Michigan, 2018

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

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

Significant lake effect snow fell across portions of Allegan and Van Buren counties from January 3rd through the 6th. The western portions of these counties was hit hardest and total snow accumulations of 18 to 24 inches were reported in far western Van Buren county and far southwestern Allegan county.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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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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 GRR wrote it up.

Significant lake effect snow fell across portions of Allegan and Van Buren counties from January 3rd through the 6th. The western portions of these counties was hit hardest and total snow accumulations of 18 to 24 inches were reported in far western Van Buren county and far southwestern Allegan 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 Grand Rapids, MI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 3, 6:52 PM EST, 2 hours 8 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 3, 6:52 PM EST, 2 hours 8 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 3, 5:24 PM EST, 3 hours 36 minutes before
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In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 3, 8:55 PM EST, 5 minutes before
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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, Allegan

When
January 3, 9:00 PM EST to January 6, 7:00 AM EST
Where
Allegan forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
42.518, -85.910 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Total lake effect snow accumulations of up to 2 feet were reported from January 3rd through the 6th over far southwestern Allegan county.

Lake-Effect Snow, Van Buren

When
January 3, 9:00 PM EST to January 6, 7:00 AM EST
Where
Van Buren forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
42.285, -86.306 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Total lake effect snow accumulations of up to 2 feet were reported from January 3rd through the 6th over western Van Buren 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

More

Every storm in Michigan in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings 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: 735460, 735461.