Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, January 3 to 6, 2018

Name: Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, January 3 to 6, 2018
Start: 2018-01-03T07:00
End: 2018-01-06T13:00
Location: Michigan

January 3 to 6, 2018 · NWS IWX · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A long duration lake effect snow event created difficult travel conditions January 3rd through January 6th. Three day snowfall totals ranged between 1 and 2 feet across Berrien County.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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.

A long duration lake effect snow event created difficult travel conditions January 3rd through January 6th. Three day snowfall totals ranged between 1 and 2 feet across Berrien County.

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 Jan 3, 6:24 AM EST, 36 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 3, 6:24 AM EST, 36 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 3, 5:59 AM EST, 1 hour 1 minute before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
559 AM EST Wed Jan 3 2018

INZ003>009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ077>081-OHZ001-002-004-005-
015-016-024-025-041100-
La Porte-St. Joseph IN-Elkhart-Lagrange-Steuben-Noble-De Kalb-Starke-
Pulaski-Marshall-Fulton IN-Kosciusko-Whitley-Allen IN-White-Cass IN-
Miami-Wabash-Huntington-Wells-Adams-Grant-Blackford-Jay-Berrien-
Cass MI-St. Joseph MI-Branch-Hillsdale-Williams-Fulton OH-Defiance-
Henry-Paulding-Putnam-Van Wert-Allen OH-
559 AM EST Wed Jan 3 2018 /459 AM CST Wed Jan 3 2018/

This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of southwest
Michigan...northern Indiana and northwest Ohio.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

Lake effect snow showers will develop today and intensify. Very cold
temperatures are expected this morning. For more information, please
see the Winter Weather Messages from this office.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday

Lake effect snow will develop Wednesday and persist through Friday.
Please see the latest Winter Weather Message from this office for
additional details.

Bitterly cold temperatures are expected later this week with air
temperatures falling below zero Thursday night and Friday night.

System snow is forecast Sunday and Monday. Snow accumulations are
likely. There is a good chance for travel issues early next week.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will not be needed.

&&

Stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio for further details or updates...or
check our web site at weather.gov/iwx

LMZ043-046-041100-
New Buffalo MI to St Joseph MI-Michigan City IN to New Buffalo MI-
559 AM EST Wed Jan 3 2018

This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of The Nearshore
Waters of Southeastern Lake Michigan.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

Conditions hazardous for small craft will continue through tonight.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday

Conditions hazardous to small craft are likely at times through the
rest of this week.

&&

Stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio for further details or updates...or
check our web site at weather.gov/iwx

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Lake-Effect Snow, Berrien

When: January 3, 7:00 AM EST to January 6, 1:00 PM EST
Where: Berrien forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

Periods of heavy lake effect snow developed on January 3rd and persisted through the morning hours of January 6th. Three day snowfall totals generally ranged between 10 and 20 inches across the county, with a report of 17.2 inches near Buchanon. Visibilities reduced to less than a quarter of a mile at times, and snow covered roads, created difficult travel and numerous accidents across the region. There were also road closures reported in Berrien County.

Lake-Effect Snow, Cass

When: January 3, 2:00 PM EST to January 6, 1:00 PM EST
Where: Cass forecast zone
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 41.915, -85.993 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Periods of lake effect snow developed late January 3rd and persisted through January 6th. The heaviest snow accumulations fell across far western Cass County, where total amounts ranged between 8 and 12 inches (per radar and satellite estimates). Reduced visibilities and snow covered roads with more intense snow showers created difficult travel and accidents across the county.

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 2018 Every state in 2018 This day in weather history Warnings in Michigan, January 2018

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 726409, 726410.