Michigan, 2015

Winter Weather in Michigan, January 8 to 10, 2015

January 8 to 10, 2015 · NWS MQT · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

Another Arctic cold frontal passage brought more snow, lake effect snow and blowing snow and very cold wind chills to the region from the 8th through much of the 9th.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
8

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.

Another Arctic cold frontal passage brought more snow, lake effect snow and blowing snow and very cold wind chills to the region from the 8th through much of the 9th.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Alger

When
January 8, 6:00 AM EST to January 10, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Alger forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.451, -86.548 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The observer ten miles south of Grand Marais measured nearly a foot of lake effect snow during the period. Farther west, near Wetmore and Chatham only four inches of snow fell during the period. The lake effect snow in combination with north winds gusting near 40 mph resulted in considerable blowing and drifting of snow which closed Highway M-28 from Harvey to Munising for the third time in five days.

Winter Weather, Ontonagon

When
January 8, 8:00 AM EST to January 9, 8:00 PM EST
Where
Ontonagon forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.778, -89.305 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Observing stations across the county reported between four and six inches of lake effect snow over a 24-hour period ending on the morning of the 9th. Northwest winds gusting over 30 mph also resulted in considerable blowing and drifting of snow reducing visibility to one quarter mile or less at times.

Winter Weather, Dickinson

When
January 8, 11:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Dickinson forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.009, -87.870 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Locations throughout the county received between two and three inches of snow mainly during the afternoon of the 8th. The briefly heavy snow and poor visibility made travel difficult. Wind chills lowered to near 25 below zero on the morning of the 9th.

Winter Weather, Menominee

When
January 8, 11:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where
Menominee forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
45.525, -87.510 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall across the county ranged from three to four inches during the day on the 8th. The briefly heavy snow and reduced visibility made travel difficult.

Winter Weather, Gogebic

When
January 8, 11:00 AM CST to January 9, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Gogebic forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
46.496, -89.796 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Moderate snow occurred during the late morning and early afternoon of the 8th totaling four inches at Ironwood and Watersmeet through the period. Continued lake effect snow and blowing snow from northwest winds gusting to 30 mph at times reduced visibility to one half mile or less from the night of the 8th into the morning of the 9th. The combination of the wind and falling temperatures also resulted in wind chills between 25 and 30 below zero on the morning of the 9th.

Winter Weather, Iron

When
January 8, 12:00 PM CST to January 9, 11:00 AM CST
Where
Iron forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
46.209, -88.530 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Portions of Iron County received between two and three inches of snow on the afternoon of the 8th. The briefly heavy snow sharply reduced visibility making travel difficult. Wind chills lowered to near 25 below zero on the morning of the 9th.

Winter Weather, Keweenaw

When
January 8, 5:30 PM EST to January 9, 10:00 PM EST
Where
Keweenaw forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
47.283, -88.212 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Observing stations across the county reported between four and five inches of lake effect snow through the period. Northwest winds gusting between 35 and 40 mph also resulted in considerable blowing and drifting of snow and near zero visibility at times.

Winter Weather, Northern Houghton

When
January 8, 9:00 PM EST to January 9, 10:00 PM EST
Where
Northern Houghton forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.992, -88.652 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Observing stations across the county reported between four and seven inches of lake effect snow through the period. Northwest winds gusting between 35 and 40 mph also resulted in considerable blowing and drifting of snow and near zero visibility at times.

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 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, January 2015

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 555723, 555755, 555720, 555721, 557106, 555719, 555731, 555734.