Winter Storm — Otsego, Michigan

2024-12-04 to 2024-12-06 · Otsego, Michigan

Event narrative

CoCoRaHS observer 2 miles ESE of Elmira in NW Otsego county reported snowfall of 8.2 inches ending 0700EST on the 5th. Additional reports from Otsego county, including a CoCoRaHS observer 4 miles S of Gaylord and 24-hr snowfall totals ending on the morning of the 5th at the NWS Gaylord, MI office 9 miles SSW of Gaylord, indicate broad snowfall totals of 7-8 inches across the county. Some freezing rain occurred during the middle of the day on the 4th, resulting in a glaze of ice on most surfaces.

Wider weather episode

A clipper system moving into the region on December 4th brought more unseasonably cold air over the unseasonably warm Great Lakes, allowing lake effect influences to ramp up again. Some freezing drizzle was noted ahead of the clipper amid warm advection into the afternoon on the 4th, before a more potent area of snow crossed the area during the late afternoon, transitioning to intense NW flow lake effect snow bands by late evening as winds increased in the wake of the front, gusting as high as 53mph at Frankfort and Leland harbors. Snowfall totals under the heaviest bands by the morning of the 5th were largely 7-12 inches, with blowing and drifting snow further impacting travel conditions across the area.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1229735. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.