Keweenaw storm history
Storm events recorded in Keweenaw, Michigan between 1950 and 2025.
391
Total events
2
Tornadoes
7
Hail
8
Floods
0
Deaths
$1.8M
Property damage
Most significant events
Strongest tornadoes, deadliest events, and biggest damage in this county. Up to 50 shown.
Lakeshore Flood Lakeshore Flood
High waves resulted in debris washing over a portion of highway M-26.
Blizzard Blizzard
Winds sustained over 30 mph for several hours with frequent gusts 50-60 mph over the Keweenaw Peninsula and snowfall of around a foot. The Copper Harbor ASOS (KP59) peak gust was 62 mph. Key Impacts: Very difficult to impossible travel.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
The combination of light to moderate snow and strong winds resulted in 30% of customers losing power in Keweenaw County. Key impacts: scattered power outages.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Up to 7 inches of snow, combined with temperatures plummeting below freezing, resulted in slippery roadways from the evening of the 18th through the morning of the 19th. Key impacts: travel delays, school closures.
Blizzard Blizzard
Heavy snowfall totaling 1.5 to 2 feet along with winds gusting 40 to 60 miles per hour resulted in blizzard conditions. Twenty-seven percent of customers (around 1,300) lost power across the county. Key impacts: transportation delays, traffic accidents, power outages, downed tree…
Heat Heat
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Heavy snow and gusty winds occurred on the 23rd into early on the 24th, resulting in treacherous travel conditions and snowfall accumulations around a foot. Key impacts: travel delays, school and business closures.
Blizzard Blizzard
The Copper Harbor ASOS KP59 reported wind gusts of over 35 mph from around 0500EST on the 5th to about 0200EST on the 6th. Visibility data is unavailable but various webcams indicated low visibility. The storm total snowfall at the CoCoRaHS site MI-KW-3 Ahmeek was 9.1 inches. The…
Blizzard Blizzard
Moderate to heavy snow and high winds resulted in blizzard conditions during the afternoon and evening of February 28th, with snow winding down on March 1. Winds gusted as high as 58 mph at Copper Harbor, and several inches of snow occurred. Key impacts: transportation delays, tr…
Blizzard Blizzard
Moderate to heavy snow and high winds resulted in blizzard conditions during the afternoon and evening of the 28th. Winds gusted as high as 58 mph at Copper Harbor, and several inches of snow occurred.
Cold/Wind Chill Cold/Wind Chill
The mesonet station OJIM4 Ojibway - Isle Royale reported a wind chill of -26 degrees at 8:30 AM on the 17th and a wind chill of -29 degrees at 7:30 AM on the 18th.
Lake-Effect Snow Lake-Effect Snow
The CoCoRaHS observer MI-KW-3 Ahmeek 0.1 E reported a 12-hour snowfall total of 14.5 inches by 8 AM on the 10th. The event total at this location was 21.5 inches. Houghton-Keweenaw County Schools delayed the start of school on the 10th and 11th. Key impacts: travel delays, school…
Blizzard Blizzard
Several hours of blizzard conditions were reported during the afternoon and evening of the 6th. Michigan State Police reported that several cars were reported to be in ditches and advised against travel on US-41. Multiple schools in the impacted areas were released early on the 6…
High Wind High Wind
The University of Michigan mesonet station at Mount Horace Greeley measured a peak wind gust through the period of 64 mph.
Cold/Wind Chill Cold/Wind Chill
Bitter cold wind chills in the 25 below to 30 below zero range were reported throughout much of the period. Houghton-Keweenaw County Schools were closed on the 20th and 21st due to the bitter cold.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
The observer at Ahmeek measured 5 inches of snow in 24 hours.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
An estimated 3 to 6 inches of lake effect snow along with considerable blowing snow occurred over the 24-hour period ending on the morning of the 12th. Houghton-Keweenaw Schools were closed on the 12th as a result of the snow and blowing snow and wind chills lowering to 25 below …
Winter Storm Winter Storm
An estimated 3 to 6 inches of lake enhanced snow fell across Keweenaw County over a 24-hour period. Northwest winds gusting as high as 40 mph also caused considerable blowing and drifting of snow, resulting in whiteout conditions at times. Houghton-Keweenaw County Schools were cl…
Winter Storm Winter Storm
There was a Facebook report at Allouez of 18 inches of lake effect snow over an approximate 30-hour period.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
An estimated 3 and 5 inches of snow fell across Keweenaw County over 24 hours.
