Michigan, 2020

Winter Weather and Cold in Michigan, February 12 to 14, 2020

February 12 to 14, 2020 · NWS MQT · 10 events in 10 counties and zones

An Arctic cold front moving in from northern Ontario produced periods of moderate snow and blowing snow along with dangerously cold wind chills across portions of Upper Michigan from the 12th into the 14th.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 10 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
10

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.

An Arctic cold front moving in from northern Ontario produced periods of moderate snow and blowing snow along with dangerously cold wind chills across portions of Upper Michigan from the 12th into the 14th.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 winter weather, 5 cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Alger

When
February 12, 7:00 AM EST to February 14, 11:00 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 11 miles south of Grand Marais measured eight inches of lake effect snow for the 48-hour period ending on the morning of the 14th. Northwest winds gusting to 35 mph also caused considerable blowing snow and reduced visibility at times. Wind chill values lowered as low as 25 to 30 below zero on the morning of the 14th.

Winter Weather, Gogebic

When
February 12, 7:00 AM CST to February 14, 11:00 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 in Ironwood measured nearly four inches of lake effect snow in the 24-hour period ending the morning of the 13th and wind chills as low as 30 below zero were reported across portions of Gogebic County on the morning of the 14th. West to northwest winds gusting to 30 mph at times also caused areas of blowing snow and lowered visibility during this period.

Winter Weather, Baraga

When
February 12, 8:00 AM EST to February 14, 11:00 AM EST
Where
Baraga forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.700, -88.352 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The observer in Herman measured five inches of lake effect snow along with blowing snow in the 24-hour period ending on the morning of the 13th. Wind chill values lowered as low as 25 to 30 below zero on the morning of the 14th.

Winter Weather, Northern Houghton

When
February 12, 8:00 AM EST to February 14, 11:00 AM EST
Where
Northern Houghton forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.992, -88.652 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Observers in Painesdale and Calumet measured between 4 and 5 inches of lake effect snow for the 24-hour period ending on the morning of the 13th. West to northwest winds gusting to 30 mph also caused considerable blowing snow and reduced visibility at times.

Cold/Wind Chill, Southern Houghton

When
February 14, 12:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
Where
Southern Houghton forecast zone
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
46.992, -88.652 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values lowered as low as 30 below zero on the morning of the 14th.

Cold/Wind Chill, Delta

When
February 14, 12:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
Where
Delta forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
45.792, -86.871 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values lowered as low as 25 to 30 below zero on the morning of the 14th.

Cold/Wind Chill, Marquette

When
February 14, 12:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
Where
Marquette forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
46.663, -87.573 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values lowered as low as 25 to 30 below zero on the morning of the 14th.

Cold/Wind Chill, Iron

When
February 14, 12:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where
Iron forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.209, -88.530 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values lowered as low as 30 below zero on the morning of the 14th.

Cold/Wind Chill, Dickinson

When
February 14, 12:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where
Dickinson forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
46.009, -87.870 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values lowered as low as 30 below zero on the morning of the 14th.

Winter Weather, Menominee

When
February 14, 12:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where
Menominee forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
45.525, -87.510 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values lowered as low as 30 below zero on the morning of the 14th.

What these are

Winter Weather
Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
Cold/Wind Chill
Cold or wind chill below warning criteria that caused deaths, injuries or damage.

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, February 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 876407, 876390, 876393, 876398, 876400, 876405, 876413, 876401, 876402, 876403.