Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, November 11 to 12, 2019

Name: Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, November 11 to 12, 2019
Start: 2019-11-11T01:00
End: 2019-11-12T14:00
Location: Michigan

November 11 to 12, 2019 · NWS APX · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

Extremely heavy lake effect snow fell on portions of northwest lower Michigan. North-northwest to north winds focused the heaviest bands over coastal counties, Leelanau in particular.

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: 4

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 APX wrote it up.

Extremely heavy lake effect snow fell on portions of northwest lower Michigan. North-northwest to north winds focused the heaviest bands over coastal counties, Leelanau in particular. The heavier snow got going very early in the morning of the 11th; by early afternoon, Burdickville in Leelanau County was already at 15 inches, while Maple City and Suttons Bay were at 6 to 9 inches. Frankfort was at 10 inches of snow by late afternoon, and Empire was at 18 inches. Manistee reached 8 inches of snow on the evening of the 11th, with whiteout conditions reported. By the time the snow diminished by midday on the 12th, the Lake Leelanau area had picked up an impressive 32 inches of total snowfall. Empire received about 30 inches, and Beulah 24 inches. Interlochen checked in with 13 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 Gaylord, MI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 10, 11:45 PM EST, 1 hour 15 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 10, 11:45 PM EST, 1 hour 15 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 10, 3:07 PM EST, 9 hours 53 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Gaylord MI
307 PM EST Sun Nov 10 2019

LHZ345>349-LMZ323-341-342-344>346-LSZ321-322-MIZ016>018-020>036-
041-042-086>088-095>099-112015-
Straits of Mackinac within 5 nm of Mackinac Bridge including
Mackinac Island-St Ignace to False Detour Channel-
5NM East of Mackinac Bridge to Presque Isle Light MI including
Bois Blanc Island-
Presque Isle Light to Sturgeon Pt MI Including Thunder Bay
National Marine Sanctuary-Sturgeon Pt to Alabaster MI-
Grand Traverse Bay south of a line Grand Traverse Light to
Norwood MI-Seul Choix Point to 5NM West of Mackinac Bridge-
Norwood MI to 5NM West of Mackinac Bridge including Little
Traverse Bay-Sleeping Bear Point to Grand Traverse Light MI-
Point Betsie to Sleeping Bear Point MI-
Manistee to Point Betsie MI-
Whitefish Bay (U.S. Portion)/Whitefish Point to Point Iroquois MI-
St. Marys River Point Iroquois to E. Potagannissing Bay-Emmet-
Cheboygan-Presque Isle-Leelanau-Antrim-Otsego-Montmorency-Alpena-
Benzie-Grand Traverse-Kalkaska-Crawford-Oscoda-Alcona-Manistee-
Wexford-Missaukee-Roscommon-Ogemaw-Iosco-Gladwin-Arenac-
Western Chippewa-Central Chippewa-Southeast Chippewa-
Western Mackinac-Eastern Mackinac-
Mackinac Island/Bois Blanc Island-
Beaver Island and surrounding islands-Charlevoix-
307 PM EST Sun Nov 10 2019

This hazardous weather outlook is for northern Lower Michigan...
eastern Upper Michigan...and adjacent nearshore waters of Lake
Michigan...Lake Huron and Lake Superior.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Another shot of very cold air will begin to overspread Northern
Michigan tonight. This will produce accumulating lake effect snow,
primarily impacting areas west of US-131. Please see the latest
winter storm warnings and advisories for details.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

Very cold air will continue to overspread the region Monday
through Wednesday with temperatures running as much as 15 to 25
degrees below normal. As a result, accumulating lake effect snow
is expected in the snow belts of northwest lower and eastern upper
Michigan with significant accumulations possible in some areas.
Please see the latest winter storm warnings and advisories for
details.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotters are encouraged to report any significant weather and
snowfall amounts to the National Weather Service. Reports may be
made one of three ways:

Online:   weather.gov/gaylord
Facebook: facebook.com/nwsgaylord

Twitter:  twitter.com/nwsgaylord

&&

For more information visit http://weather.gov/gaylord.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Lake-Effect Snow, Leelanau

When: November 11, 1:00 AM EST to November 12, 2:00 PM EST
Where: Leelanau forecast zone
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 45.152, -86.038 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Benzie

When: November 11, 1:00 AM EST to November 12, 2:00 PM EST
Where: Benzie forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 44.617, -86.139 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Grand Traverse

When: November 11, 1:00 AM EST to November 12, 2:00 PM EST
Where: Grand Traverse forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 44.716, -85.552 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Manistee

When: November 11, 6:00 AM EST to November 12, 2:00 PM EST
Where: Manistee forecast zone
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 44.238, -86.288 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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 2019 Every state in 2019 This day in weather history Warnings in Michigan, November 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: 865666, 865667, 865669, 865668.