Blizzard and Winter Storm in Michigan, December 22 to 24, 2022

Name: Blizzard and Winter Storm in Michigan, December 22 to 24, 2022
Start: 2022-12-22T14:30
End: 2022-12-24T17:00
Location: Michigan

December 22 to 24, 2022 · NWS IWX · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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: 6

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 long duration winter storm affected southern Lower Michigan with multiple hazards including heavy snow, blowing snow, strong winds, whiteouts, and dangerous wind chills. Blizzard conditions were experienced across portions of northwest and north central Indiana. Snowfall amounts ranged from 8 to 16 inches across far southwest Lower Michigan to 2 to 4 inches across south central Lower Michigan. The storm brought very difficult to impossible travel conditions across the area. High impacts to travel were reported even across areas which experienced the lower snowfall totals. Dangerous winds chills of 20 below to 35 below zero were reported from late Friday night through late Saturday night.

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 Dec 22, 2:19 PM EST, 11 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 22, 2:19 PM EST, 11 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
219 PM EST Thu Dec 22 2022

.SYNOPSIS...
Issued at 220 PM EST Thu Dec 22 2022

A major winter storm during the holiday travel period will disrupt
plans for many bringing snow, blowing and drifting snow, along
with dangerously cold wind chill temperatures.

&&

.SHORT TERM...(This Evening through Saturday Night)
Issued at 220 PM EST Thu Dec 22 2022

A winter storm will impact the area through this weekend. A few up
front highlights include...

* Accumulating synoptic snow overspreads the area from west to east
  late this afternoon through mid evening with rapidly deteriorating
  travel conditions and a flash freeze. The bulk of the synoptic
  snow ends later tonight into Friday morning (outside of the lake
  effect snow belts).

* Westerly winds will occasionally gust between 40-50 mph late
  tonight through Friday evening, then 30-40 mph late Friday night
  into Saturday. This will create considerable blowing and drifting
  snow, possible power outages, and blizzard (whiteout) conditions
  at times in open areas.

* Dangerous wind chills as low as 25 to 35 degrees below zero late
  tonight through Friday night, and generally 10 to 25 degrees below
  zero on Saturday.

* Lake effect snow will impact areas in the Blizzard Warning Friday
  through Christmas Day, with the heavier snowfall and more
  persistent blizzard conditions mainly later tonight through
  Friday night.

Rapid deepening of a surface cyclone is still on track from near the
IN/OH border this evening northeast to Lake Huron (or just east) by
Friday morning. This will occur as strong/deep dynamic forcing
overspreads an impressive arctic front (now into western IN as of
19z). A negatively tilting upper trough digging through northern
IN/OH will provide this deep ascent plume late this afternoon into
tonight, allowing an anafrontal snow shield to blossom during this
time. A good ~10 hours of wind driven snow, moderate/heavy at times,
will result with accums in the 3 to 6 inch range through mid morning
Friday for most locations.

Friday into Saturday will feature a transition to lake effect snow
and whiteout conditions in our westerly flow LES belts. Persistent
blizzard conditions are expected within this lake plume. The
undercutting dry/arctic air and strong winds will likely limit flake
size, keeping the potential for higher end snow totals/rates in
check. With that said, reduced visibilities with the falling LES,
strong winds will make for dangerous travel within the Blizzard
Warning Friday into the holiday weekend. Areas outside of the LES
activity will continue to experience areas of blowing snow and
dangerous wind chills, with the more extreme wind chills/gusts
anticipated Friday into Friday evening.

&&

.LONG TERM...(Sunday through Thursday)
Issued at 220 PM EST Thu Dec 22 2022

Cold/cyclonic wnw flow will persist into Christmas Day with
scattered lake effect snow showers, sub zero wind chills and breezy
conditions. Luckily winds and wind chills should fall just below
headline levels by this time with some additional
blowing/drifting/accumulating snow expected in wnw flow LES belts.

