Michigan, 2018Lake-Effect Snow and Winter Weather in Michigan, January 2 to 4, 2018
January 2 to 4, 2018 · NWS MQT · 8 events in 6 counties and zones
Cold Arctic air streaming across Lake Superior generated moderate to heavy lake effect snow over the northwest wind snow belts downwind of Lake Superior from the afternoon of the 2nd into the morning of the 4th.
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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- 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.
Cold Arctic air streaming across Lake Superior generated moderate to heavy lake effect snow over the northwest wind snow belts downwind of Lake Superior from the afternoon of the 2nd into the morning of the 4th.
Lake-Effect Snow, Northern Houghton
- When
- January 2, 5:00 PM EST to January 3, 12:00 AM EST
- Where
- Northern Houghton forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 46.992, -88.652 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The spotter in Freda measured seven inches of lake effect snow in seven hours with snowfall rates exceeding an inch per hour at times. There was also a report of six inches of snow in the Calumet/Kearsarge area in less than four hours during the evening of the 2nd.
Lake-Effect Snow, Keweenaw
- When
- January 2, 5:00 PM EST to January 3, 5:00 AM EST
- Where
- Keweenaw forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 47.283, -88.212 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The observer in Allouez measured eight inches of lake effect snow in 12 hours. Six inches of the snow fell in four hours during the evening of the 2nd.
Winter Weather, Ontonagon
- When
- January 2, 5:00 PM EST to January 3, 8:00 AM EST
- Where
- Ontonagon forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 46.778, -89.305 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The observer eight miles north of Mass City measured 7.5 inches of lake effect snow in 15 hours.
Winter Weather, Gogebic
- When
- January 2, 5:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 AM CST
- Where
- Gogebic forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 46.496, -89.796 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The observer in Ironwood measured five inches of lake effect snow in approximately 13 hours.
Winter Weather, Northern Houghton
- When
- January 3, 7:00 AM EST to January 4, 10:00 AM EST
- Where
- Northern Houghton forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 46.992, -88.652 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Observers from Allouez, Hancock and Redridge measured 24-hour lake effect snowfall totals near five inches.
Winter Weather, Keweenaw
- When
- January 3, 7:00 AM EST to January 4, 7:00 AM EST
- Where
- Keweenaw forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 47.283, -88.212 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The observer near Ahmeek measured five inches of lake effect snow in 24 hours.
Winter Weather, Alger
- When
- January 3, 7:00 AM EST to January 4, 7:00 AM EST
- Where
- Alger forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 46.451, -86.548 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Observers at Munising and Grand Marais measured between 4.5 and 5.0 inches of lake effect snow in 24 hours.
Winter Weather, Marquette
- When
- January 3, 8:00 AM EST to January 4, 8:00 AM EST
- Where
- Marquette forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 46.663, -87.573 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The observer at Harvey measured five inches of lake effect snow in 24 hours.
- Lake-Effect Snow
- Heavy snow in bands downwind of a large lake as cold air crosses warmer water.
- 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.
- Extreme Cold in Texas, January 2, 20183 deaths · 3 events
- Cold in Wisconsin, January 2 to 7, 20182 deaths · 24 events
- Blizzard and Lake-Effect Snow in New York, January 2 to 3, 20181 death · 7 injured · $210,000 · 4 events
- Frost and Freeze in Texas, January 2 to 3, 20187 events
- Frost and Freeze in Texas, January 2, 20185 events
- Drought in Arkansas, January 2 to 31, 20183 events
- Winter Weather in Illinois, January 2, 20182 events
- Lake-Effect Snow in New York, January 2 to 3, 20181 event
- Marine Thunderstorm Wind in Gulf of Mexico, January 2, 20181 event
- Winter Storm in Alaska, January 2 to 3, 20181 event
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: 735106, 735109, 735111, 735110, 735487, 735488, 735489, 735490.