Colder air continuing to flow across Lake Superior generated moderate lake effect snow near Allouez from the evening of the 15th into the morning of the 16th.
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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.
Colder air continuing to flow across Lake Superior generated moderate lake effect snow near Allouez from the evening of the 15th into the morning of the 16th.
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 Dec 15, 7:45 PM EST, 15 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Marquette MI 745 PM EST Thu Dec 15 2016 .UPDATE... Issued at 744 PM EST THU DEC 15 2016 Opted to issue an les advy for far nrn Houghton and Keweenaw Counties to account for persistent les band that wl impact that area thru at least 12Z Fri. This band has formed along axis of focused llvl cnvgc impacting that area btwn a nw flow reported at Copper Harbor/a buoy on the w coast of far nrn Houghton County and the llvl wsw land breeze flow reported at CMX. Public reports indicate as much as 2-3 inches of snow has accumulated since 5-6 pm at a few spots over nrn Houghton County. Hi res models show this band of llvl cnvgc persisting over the n half of the Keweenaw thru at least 12Z before an incrsg sw flow ahead of incoming lo pres causes this band to shift out over Lk Sup. && .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Friday) Issued at 406 PM EST THU DEC 15 2016 Northwest wind parallel multiband les should gradually diminish through this evening over Alger...Luce and northern Schoolcraft counties as models show winds continuing to back more westerly and large scale flow becoming more anticyclonic so expect that current winter storm warnings will be allowed to expire by 00z this evening. Another thing to watch tonight will be the likelihood of a lake convergence band setting up over the Keweenaw Peninsula this evening. If the band remains stationary then there could possibly be advisory snow amounts, but believe winds will be backing enough to keep band moving north and amounts sub-advisory. The rest of the forecast area will be mostly dry and clear skies will allow temps to drop blo zero across much of the area, and likely into the double digits blo zero over favored cold spots of the western interior. Friday will be mostly dry and temps should rebound into the teens across much of the area. There will be an increase in clouds as a trough moves from the west. Increasing (although weak) q-vector convergence will allow for some light snow to develop from the south later in the day. Lake convergence band focused near the Keweenaw will also allow for light accumulations of snow (1-2 inches) there during the day. .LONG TERM...(Friday night through Thursday) Issued at 343 PM EST THU DEC 15 2016 Shortwave energy rounding base of positively tilted upper trough over the Southwest will induce the development of an area of low pressure over the Central Plains. Broad warm advection ahead of the low will produce a shield of light to moderate snow that will move into the western Great lakes Friday night. With surface low expected to remain pretty far to the south...central IL to southern lower MI...the UP will remain on the northern fringe of the best forcing as the low moves eastward. Expect a general 2-5 inches of snow Friday night into Saturday morning with the highest amounts over southern Menominee County. As winds become more northeasterly and northerly on the back side of the low late Friday night...there should be a period of lake enhancement off Lake Superior especially with 85H temps in the -15 to -20 C range. Northerly wind lake enhanced areas will see the heavier snowfall on Saturday with 2-5 inches of additional snowfall expected in those areas and 1-3 inches elsewhere across the area in the broad deformation area of the low. Since 12 hour accumulations will be in the 2-5 inch range Friday night and then again on Saturday...amounts should remain just under warning criteria. Since accumulations aren't expected until the 3rd period will hold off on advisories at this point, but anticipate mid shift will issue a winter weather advisory for the entire area for Friday night into Saturday. Next round of arctic air will surge into the area late Saturday with some pure lake effect in northwesterly wind snowbelts. Wind chill values may flirt with advisory criteria over the interior west by late Saturday night. Temperatures on Sunday will be hard pressed to climb above zero along the WI border and remain in the single digits elsewhere. Surface ridge will pass just south of the area Sunday night and potential will exist for a very cold night...perhaps sub -20 readings in the typical cold spots. Wind chills will once again be close to advisory Sunday night into early Monday. Upper pattern becomes much more