Moderate accumulation of lake enhanced snow occurred in the north to northwest wind snow belts of Lake Superior from the 26th into the 29th.
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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.
The episode as NWS MQT wrote it up.
Moderate accumulation of lake enhanced snow occurred in the north to northwest wind snow belts of Lake Superior from the 26th into the 29th.
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 Marquette, MI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 26, 6:13 AM EST, 2 hours 47 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Marquette MI 613 AM EST Wed Feb 26 2020 .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) Issued at 307 AM EST WED FEB 26 2020 With the LES machine turned on, snow showers will persist within the NE to NNE wind belts through at least the first half of today before transitioning more into the N wind snow belt regions later today into tonight. Upper trough axis swinging across the Upper Great Lakes later today into tonight will provide a synoptic assist, with some deeper layer moisture accompanying it. However, the key word here is "some" as the moisture doesn't seem to be too robust above the 850mb to around 800mb height range. Additionally, despite a colder airmass arriving with said trough, the delta T between the forecast temps and Lake Superior's average water temperature currently (around 34 degrees) will be marginal in the latent heat release process. All of that said, the bottom line is that while snow showers are expected, the amounts should remain below advisory criteria for most locations. The high-res models seem to be running a little hot in the QPF for this short- term time frame, so backed off on those amounts. The caveat to all of this, of course, is that near-advisory criteria snow amounts may come to fruition in the higher terrain, but given that these higher amounts will be localized (and still marginal), no headlines appear to be necessary for this forecast issuance. Snow amounts today and tonight will generally range from less than an inch for locations along the edges of the aforementioned snow belt regions, with about 2" to around 4" within those main belts. Locally higher amounts within the higher terrain, as discussed, could range closer to 4" - 6", but again, this is within a 24-hour period and subject some variability. As for temperatures across the U.P., expect highs today to reach the 20s, warmest in the south-central. Lows tonight will revisit the single digits in the interior, mainly interior west, with teens expected elsewhere. Widespread cloud coverage dominating tonight should keep temps to more of a typical diurnal trend. .LONG TERM...(Thursday through Tuesday) Issued at 250 AM EST WED FEB 26 2020 Models indicate that a slowly progressive pattern will prevail into next week with mid/upper level troughing through the central CONUS for the latter half of this work week giving way to ridging by Sunday and southwest flow early next week as a trough moves into the west. After cold conditions with northerly flow LES late week, temps will climb back above average by Sunday. Snow/rain chances are then expected early next week as moisture and another weak system move back into the region. Thu, slowly backing winds to nnw will gradually shift the best low level convergence and heavier bands into the east half, especially later in the day. Surface ridging with low level dry air into western Lake Superior will limit any additional accumulations from IWD to CMX. Thu night into early Fri, nw low level flow with continued deep moisture through 700 mb and 850 temps around -18C will bring the potential for additional moderate to possibly heavy LES into the east half, especially with possible enhancement from the mid-level trough hanging over the area and if lake induced troughing and land breeze development result in stronger dominant bands from enhanced low-level convergence. The signal for some heavier snow also looks good in the fcst soundings with a "crosshair" signature of the better model omega aligned with the DGZ within the lake-induced convective layer which should result in fluffier accumulation. Sat-Sun, the LES should taper off on Saturday as the sfc ridge moves in, winds become lighter, low-level convergence weakens and 850 mb temps gradually moderate. WAA will boost temps into the upper 20s Sat with a decent amount of sunshine and into the lower to mid 30s on Sun. Mon-Tue, precipitation chances will increase by Monday as a sfc trough and a weak mid level northern stream trough approaches with increasing moisture advection. However, confidence is low with the timing given model differences and pcpn type could be an issue with a few models showing 850 mb temps near or maybe slightly above freezing. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Thursday morning) Issued at 553 AM EST WED FEB 26 2020 MVFR ceilings are dominating at all three terminals this morning as lake-effect snow showers fall within the NE to NNE wind snow belt regions. This trend will continue through the rest of this TAF period, with some lowered visbys possible tonight as more stout snow bands attempt to start setting up. However, haven't dropped visbys much for this issuance since the more significant lowered visbys will be confined to wherever said bands end up setting up. It is possible that the more moderate snow showers remain outside of the terminal areas tonight. Winds will gain a more northerly to perhaps north-northwesterly component tonight, with an uptick in magnitudes, particularly at KSAW where the pressure gradient will be tighter. && .MARINE...(For the 4 AM Lake Superior forecast issuance) Issued at 433 AM EST WED FEB 26 2020 NE to N wind gusts today into tonight may very well creep into the mid-20 mph range, with them increasing by tomorrow, particularly in the east half. By later tomorrow into Friday as the pressure gradient tightens overhead, some marginal/occasional gale-force gusts may be possible, again, primarily in the east half. These northerly winds will settle down and become more northwesterly into the start of the weekend, with sustained winds remaining under 20 knots through at least early next week. Some 20+ knot gusts may creep back into the area early next week, but otherwise looks to be on the unremarkable side for marine interests. Moderate to potentially heavy freezing spray may become increasingly a concern late tonight into tomorrow as those aforementioned winds increase. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Upper Michigan... None. Lake Superior... None. Lake Michigan... None. && SHORT TERM...lg LONG TERM...Voss AVIATION...lg MARINE...lg
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Marquette MI 231 AM EST Wed Feb 26 2020 MIZ001>007-009>014-084-085-271100- Keweenaw-Ontonagon-Northern Houghton-Baraga-Marquette-Alger-Luce- Gogebic-Iron-Dickinson-Menominee-Delta-Southern Schoolcraft- Southern Houghton-Northern Schoolcraft- 231 AM EST Wed Feb 26 2020 /131 AM CST Wed Feb 26 2020/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of western Upper Michigan and central Upper Michigan. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday Lake-effect snow showers may bring moderate snow accumulations to the north to northwest wind snow belts mainly east of Marquette Thursday into Friday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... The need for weather spotter reports is not anticipated at this time. LSZ162-240>251-263>267-271100- Lake Superior west of a line from Saxon Harbor WI to Grand Portage MN beyond 5NM-Saxon Harbor WI to Black River MI- Black River to Ontonagon MI- Ontonagon to Upper Entrance of Portage Canal MI- Upper Entrance of Portage Canal to Eagle River MI- Eagle River to Manitou Island MI- Manitou Island to Point Isabelle MI- Point Isabelle to Lower Entrance of Portage Canal MI- Lower Entrance of Portage Canal To Huron Islands MI Including Keweenaw and Huron Bays-Huron Islands to Marquette MI- Marquette to Munising MI-Munising to Grand Marais MI- Grand Marais to Whitefish Point MI- Lake Superior from Saxon Harbor WI to Upper Entrance to Portage Canal MI 5NM off shore to the US/Canadian border including Isle Royale National Park- Lake Superior from Upper Entrance to Portage Canal to Manitou Island MI 5NM off shore to the US/Canadian Border- Lake Superior West of Line from Manitou Island to Marquette MI Beyond 5NM from shore- Lake Superior East of a line from Manitou Island to Marquette MI and West of a line from Grand Marais MI to the US/Canadian Border Beyond 5NM from shore- Lake Superior from Grand Marais MI to Whitefish Point MI 5NM off shore to the US/Canadian border- 231 AM EST Wed Feb 26 2020 /131 AM CST Wed Feb 26 2020/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of Eastern Lake Superior...Central Lake Superior and Western Lake Superior. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... The need for weather spotter reports is not anticipated at this time. LMZ221-248-250-271100- Green Bay North of line from Cedar River MI to Rock Island Passage-Seul Choix Point to Point Detour MI- 5NM East of a line from Fairport MI to Rock Island Passage- 231 AM EST Wed Feb 26 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of Northern Lake Michigan. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... The need for weather spotter reports is not anticipated at this time. Voss
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Spotters from Twin Lakes to Hancock measured between five and six inches of lake effect snow over a 24-hour period. Northwest winds gusting near 40 mph at times also caused considerable blowing snow and reduced visibility.
There were several reports of four to five inches of lake effect snow from Marquette to Harvey over 12 hours. There was also a social media report of 5.5 inches of snow at Halfway Village between Marquette and Big Bay.
The observer 11 miles south of Grand Marais measured 11 inches of lake effect snow over a 48-hour period. Winds gusting near 40 mph at times also caused considerable blowing of snow and greatly reduced visibility.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, February 2020
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: 876506, 876480, 876513.