Michigan, 2025

Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, February 20, 2025

February 20, 2025 · NWS IWX · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

Bands of heavy lake effect snow produced localized amounts up to a foot in portions of southwest Michigan during the morning hours of February 20th.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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
3

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.

Bands of heavy lake effect snow produced localized amounts up to a foot in portions of southwest Michigan during the morning hours of February 20th.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Lake-Effect Snow, Northern Berrien County

When
February 20, 12:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where
Northern Berrien County forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
41.919, -86.428 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Bands of heavy lake effect snow developed during the early morning hours of February 20th, especially between 5 am and 10 am EST in far northeast Berrien County. Snowfall rates of 2 per hour and near zero visibilities occurred with this heavy snow band. The lake effect snow shower activity did become less organized thereafter, though winds did pick up with blowing and drifting snow observed. School closings and accidents were reported in the region due to the significant snow. Snow accumulations across northern Berrien county were wide ranging, generally between 4 and 10 inches. Coloma reported 8.0 of snow, with 8.7 at Watervliet.

Lake-Effect Snow, Southern Berrien County

When
February 20, 12:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where
Southern Berrien County forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
41.919, -86.428 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Bands of heavy lake effect snow developed during the early morning hours of February 20th, especially between 1 am and 6 am EST in and around the Buchanan and Niles area. Snowfall rates of 2 per hour and near zero visibilities occurred with this heavy snow band. The lake effect snow shower activity did become less organized thereafter, though winds did pick up with blowing and drifting snow observed. School closings and accidents were reported in the region due to the significant snow. Snow accumulations across southern Berrien county were wide ranging, generally between 3 and 12 inches. Niles reported 11.5 inches of snow, with 10.6 1 mile east-southeast of Buchanan.

Lake-Effect Snow, Cass

When
February 20, 12:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where
Cass forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
41.915, -85.993 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Bands of heavy lake effect snow developed during the morning hours of February 20th, especially between 7 am and 11 am EST. Snowfall rates of 2 per hour and near zero visibilities occurred with this heavy snow band. The lake effect snow shower activity did become less organized thereafter, though winds did pick up with blowing and drifting snow observed. School closings and accidents were reported in the region due to the significant snow. Snow accumulations across the county were wide ranging, generally ranging between 4 and 10 inches. Marcellus reported 9.3 of snow, with 7.0 at Dowagiac.

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

More

Every storm in Michigan in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, February 2025

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: 1228481, 1228482, 1228483.