zonal next week with a marked warmup expected. A couple of quick moving clipper systems will bring some low chance for light snow Tuesday and Thursday. Otherwise...daytime highs will climb into the upper 20s to around 30 by Tuesday with similar highs expected for mid to late next week. && .AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Friday evening) Issued at 646 PM EST THU DEC 15 2016 With a llvl sw flow of dry air, expect VFR conditons to prevail at SAW and IWD thru Fri mrng. CMX wl be near a band of les, so there could be some IFR vsbys this evng, with MVFR conditions prevailing into Fri mrng, when that band wl definitely shift far enuf to the n to allow a return of VFR wx. If the band shifts to the n faster, the VFR conditions wl arrive earlier. As deeper mstr returns by Fri aftn ahead of an aprchg lo pres, some lo clds/MVFR cigs wl return at all 3 TAF sites. && .MARINE...(For the 4 PM Lake Superior forecast issuance) Issued at 406 PM EST THU DEC 15 2016 West-northwest gales of 35 to 40 knots over the east half of Lake Superior will diminish blo gales by late afternoon and heavy freezing spray should be diminishing this evening. Expect southwest to northwest winds of up to 20 knots tonight through Friday. Increasing north to northeast winds to 30 knots late Friday night through Saturday are expected as a low pressure system passes south of the region. Northwest to west winds to 30 knots will follow for Sunday. Southwest will increase again to 30 knots on Monday and there could even be a period of gales to 35 knots over west and north central Lake Superior Mon afternoon into evening. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Upper Michigan... Lake Effect Snow Advisory until 7 AM EST Friday for MIZ001-003. Lake Superior... None. Lake Michigan... None. && UPDATE...KC SHORT TERM...Voss LONG TERM...MZ AVIATION...KC MARINE...Voss
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARQUETTE MI 342 PM EST THU DEC 15 2016 MIZ001>007-009>014-084-085-161200- KEWEENAW-ONTONAGON-NORTHERN HOUGHTON-BARAGA-MARQUETTE-ALGER-LUCE- GOGEBIC-IRON-DICKINSON-MENOMINEE-DELTA-SOUTHERN SCHOOLCRAFT- SOUTHERN HOUGHTON-NORTHERN SCHOOLCRAFT- 342 PM EST THU DEC 15 2016 /242 PM CST THU DEC 15 2016/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN UPPER MICHIGAN AND CENTRAL UPPER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS OVER THE EASTERN U.P. WILL LIFT NORTHWARD INTO LAKE SUPERIOR THIS EVENING AS WINDS BECOME WESTERLY. ROADS WILL REMAIN SNOW COVERED IN AREAS THAT SAW SIGNIFICANT SNOW OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVING THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES LATE FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY MAY BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF MODERATE SNOW TO UPPER MICHIGAN. THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVIER LAKE EFFECT OR LAKE ENHANCED SNOW WILL ALSO MOVE IN FOR NORTH TO NORTHEAST SNOW BELTS SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY. EXPECT BITTERLY CLOUD AIR TO AFFECT THE AREA FROM SATURDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY WITH WIND CHILL VALUES AS LOW AS 30 BELOW ZERO DURING THAT TIME PERIOD. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS AND ANY KNOWN ROAD CONDITIONS TO THE MARQUETTE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. THE PUBLIC MAY PROVIDE REPORTS THROUGH OUR WEB PAGE...OUR FACEBOOK AND TWITTER PAGES...OR BY PHONE. LSZ162-240>251-263>267-161200- 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- 342 PM EST THU DEC 15 2016 /242 PM CST THU DEC 15 2016/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN LAKE SUPERIOR...CENTRAL LAKE SUPERIOR AND WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT NORTHWESTERLY GALES TO 35 KNOTS OVER EASTERN LAKE SUPERIOR WILL DIMINISH EARLY THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... THE NEED FOR WEATHER SPOTTER REPORTS IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. LMZ221-248-250-161200- 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- 342 PM EST THU DEC 15 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... THE NEED FOR WEATHER SPOTTER REPORTS IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. MZ
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARQUETTE MI
305 PM EST THU DEC 15 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0800 AM SNOW 2 S NEWBERRY 46.33N 85.50W
12/15/2016 M5.0 INCH LUCE MI CO-OP OBSERVER
24 HOUR SNOWFALL...WITH MOST SNOW OVER THE
PAST 12 HOURS. 0.33 INCHES OF LIQUID
EQUIVALENT.
&&
NWS MARQUETTE MI
IRIS SYSTEMThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
The observer near Allouez measured six inches of lake effect snow in 12 hours.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, December 2016
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: 669601.