STATES. THE 500MB LOW WILL NOT MOVE MUCH...ONLY TO E ONTARIO BY THURSDAY MORNING. THIS WILL BE SIMILAR TO THE SFC LOW WHICH WILL ONLY SHIFT TO FAR W ONTARIO DURING THE SAME TIME. LOOK FOR PERSISTENT NW WINDS AND 850MB TEMPS OF -8 TO -12C. THE 500MB LOW WILL CONTINUE ITS E PROGRESSION THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...MOVING ACROSS S QUEBEC. WHILE A WEAK RIDGE WILL ATTEMPT TO BUILD OVER FAR W LAKE SUPERIOR/UPPER MI...THE TROUGH WILL STILL REMAIN OVER THE E. WHILE THE SFC LOW INITIALLY SHIFTS TO SE QUEBEC EARLY THURSDAY EVENING...IT LOOKS TO SHIFT BACK W DURING THE DAY FRIDAY /PARTICULARLY OFF THE GFS SOLUTION/. THERE LOOKS TO BE SOME DISCREPANCIES IN THE HANDLING OF THE 500MB LOW FOR THE LATTER HALF OF THE WEEKEND BY THE 00Z MODEL RUNS. WHILE THE ECMWF PUSHES A RIDGE OVER THE UPPER GREAT LAKES SATURDAY AND SUNDAY...THE GFS KEEPS THE TROUGH IN PLACE. AS A RESULT...FEW CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE ONGOING FCST FOR THE WEEKEND. TEMPS MAY RISE AROUND 5F SUNDAY COMPARED TO SATURDAY...BUT WAS LACKING CONFIDENCE TO DO MUCH MORE THAN THAT. THE ECMWF SOLUTION WOULD BRING 850MB TEMPS BACK TO -2C BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON WITH THAT RIDGE BUILDING IN. HOWEVER...THE GFS IS STILL AROUND -8C. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 713 AM EDT MON APR 20 2015 KIWD...WITH RAIN OVER THE COLD LAKE WATERS AND AN UPSLOPE NW WIND...LIFR CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY PREVAIL THRU THE MORNING HRS. THE -SHRA WILL MIX WITH OR CHANGE TO -SHSN AROUND MID MORNING. PCPN WILL THEN DIMINISH IN THE AFTN WITH CONDITIONS IMPROVING TO MVFR UNDER GUSTY WNW WINDS. MIGHT EVEN SEE A PERIOD OF VFR CONDITIONS. ANOTHER DISTURBANCE WILL BRING DETERIORATING CONDITIONS AGAIN LATE THIS EVENING BACK TO IFR AFTER MIDNIGHT WITH SNOW. AT KCMX...EXPECT A QUICK DROP TO LIFR DURING THE MORNING UNDER INCREASING UPSLOPE NW WINDS...THEN ONLY GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT TO IFR IN THE AFTN AS -SHRA CONTINUE. NW WIND WILL LIKELY GUST TO AROUND 30KT DURING THE AFTN. PCPN WILL TURN TO SNOW TONIGHT. AT KSAW...LIFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THIS MORNING. AS WINDS BACK TO THE NW AND THEN W IN THE AFTN AND PCPN DIMINISHES...EXPECT IMPROVEMENT TO MVFR. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 316 AM EDT MON APR 20 2015 AS A LOW LIFTS THROUGH THE SOO THIS AFTERNOON...WINDS WILL BACK TO THE WEST-NORTHWEST THIS AFTERNOON. WITH THE LOW BECOMING STATIONARY JUST TO THE SOUTHWEST OF JAMES BAY TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY...PERSISTENT NORTHWESTERLY WINDS OF 20-30KTS ARE EXPECTED. ALTHOUGH THE LOW WILL WEAKEN AND MOVE EAST ACROSS QUEBEC WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY...THE NORTHWEST WINDS UP TO 25KTS WILL PERSIST AS A RIDGE MOVES INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS. THE WINDS DIMINISH THEN BELOW 20 KNOTS BY THURSDAY NIGHT. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... NONE. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && SHORT TERM...07 LONG TERM...KF AVIATION...07 MARINE...07
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARQUETTE MI 400 AM EDT MON APR 20 2015 MIZ001>003-009-084-211200- KEWEENAW-ONTONAGON-NORTHERN HOUGHTON-GOGEBIC-SOUTHERN HOUGHTON- 400 AM EDT MON APR 20 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN UPPER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT AN INCH OR TWO OF WET SNOW IS POSSIBLE TONIGHT OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN FROM IRONWOOD AND WAKEFIELD TO ROCKLAND...TWIN LAKES AND CALUMET. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY AN ADDITIONAL INCH OR TWO OF WET SNOW IS POSSIBLE TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN FROM IRONWOOD AND WAKEFIELD TO ROCKLAND...TWIN LAKES AND CALUMET. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... THE NEED FOR WEATHER SPOTTER REPORTS IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. MIZ004>007-010>014-085-211200- BARAGA-MARQUETTE-ALGER-LUCE-IRON-DICKINSON-MENOMINEE-DELTA- SOUTHERN SCHOOLCRAFT-NORTHERN SCHOOLCRAFT- 400 AM EDT MON APR 20 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL UPPER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... THE NEED FOR WEATHER SPOTTER REPORTS IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. LSZ162-240>251-263>267-211200- 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- 400 AM EDT MON APR 20 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN LAKE SUPERIOR...CENTRAL LAKE SUPERIOR AND WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... THE NEED FOR WEATHER SPOTTER REPORTS IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. LMZ221-248-250-211200- 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- 400 AM EDT MON APR 20 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... THE NEED FOR WEATHER SPOTTER REPORTS IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. KF
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
The observer at Redridge measured five inches of wet snow in 24 hours.
There was a public report of an estimated four inches of wet snow in Bessemer accumulated mainly on decks and yards. Roads were reported clear.
There was a public report of 12 inches of snow in less than 36 hours at Bessemer.
Observers reported 12-hour snow amounts of three inches in Harvey and five inches near Trowbridge Park in Marquette.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, April 2015
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: 571181, 571180, 571182, 571183.