A gradual moderating trend will commence early next week as the
arctic wedge releases into southeast Canada. Models have continued
to hint at a shortwave and weak sfc reflection dropping southeast
through the Mid MS/Ohio Valleys around Monday with a low chance for
light snow locally. Ridging builds in wake of this system into the
middle of the week with quiet wx. Southwest flow then
deepens/increases for the second half of the week in response to
longwave troughing settling into the Western US and High Plains.
This will no doubt provide a milder regime as pacific air floods the
lower 48, with periodic rain chances Friday into next weekend as
gulf moisture spreads north.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Friday Afternoon)
Issued at 1237 PM EST Thu Dec 22 2022

A strong arctic front was near the Indiana/Illinois border at the
start of the TAF period. Some moisture in the form of light fog,
lower ceilings rain and drizzle mixed with snow was occurring. IFR
ceilings were just upstream of FWA. It looks like FWA should drop
to IFR before the front passes. Conditions are not expected to
improve due to extremely strong winds with snow and blowing snow.
Lake effect snow will make LIFR or VLIFR conditions

&&

.IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IN...Blizzard Warning until 1 PM EST /noon CST/ Saturday for INZ005-
     103-104-203-204.

     Winter Storm Warning from 7 PM this evening to 7 AM EST Saturday
     for INZ006>009-017-018-024>027-032>034-116-216.

     Winter Storm Warning until 7 AM EST /6 AM CST/ Saturday for
     INZ012>015-020-022-023.

MI...Blizzard Warning until 1 PM EST Saturday for MIZ078-079-177-277.

     Winter Storm Warning from 7 PM this evening to 7 AM EST Saturday
     for MIZ080-081.

OH...Winter Storm Warning from 7 PM this evening to 7 AM EST Saturday
     for OHZ001-002-004-005-015-016-024-025.

LM...Gale Warning from 7 PM this evening to 3 AM EST Friday for
     LMZ043-046.

     Heavy Freezing Spray Warning from 10 PM this evening to 10 PM
     EST Saturday for LMZ043-046.

     Storm Warning from 3 AM to 11 PM EST Friday for LMZ043-046.

&&

SYNOPSIS...Steinwedel
SHORT TERM...Steinwedel
LONG TERM...Steinwedel
AVIATION...Skipper

Visit us at www.weather.gov/iwx

Follow us on Facebook...Twitter...and YouTube at:
www.facebook.com/NWSNorthernIndiana
www.twitter.com/nwsiwx
www.youtube.com/NWSNorthernIndiana

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 22, 2:08 PM EST, 22 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
208 PM EST Thu Dec 22 2022

INZ005-103-104-203-204-MIZ078-079-177-277-231915-
Elkhart-Northern La Porte-Eastern St. Joseph IN-Southern La Porte-
Western St. Joseph IN-Cass MI-St. Joseph MI-Northern Berrien-
Southern Berrien-
208 PM EST Thu Dec 22 2022 /108 PM CST Thu Dec 22 2022/

...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM EST /NOON CST/ SATURDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northern Indiana and
southwest Michigan.

.DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Blizzard Warning.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Blizzard Warning.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Weather spotters are encouraged to report snow accumulations to the
National Weather Service.

INZ006>009-017-018-024>027-032>034-116-216-MIZ080-081-OHZ001-002-004-
005-015-016-024-025-231915-
Lagrange-Steuben-Noble-De Kalb-Whitley-Allen IN-Wabash-Huntington-
Wells-Adams-Grant-Blackford-Jay-Northern Kosciusko-
Southern Kosciusko-Branch-Hillsdale-Williams-Fulton OH-Defiance-
Henry-Paulding-Putnam-Van Wert-Allen OH-
208 PM EST Thu Dec 22 2022

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 AM EST
SATURDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northern Indiana, southwest
Michigan and northwest Ohio.

.DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Winter Storm Warning.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Winter Storm Warning.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Weather spotters are encouraged to report snow accumulations to the
National Weather Service.

INZ012>015-020-022-023-231915-
Starke-Pulaski-Marshall-Fulton IN-White-Cass IN-Miami-
208 PM EST Thu Dec 22 2022 /108 PM CST Thu Dec 22 2022/

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM EST /6 AM CST/
SATURDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northern Indiana.

.DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Winter Storm Warning.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Winter Storm Warning.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Weather spotters are encouraged to report snow accumulations to the
National Weather Service.

