Marquette storm history

Moderate to occasionally heavy lake effect snow of 4 to 5 inches was reported from Big Bay through Negaunee and Marquette to Harvey during the afternoon and evening of the 23rd. The moderate to heavy snow likely contributed to a fatal accident on Highway M-553 just north of Marqu…

Snowfall across the county ranged from two to locally five inches over an 18-hour period ending on the morning of the 25th. Northwest winds gusting to 25 to 30 mph on the afternoon of the 24th also caused reduced visibility at times in blowing snow. Troopers from the MSP Negaunee…

The National Weather Service in Negaunee Township measured one-tenth of an inch of ice accumulation in six hours. The observer in Harvey measured two-tenths of an inch of ice accumulation during the event. A mix of snow and ice accumulation made area roads slippery. Schools and a…

Extensive lake shore flooding was reported along Lake Superior from Marquette to Shot Point from north storm force winds building waves as high as 25 to 30 feet. Two people drowned when they were swept off Black Rocks at Presque Isle Park in Marquette during the storm. A U.S. Coa…

The meteorologist at WJMN TV-3 estimated around one foot of lake enhanced snow fell over a 15-hour period in the higher terrain of Skandia Township. There was also a report of one foot of snow at Big Bay over the same time period. Nine inches of snow fell at Ishpeming and Negaune…

Heavy rain may have contributed to a fatal head-on accident which occurred in Skandia on the morning of the 27th. The Marquette County Sheriff's Department reported the accident which occurred just before 7 am EST on the 27th near the north intersection of Kreiger Road with US Hi…

A quick inch of wet snow created slippery roads and contributed to a fatal accident just south of Marquette Mountain on Highway M-553 around 10 am on the 29th. A 26 year-old Gwinn man was killed when the northbound car he was driving spun out of control and crashed into a garbage…

An 18-year male Northern Michigan University student from Detroit, MI drowned at Picnic Rocks in Marquette on the evening of 27th. South winds gusting over 20 mph produced a strong longshore current which contributed to the drowning death and also caused two other swimmers to go …

A 15-year-old boy from Berkley, IL and a 16-year-old boy from Felch, MI both drowned near Presque Isle in high waves and strong rip currents on the afternoon of the 5th. Northwest winds gusting over 30 mph at times contributed to the high waves and strong rip currents.

A 62-year-old Wisconsin man drowned near Picnic Rocks on the afternoon of the 21st. A wave pushed him away from the sandbar at Picnic Rocks, and he was pulled under the water by the strong longshore current which had developed from gusty north winds of 10 to 20 mph.

A Negaunee man drowned while swimming near Picnic Rocks in Marquette at 4:34 pm on the 10th. A long shore current developing between the shore and rocks was believed to be a contributing factor in the drowning. The Marquette Coast Guard indicated a north wind of 10 to 15 knots wi…

Two elderly men, aged 71 and 72, drowned on the evening of the 9th after their fishing boat capsized on Lake Independence. High winds reportedly whipped up waves in the 4 to 6 feet range.

One to three inches of wet snow created slushy and slippery roads throughout Marquette County on the 13th. The Michigan State Police at the Negaunee post reported six personal injury crashes and five rollover property damage accidents due to the slippery roadways.

Fairly widespread flooding was observed across a large portion of Marquette County with flooding observed along the Chocolay, Escanaba and Michigamme Rivers. Some of the most severe and longest-duration flooding was along the Michigamme River near Republic and Witch Lake. On Apri…

Heavy rainfall of three to four inches from thunderstorms over an approximate three-hour time period caused flooding from downtown Ishpeming across County Road 510 at the Noquemanon 510 Trailhead to County Road 550 near Wetmore Landing and Harlow Lake. The flooding in Ishpeming c…

The Black River Falls Wildfire started southwest of Ishpeming in Marquette County on the afternoon of the 20th. The wildfire was ignited when a jack pine tree branch split off the main stem from strong southerly winds and fell across a power line. The wildfire burned 811 acres, d…

Hail covering the ground at the mall.

Hail covering the ground.

Hail covering the ground two inches deep.

Golfball-sized hail covering the ground.

Ping pong hail covering the ground two inches deep.

Hail damage to automobiles.

Hailed for five minutes.

Shredded leaves clogged storm drains resulting in street flooding from melting hail.

Several trucks damaged or totaled.

There were blizzard conditions with frequent wind gusts of 40-55 mph and snowfall of 8-12 in Marquette County. The K.I. Sawyer (KSAW) AWOS peak gust was 53 mph before the wind sensor stopped reporting. Widespread tree damage and power outages were reported, particularly near the …

Light freezing rain resulted in up to 0.25 of ice accretion, causing slippery roads. Key impacts: transportation delays.

Up to 4 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.

Heavy snow of 1 to 2 feet along with winds gusting 35 to 45 miles per hour resulted in very difficult travel conditions due to accumulating and blowing snow. The heavy snow and strong winds downed some trees and powerlines, resulting in power outages. Eleven percent of customers …

The first accumulating snowfall of the year brought 6 to 18 inches to the area, heaviest over the higher terrain. Key impacts: transportation delays, traffic accidents, school closures.

One inch hail observed by the public near Champion. Time estimated from radar.

Broadcast media reported a house along Sparks Drive in the Dead River basin took a lightning strike, disrupting power, uprooting flowers and tree roots, damaging a concrete slab, damaging the power line, and minor damage within the house. Time estimated from radar.

A pine tree about one foot in diameter was snapped at the base.

Spring snowmelt and flooding have forced the DNR to the temporary emergency closure of Arfelin Lake boating access site in Marquette County until road repairs can be made. Culvert and the dirt access road have failed and water is moving swiftly. A pickup truck became stuck when a…

Several rounds of wintry precipitation occurred from the morning of the 28th through the early morning of the 31st. The first round was light freezing drizzle resulting in slick surfaces on the morning of the 28th. Then, a round of thunderstorms and sleet during the evening of th…

The Marquette Sawyer Regional Airport AWOS station KSAW reported 1/4 mile or less visibility from 0847 to 1847EST on the 5th and reported wind gusts in excess of 30 kt from 0947EST to 2238EST on the 5th. At the Marquette WFO in Negaunee township, a light glaze of ice was observed…

Moderate to heavy snow and high winds resulted in blizzard conditions during the afternoon and evening of February 28th. Winds gusted as high as 48 mph at Marquette-Sawyer Regional Airport, and 3-11 inches of snow occurred. M-28 was closed between Harvey and Munising for 11 hours…

Moderate to heavy snow and high winds resulted in blizzard conditions during the afternoon and evening of the 28th. Winds gusted as high as 48 mph at Marquette-Sawyer Regional Airport, and 3-11 inches of snow occurred. M-28 was closed between Harvey and Munising for 11 hours star…

The official NWS observation in Negaunee Township was 0.05 inches of ice. Staff and family reported multiple difficult challenges to travel including slick parking lots, sidewalks, and non-highway roads. A number of school districts closed for the day. Key impacts: travel delays,…

A public report 3 miles west of Sundell reported 16 inches of total snowfall from 7 AM on the 19th to 8:30 AM on the 20th, with 11 inches falling by 9 PM on the 19th and the remainder falling overnight into the following morning. Visibility was sharply reduced on M28 between shot…

The AWOS station at the Marquette Sawyer Regional Airport (KSAW) reported a wind chill of -26 degrees at 2 AM on the 18th.