High Wind High Wind
A 62-mph north wind gust was reported at the ASOS in Copper Harbor. Sporadic power outages were also reported across the area during the day.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Storm total snowfall from observers over a five-day included 37.6 inches at Calumet-Tamarack and 28 inches at Kearsarge. North winds gusting over 35 mph at times caused considerable blowing and drifting of snow and lowered visibility. Snow drifts were reported to be more than fou…
Winter Storm Winter Storm
There was a Facebook report of 16 inches of lake effect snow in Allouez in less than 24 hours. North winds gusting to 40 mph at times also resulted in considerable blowing and drifting of snow and occasional whiteout conditions at times.
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Several days of well above normal to near record warm high and low temperatures and continued snowmelt led to periods of dense fog over Keweenaw County from the 25th into the 28th. Also, a brown Christmas was observed across Keweenaw County for the first time since 2015.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Park rangers in Isle Royale National Park reported a tree down, an 80-pound aluminum canoe taken off its rack, and a portion of the floating dock torn at and around Windigo.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
An estimated 2 to 6 inches of widespread wet, heavy snow across the county combined with blowing snow from north winds gusting to 50 mph at times caused very hazardous travel conditions on the 1st. Schools were closed throughout the county on the 1st.
Flood Flood
Local media reported Highway M-26 was closed on the evening of the 22nd due to the collapse of a retaining wall at the Silver River Bridge in Keweenaw County. The bridge's already compromised stone retaining wall eroded due to the heavy runoff from spring snow melt forcing the cl…
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Many locations across the county received an estimated one tenth to two tenths of an inch of ice accumulation from freezing rain early morning on the 5th.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
An estimated 4 to 9 inches of lake enhanced snow fell over an approximate 12-hour period. North winds gusting near 35 mph also caused blowing and drifting of snow. Schools were closed throughout the county on the 23rd.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
An estimated 4 to 7 inches of lake enhanced snow fell over an approximate 18-hour period.
Cold/Wind Chill Cold/Wind Chill
Wind chills lowered into the 25 below to 30 below zero range on the morning of the 3rd throughout Keweenaw County.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Observers reported moderate lake effect snow accumulation of approximately 4-5 inches per day on the 1st and 2nd with considerable blowing snow on the 2nd due to northwest winds gusting over 40 mph at times.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Estimated two-day snowfall totals from the morning of the 29th into the morning of the 31st exceeded a foot over much of Keweenaw County.
Blizzard Blizzard
An estimated five-day lake enhanced storm total snowfall of over 30 inches at Mohawk combined with very strong northwest winds gusting as high as 70 mph at times at Copper Harbor caused blizzard conditions and extreme blowing and drifting of snow across the Keweenaw Peninsula fro…
Strong Wind Strong Wind
The Copper Harbor ASOS measured north wind gusts in excess of 45 mph throughout much of the period with a peak gust of 56 mph around 2 am on the 18th. Some minor tree damage occurred with the higher winds.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Estimated heat indices were between 95F and 100F across the county on the afternoon of the 20th and stayed above 80F through the evening hours.
High Wind High Wind
The Copper Harbor ASOS measured a peak south wind gust of 58 mph.