LMZ043-046-231915-
New Buffalo MI to St Joseph MI-Michigan City IN to New Buffalo MI-
208 PM EST Thu Dec 22 2022

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 3 AM EST
FRIDAY...
...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO
10 PM EST SATURDAY...
...STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 11 PM EST FRIDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the nearshore waters of
southeastern Lake Michigan.

.DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Gale Warning.
   Heavy Freezing Spray Warning.
   Storm Warning.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Heavy Freezing Spray Warning.
   Storm Warning.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 blizzard, 2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Blizzard, Northern Berrien County

When: December 22, 2:30 PM EST to December 24, 5:00 PM EST
Where: Northern Berrien County forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.919, -86.428 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A major winter storm brought snow and blowing snow that led to blizzard conditions at times from early Friday morning through early Saturday evening. Storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 8 to 14 inches. A trained spotter reported 9.1 inches of snow accumulation 1 mile west southwest of Fair Plain, MI. Widespread blowing and drifting snow led to blizzard conditions at times with wind gusts as high as 50 mph. Numerous slide-offs and accidents were reported which included Interstate 94. Travel became very difficult to impossible with several road closures reported.

Blizzard, Southern Berrien County

When: December 22, 2:30 PM EST to December 24, 5:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Berrien County forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.919, -86.428 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A major winter storm brought snow and blowing snow that led to blizzard conditions at times from early Friday morning through early Saturday evening. Storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 8 to 14 inches. A CoCoRaHS observer reported 15.0 inches of snow accumulation 1 mile south southeast of Bertrand, MI. Widespread blowing and drifting snow led to blizzard conditions at times with wind gusts as high as 50 mph. Numerous slide-offs and accidents were reported which included Interstate 94. Travel became very difficult to impossible with several road closures reported.

Blizzard, Cass

When: December 22, 3:30 PM EST to December 24, 5:00 PM EST
Where: Cass forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.915, -85.993 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A major winter storm brought snow and blowing snow that led to blizzard conditions at times from early Friday morning through early Saturday evening. Storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 10 to 16 inches across the western portions of the county to 3 to 6 inches across the eastern portions of the county. A CoCoRaHS observer reported 16.3 inches of snow accumulation near Barron Lake, MI. Widespread blowing and drifting snow led to blizzard conditions at times with wind gusts as high as 50 mph. Numerous slide-offs and accidents were reported. Travel became very difficult to impossible with several road closures reported.

Blizzard, St. Joseph

When: December 22, 4:30 PM EST to December 24, 5:00 PM EST
Where: St. Joseph forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.914, -85.528 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A major winter storm brought snow and blowing snow that led to blizzard conditions at times from early Friday morning through early Saturday evening. Storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 4 to 6 inches across the western portions of the county to 2 to 4 inches across the eastern portions of the county. Widespread blowing and drifting snow led to blizzard conditions at times with wind gusts as high as 50 mph. Numerous slide-offs and accidents were reported. Travel became very difficult to impossible with several road closures reported.

Winter Storm, Branch

When: December 22, 5:00 PM EST to December 24, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Branch forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.916, -85.059 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A major winter storm brought snow and blowing snow that led to blizzard conditions at times from early Friday morning through early afternoon Saturday. Storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 1 to 4 inches with the highest amounts across the northern portions of the county. Widespread blowing and drifting snow led to whiteout conditions at times with wind gusts as high as 50 mph.

Winter Storm, Hillsdale

When: December 22, 6:00 PM EST to December 24, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Hillsdale forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.888, -84.593 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A major winter storm brought snow and blowing snow that led to blizzard conditions at times from early Friday morning through early Saturday morning. Storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 1 to 4 inches with the highest amounts across the northern portions of the county. Widespread blowing and drifting snow led to whiteout conditions at times with wind gusts as high as 50 mph. Numerous slide-offs and accidents were reported.

What these are

Blizzard: Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or more with falling or blowing snow that cuts visibility below a quarter mile for three hours or longer.
Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Michigan in 2022 Every state in 2022 This day in weather history Warnings in Michigan, December 2022

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: 1062826, 1062829, 1062832, 1062838, 1062847, 1062849.