Michigan, 2020

Winter Weather in Michigan, December 29 to 30, 2020

December 29 to 30, 2020 · NWS MQT · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

A low pressure system deepening over the Upper Great Lakes spread moderate snow across much of west and central Upper Michigan from the evening of the 29th into the morning of the 30th.

Where it happened

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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The toll

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS MQT wrote it up.

A low pressure system deepening over the Upper Great Lakes spread moderate snow across much of west and central Upper Michigan from the evening of the 29th into the morning of the 30th.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Gogebic

When
December 29, 7:00 PM CST to December 30, 7:00 AM CST
Where
Gogebic forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.496, -89.796 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Observers measured a widespread three to five inches of snow across Gogebic County in 12 hours.

Winter Weather, Iron

When
December 29, 8:00 PM CST to December 30, 7:00 AM CST
Where
Iron forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.209, -88.530 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Observers measured a widespread three to four inches of snow across Iron County in less than 12 hours.

Winter Weather, Delta

When
December 29, 9:00 PM EST to December 30, 7:00 AM EST
Where
Delta forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
45.792, -86.871 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The observer in Rapid River measured four inches of snow in approximately ten hours.

Winter Weather, Ontonagon

When
December 29, 9:00 PM EST to December 30, 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 4.5 inches of snow in less than 12 hours.

Winter Weather, Northern Houghton

When
December 29, 10:00 PM EST to December 30, 4:00 PM 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 Chassell measured 9 inches of snow in approximately 18 hours. Nearly six inches of snow was also measured by observers at Quincy Hill and Painesdale.

Winter Weather, Marquette

When
December 29, 10:00 PM EST to December 30, 8:00 AM EST
Where
Marquette forecast zone
Reported by
Official NWS Observations
Coordinates
46.663, -87.573 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There was a widespread three to five inches of snow across Marquette County in less than 12 hours, including around four inches at the Marquette National Weather Service in Negaunee Township.

Winter Weather, Baraga

When
December 29, 10:00 PM EST to December 30, 8:00 AM EST
Where
Baraga forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.700, -88.352 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Observers measured a widespread three to four inches of snow across Baraga County in less than 12 hours.

Winter Weather, Alger

When
December 29, 10:00 PM EST to December 30, 6:30 AM EST
Where
Alger forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.451, -86.548 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The observer in Munising measured four inches of snow in less than nine hours.

What these are

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

More

Every storm in Michigan in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, December 2020

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: 932176, 932171, 932173, 932174, 932169, 932170, 932172, 932175.