Ice Storm Ice Storm
A mix of snow and widespread freezing rain of a 0.25 inch or more caused treacherous and icy road conditions, tree damage and widespread power outages during the period. Schools were cancelled on the 23rd due to the impacts from the freezing rain.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
The Keweenaw County Road Commission measured a two-day lake effect snowfall total of 26.5 inches near Phoenix. East winds gusting near 35 mph also aused greatly reduced visibility at times in blowing snow. Keweenaw County Schools were closed on the 22nd and 23rd due to impacts fr…
Winter Storm Winter Storm
An estimated four to five inches of lake effect snow fell over a 24-hour period. Northwest winds gusting as high as 50 to 60 mph also caused near whiteout conditions at times in blowing snow.
High Wind High Wind
The Copper Harbor ASOS measured warning criteria winds through the period with a peak north wind gust of 66 mph just after 10 pm EST.
Cold/Wind Chill Cold/Wind Chill
The Ojibway RAWS station on Isle Royale measured wind chill readings as low as 30 below zero on the morning of the 3rd.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Near-blizzard conditions in lake effect snow and considerable blowing snow from northwest gusting 40 to 50 mph at times were reported across much of the Keweenaw Peninsula on the 9th and 10th. Houghton-Keweenaw Schools were closed on the 10th from the inclement weather.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
An estimated 4 to 8 inches of lake effect snow fell over a multi-day period. North winds gusting over 30 mph at times also caused considerable blowing snow. Keweenaw County Schools were closed on the 5th due to the snow and blowing snow.
High Wind High Wind
There were reports of power lines down and trees down across roads in the Eagle Harbor area. Houghton-Keweenaw Schools were closed on the 16th due to the wind storm and more than 2000 customers were without power over Keweenaw and Houghton counties combined.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
An estimated 3 to 4 inches of snow fell over Keweenaw County during the 12-hour period ending on the morning of the 11th.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Snowfall reports over an approximate 10-hour period included 7 inches at Phoenix and 10 inches at Kearsarge near the Houghton/Keweenaw County line. Schools throughout the county were closed on the 6th due to impacts from the heavy snow.
High Wind High Wind
High wind warning criteria was met throughout the period at Copper Harbor with a peak north wind gust of 68 mph at 925 pm EST.
Strong Wind Strong Wind
The UPPCO outage map showed approximately 1000 customers without power in northern Keweenaw County, mostly between Eagle Harbor and Copper Harbor, due to strong winds on the morning of the 11th.
Wildfire Wildfire
Lightning sparked a wildfire on Isle Royale. The fire began August 10, 2021. The Horne Fire in a remote area of Isle Royale National Park near the shore of Duncan Bay by the Tobin-Duncan Portage burned approximately 521 acres by the end of August. Numerous trails and campsites we…
Events by year
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16 | 0 |
| 2024 | 7 | 0 |
| 2023 | 10 | 0 |
| 2022 | 11 | 0 |
| 2021 | 12 | 0 |
| 2020 | 10 | 0 |
| 2019 | 15 | 0 |
| 2018 | 11 | 0 |
| 2017 | 10 | 0 |
| 2016 | 11 | 0 |
| 2015 | 12 | 0 |
| 2014 | 26 | 0 |
| 2013 | 30 | 0 |
| 2012 | 19 | 0 |
| 2011 | 19 | 0 |
| 2010 | 9 | 0 |
| 2009 | 16 | 0 |
| 2008 | 19 | 0 |
| 2007 | 15 | 0 |
| 2006 | 15 | 0 |
| 2005 | 12 | 0 |
| 2004 | 13 | 0 |
| 2003 | 13 | 1 |
| 2002 | 13 | 0 |
| 2001 | 6 | 0 |
| 2000 | 3 | 0 |
| 1999 | 10 | 0 |
| 1998 | 5 | 0 |
| 1997 | 4 | 0 |
| 1996 | 9 | 0 |
| 1995 | 2 | 0 |
| 1994 | 2 | 0 |
| 1992 | 1 | 0 |
| 1991 | 1 | 0 |
| 1987 | 1 | 1 |
| 1984 | 1 | 0 |
| 1983 | 1 | 0 |
| 1955 | 1 | 0 |