Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan

Events

856

Deaths

0

Injuries

8

Damage

$50,000

• Flood and Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, December 29 to 31, 20173 deaths · 4 injured · $85,000 · 8 eventsAn upper disturbance moving across the region generated moderate to heavy lake enhanced snow downwind of Lake Superior in a north to northwest wind flow from the 29th into the 31st.
• Lake-Effect Snow and Winter Weather in Michigan, November 24 to 27, 20143 deaths · 1 injured · $25,000 · 15 eventsA low pressure system tracking from the Southern Plains into the Upper Great Lakes produced moderate to heavy lake effect snow over portions of west and central Upper Michigan from the 24th into the 27th.
• Winter Storm and Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, December 5 to 9, 2017$65,000 · 52 kt wind · 14 eventsA strong low pressure system moving across the Upper Great Lakes and a push of Arctic air behind this system generated moderate to heavy lake effect snow over the west to northwest snow belts of Lake Superior from the 5th into the 9th.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, January 14 to 15, 20075 injured · 4 eventsLake effect snow showers in the wake of an Arctic cold front buried portions of Gogebic...Marquette...Baraga and Alger counties in heavy snow from the afternoon of 14th through the 15th.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Michigan, April 3 to 7, 2007$18,000 · 17 eventsAn intense storm system tracking from the Plains into the Great Lakes dumped heavy lake enhanced snow across much of Upper Michigan from the 3rd into the 7th.
• Extreme Cold and Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, January 19 to 23, 201325 eventsAn Alberta clipper system ushered bitter cold Arctic air across the Upper Great Lakes during the period. The bitter cold air mass also helped sustain periods of moderate to heavy lake effect snow over several days.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, November 11 to 12, 199723 eventsA cold front moved across western Lower Michigan during the early morning hours of November 12th, resulting in a lake-enhanced snow event which began late evening, Tuesday, November 11th.
• Heavy Snow and Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, February 2 to 4, 20092 injured · 6 eventsEast to northeast winds in the wake of a cold front brought heavy lake effect snow to portions of Upper Michigan on the 2nd and 3rd.
• Winter Storm and Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, December 1 to 4, 200721 eventsA low pressure system tracking from the Plains into the central Great Lakes dropped widespread heavy snow across west and central Upper Michigan from the 1st into the 2nd.
• Lake-Effect Snow and Cold in Michigan, January 18 to 20, 201221 eventsBitter cold air in the wake of an Arctic cold front resulted in wind chill values lowering to 20 and 30 below zero across much of the area on the 19th and 20th.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, December 21 to 22, 199820 eventsThe winter season's first widespread snowfall came in the form of lake effect snow showers which developed behind an arctic cold front which moved across western Lower Michigan during the afternoon and early evening hours of Monday, December 21st.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, November 22 to 23, 2007$20,000 · 1 eventUnseasonably cold air settled over the Great Lakes with lake temperatures still in the lower 40s. This allowed for ideal conditions for a single band of lake effect snow to persist across much of Berrien county, causing localized amounts of around 8 inches in a few locations.
• Lake-Effect Snow and Cold in Michigan, January 3 to 7, 201715 eventsThe passage of a strong cold front and the advection of very cold Arctic air across Lake Superior resulted in a prolonged lake effect snow and bitter cold wind chill event from the 3rd into the 7th.
• Lake-Effect Snow and Winter Weather in Michigan, November 16 to 18, 20081 injured · 6 eventsModerate to heavy lake effect snow showers occurred over portions of central Upper Michigan from the 16th into the 18th.
• Winter Storm and Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, January 17 to 20, 200914 eventsA clipper low pressure system tracking across Lake Superior and stalling out over southeast Ontario brought moderate snow and locally heavy lake effect snow to portions of west and central Upper Michigan from the 17th into the 20th.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, November 17 to 21, 201414 eventsThe cold air and a favorable atmospheric setup for lake-effect snow led to a prolonged and record-breaking early season snowfall across much of the Great Lakes. Due to strong winds, the greatest snow amounts were recorded further inland.
• Lake-Effect Snow and Winter Weather in Michigan, January 17 to 18, 2012$15,000 · 5 eventsModerate to heavy lake effect snow showers in the wake of a cold front affected counties along Lake Superior from the evening of the 16th through late on the 17th.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, February 12 to 13, 199913 eventsLake effect snow developed across southwestern lower Michigan as strong west winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour moved over the relatively warm waters of Lake Michigan. Reports of 1 to 4 inches of snow were common.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, December 4 to 5, 199712 eventsAn upper level low pressure system brought colder air across Lake Michigan into western Lower Michigan during the night of Thursday, December 4th through late afternoon Friday, December 5th.
• Lake-Effect Snow and Winter Weather in Michigan, November 17 to 18, 201412 eventsA strong disturbance passing over the Upper Great Lakes produced moderate to heavy lake effect snow downwind of Lake Superior in northwest and northeast Upper Michigan from the 17th into the 18th.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, January 5 to 6, 199911 eventsAn Alberta Clipper moved through the Great Lakes region on the 5th through the 6th, producing a band of light snow with the system along and ahead of it, followed by lake effect snow behind it.
• Winter Storm and Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, January 10 to 11, 199911 eventsAn Alberta Clipper moved through the Great Lakes region during the morning hours of the 10th.
• Heavy Snow and Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, January 17 to 18, 200811 eventsA low pressure system tracking from Wisconsin into eastern Upper Michigan brought widespread heavy snow to much of the region on the 17th and 18th.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, December 5 to 8, 201011 eventsAn extended period of cold north-northwest winds brought a lengthy period of lake effect snow to parts of Eastern Upper and Northwest Lower Michigan. Localized 6 to 12 inch amounts in 12 hour periods were common from the daylight hours of the 5th, to the morning of the 8th.
• Lake-Effect Snow and Winter Weather in Michigan, January 6 to 9, 201111 eventsLake effect snow developed on January 6th and continued over portions of the area through January 8th. The snow showers were triggered by an Alberta Clipper that tracked north of the area on Jan 6th.

Lake-Effect Snow everywhereEvery kind of event in Michigan

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.