Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Michigan, January 28 to 29, 2019

Name: Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Michigan, January 28 to 29, 2019
Start: 2019-01-28T04:00
End: 2019-01-29T05:00
Location: Michigan

January 28 to 29, 2019 · NWS IWX · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

A strong Alberta Clipper brought heavy snow and gusty winds to Lower Michigan January 28th into early January 29th. Snow accumulations generally ranged between 4 and 9 inches.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

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 strong Alberta Clipper brought heavy snow and gusty winds to Lower Michigan January 28th into early January 29th. Snow accumulations generally ranged between 4 and 9 inches.

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 28, 12:20 AM EST, 3 hours 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 28, 12:20 AM EST, 3 hours 40 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 27, 5:16 PM EST, 10 hours 44 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

3 winter storm, 2 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Berrien

When: January 28, 4:00 AM EST to January 29, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Berrien forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Snow overspread around daybreak on January 28th and continued through early January 29th. Some freezing drizzle did mix in during the late afternoon and evening hours. Total snow accumulations across the county ranged between 7 and 10 inches. A trained spotter 1 mile southwest of Fair Plain received 9.0 inches of snow. Gusty winds to near 30 mph led to considerable blowing and drifting snow which resulted in limited visibility and difficult travel. There were numerous school delays and cancellations, along with reports of accidents and slide-offs across the region.

Winter Storm, Cass

When: January 28, 4:00 AM EST to January 29, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Cass forecast zone
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 41.915, -85.993 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow overspread around daybreak on January 28th and continued through early January 29th. Some freezing drizzle did mix in during the late afternoon and evening hours. Total snow accumulations across the county ranged between 5 and 8 inches. Gusty winds to near 30 mph led to considerable blowing and drifting snow which resulted in limited visibility and difficult travel. There were numerous school delays and cancellations, along with reports of accidents and slide-offs across the region.

Winter Storm, St. Joseph

When: January 28, 4:00 AM EST to January 29, 5:00 AM EST
Where: St. Joseph forecast zone
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 41.914, -85.528 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow overspread around daybreak on January 28th and continued through early January 29th. Some freezing drizzle did mix in during the late afternoon and evening hours. Total snow accumulations across the county ranged between 5 and 8 inches. Gusty winds to near 30 mph led to considerable blowing and drifting snow which resulted in limited visibility and difficult travel. There were numerous school delays and cancellations, along with reports of accidents and slide-offs across the region.

Winter Weather, Branch

When: January 28, 5:00 AM EST to January 29, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Branch forecast zone
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 41.916, -85.059 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow overspread around daybreak on January 28th and continued through early January 29th. Some freezing drizzle did mix in during the late afternoon and evening hours. Total snow accumulations across the county ranged between 4 and 6 inches. Gusty winds to near 30 mph led to considerable blowing and drifting snow which resulted in limited visibility and difficult travel. There were numerous school delays and cancellations, along with reports of accidents and slide-offs across the region.

Winter Weather, Hillsdale

When: January 28, 5:00 AM EST to January 29, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Hillsdale forecast zone
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 41.888, -84.593 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow overspread around daybreak on January 28th and continued through early January 29th. Some freezing drizzle did mix in during the late afternoon and evening hours. Total snow accumulations across the county ranged between 3 and 6 inches. Gusty winds to near 30 mph led to considerable blowing and drifting snow which resulted in limited visibility and difficult travel. There were numerous school delays and cancellations, along with reports of accidents and slide-offs across the region.

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
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

Every storm in Michigan in 2019 Every state in 2019 This day in weather history Warnings in Michigan, January 2019

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 794986, 794987, 794988, 794989, 794990.