Michigan, 2026

Extreme Cold and Cold in Michigan, February 7 to 8, 2026

February 7 to 8, 2026 · NWS APX · 17 events in 17 counties and zones

Antecedent arctic air mass, combined with some radiational cooling on the night of the 7th into the 8th, resulted in a very cold night. Light winds of 5mph or less resulted in apparent temperatures of -15F or colder in many locations, some for several hours, but briefly in a few sites.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 17 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
17

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 APX wrote it up.

Antecedent arctic air mass, combined with some radiational cooling on the night of the 7th into the 8th, resulted in a very cold night. Light winds of 5mph or less resulted in apparent temperatures of -15F or colder in many locations, some for several hours, but briefly in a few sites.

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 Gaylord, MI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 7, 6:37 PM EST, 1 hour 23 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 7, 6:37 PM EST, 1 hour 23 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 7, 2:37 PM EST, 5 hours 23 minutes before
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</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

14 cold/wind chill, 3 extreme cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.

Cold/Wind Chill, Western Chippewa County

When
February 7, 8:00 PM EST to February 8, 11:00 AM EST
Where
Western Chippewa County forecast zone
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
46.328, -84.529 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

RAWS site near Trout Lake reported an apparent temperature of -25F. Additionally, other sites in the area reported lows as cold as -24F.

Cold/Wind Chill, Central Chippewa County

When
February 7, 8:00 PM EST to February 8, 11:00 AM EST
Where
Central Chippewa County forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.328, -84.529 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cooperative observer near Pickford reported a low temperature of -24F. Additionally, apparent temperatures at both Chippewa County International Airport in Kinross, and Sanderson Field in Sault Ste. Marie, MI, reached -23F.

Cold/Wind Chill, Beaver Island

When
February 7, 8:00 PM EST to February 8, 11:00 AM EST
Where
Beaver Island forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
45.267, -85.240 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

AWOS at Beaver Island Airport reported an apparent temperature of -16F.

Cold/Wind Chill, Emmet

When
February 7, 8:00 PM EST to February 8, 11:00 AM EST
Where
Emmet forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
45.588, -84.981 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Pellston Regional Airport reported an apparent temperature of -23F. Additionally, Harbor Springs Municipal Airport, much closer to Little Traverse Bay, reported an apparent temperature of -19F. Actual low temperature at cooperative observing site at North Central Michigan College in Petoskey was -14F.

Cold/Wind Chill, Presque Isle

When
February 7, 8:00 PM EST to February 8, 11:00 AM EST
Where
Presque Isle forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
45.398, -83.843 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Presque Isle County Airport in Rogers City reported an apparent temperature of -19F.

Cold/Wind Chill, Mackinac Island/Bois Blanc Island

When
February 7, 8:00 PM EST to February 8, 11:00 AM EST
Where
Mackinac Island/Bois Blanc Island forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
45.872, -84.762 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Mackinac Island Airport reported an apparent temperature of -15F.

Cold/Wind Chill, Alpena

When
February 7, 8:00 PM EST to February 8, 11:00 AM EST
Where
Alpena forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
45.064, -83.460 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Alpena Regional Airport reported an apparent temperature of -20F.

Cold/Wind Chill, Otsego

When
February 7, 8:00 PM EST to February 8, 11:00 AM EST
Where
Otsego forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
45.021, -84.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Gaylord Regional Airport in Gaylord, MI reported an apparent temperature of -22F. Low temperature reported by cooperative observer 11mi ENE of Vanderbilt was -17F.

Cold/Wind Chill, Crawford

When
February 7, 8:00 PM EST to February 8, 11:00 AM EST
Where
Crawford forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
44.684, -84.610 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cooperative observer in Grayling, MI reported a low temperature of -23F.

Cold/Wind Chill, Oscoda

When
February 7, 8:00 PM EST to February 8, 11:00 AM EST
Where
Oscoda forecast zone
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
44.682, -84.130 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

RAWS site near Mio, MI reported an apparent temperature of -27F. Low temperature reported by the Mio cooperative observer was -14F.

Cold/Wind Chill, Alcona

When
February 7, 8:00 PM EST to February 8, 11:00 AM EST
Where
Alcona forecast zone
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
44.712, -83.344 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

RAWS site near Barton City in central Alcona county reported an apparent temperature of -21F; cooperative observers in the Hale area reported lows as cold as -14F.

Cold/Wind Chill, Iosco

When
February 7, 8:00 PM EST to February 8, 11:00 AM EST
Where
Iosco forecast zone
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
44.301, -83.514 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

RAWS site near Silver Creek in central Iosco county reported an apparent temperature of -20F.

Cold/Wind Chill, Ogemaw

When
February 7, 8:00 PM EST to February 8, 11:00 AM EST
Where
Ogemaw forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
44.335, -84.126 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

West Branch Community Airport reported an apparent temperature of -20F. Lows in the area were as low as -11.

Cold/Wind Chill, Arenac

When
February 7, 8:00 PM EST to February 8, 11:00 AM EST
Where
Arenac forecast zone
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
44.043, -83.747 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

RAWS site near Alger in western Arenac county reported an apparent temperature of -15F.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Cheboygan

When
February 7, 8:00 PM EST to February 8, 11:00 AM EST
Where
Cheboygan forecast zone
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
45.473, -84.492 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

RAWS site near Indian River reported an apparent temperature as low as -27F. Apparent temperatures at the Cheboygan County Airport were as low as -21F.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Montmorency

When
February 7, 8:00 PM EST to February 8, 11:00 AM EST
Where
Montmorency forecast zone
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
45.028, -84.127 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

RAWS site near Atlanta, MI reported an apparent temperature of -32F. Low temperature reported by Atlanta, MI cooperative observer was -14F.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Roscommon

When
February 7, 8:00 PM EST to February 8, 11:00 AM EST
Where
Roscommon forecast zone
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
44.336, -84.612 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

RAWS site near Roscommon reported an apparent temperature of -30F. Apparent temperature at Roscommon County Blodgett Airport on the east side of Houghton Lake of -24F.

What these are

Cold/Wind Chill
Cold or wind chill below warning criteria that caused deaths, injuries or damage.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Temperatures or wind chills at or below the local warning criteria, or cold that caused deaths.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Michigan in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, February 2026

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: 1321343, 1321344, 1321345, 1321347, 1321348, 1321350, 1321352, 1321353, 1321354, 1321355, 1321356, 1321357, 1321358, 1321359, 1321360, 1321361, 1321363.