Snow and Ice Reports for 1/23/2012

Much of western and central Upper Michigan saw more significant snowfall Monday morning than forecast, with snowfall rates of 1-2 inches per hour at times. This resulted in 4 to 9 inches of snow falling in a relative short period of time Monday morning, creating hazardous travel conditions. While freezing precipitation did occur, ice accumulations were lower than expected and confined to mainly south central Upper Michigan.

Over the past weekend, meteorologists at the National Weather Service in Marquette were faced with a highly challenging weather scenario across western and central Upper Michigan from  Sunday night into Monday. Based on the expected track of an area of low pressure, it was believed that enough warm air would move into Upper Michigan, producing a significant amount of freezing rain across the area. Freezing rain occurs when a layer of above freezing temperatures aloft allow for snow to melt. With a layer of below-freezing air at the surface, this water refreezes on contact, creating a coating of ice.   

As this event developed, the low pressure system tracked slightly more south and east than forecast, allowing the colder air to remain entrenched across western and central Upper Michigan. The precipitation that developed late Sunday night fell mainly as wet, heavy snow rather than freezing rain. Below are some reports of snow and ice received at the NWS Office in Marquette. Many thanks go out to our spotters and the public for the reports!

 

 

 

SNOWFALL REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARQUETTE MI
1000 PM EST MON JAN 23 2012
 
THE TOTALS BELOW ARE SEPARATED INTO SNOW...AND ICE AND SLEET
CATEGORIES...THEN BY AMOUNT...AND ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE
FINAL AMOUNT FOR EACH LOCATION.
 
 
SNOW REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT
                                                       TIME/
INCHES  LOCATION                 ST  COUNTY            DATE
------  -----------------------  --  --------------    ------
  8.0   HANCOCK                  MI  HOUGHTON          0335 PM
        APPROXIMATE TOTAL OVER THE PAST 12             01/23
        HOURS. VERY WET SNOW. SNOW FELL ON TOP
        OF A THIN GLAZE OF ICE.
 
  8.0   ISHPEMING                MI  MARQUETTE         0200 PM
        TOTAL SINCE 0100 EST. MOST SNOW FELL           01/23
        AFTER 0600 EST. VERY WET SNOW.
 
  8.0   KENTON                   MI  HOUGHTON          1200 PM
        TOTAL DURING THE MORNING.                      01/23
 
  8.0   5 E WATERSMEET           MI  GOGEBIC           0610 PM
        12 HOUR SNOWFALL REPORT.                       01/23
 
  7.6   5 E ALBERTA              MI  BARAGA            0430 PM
        SNOWFALL TOTAL SINCE APPROXIMATELY 8           01/23
        AM.
 
  7.3   2 W ISHPEMING            MI  MARQUETTE         0245 PM
        STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL. 5.0 INCHES SINCE         01/23
        0800 EST.
 
  7.0   7 SW ISHPEMING           MI  MARQUETTE         0335 PM
        12 HOUR TOTAL.                                 01/23
 
  7.0   8 WSW ONTONAGON          MI  ONTONAGON         0318 PM
        TOTAL SINCE 0715 EST. 4.0 INCHES SINCE         01/23
        0915 EST. VERY WET SNOW. STILL SNOWING
        LIGHTLY.
 
  7.0   NEGAUNEE                 MI  MARQUETTE         0200 PM
        STORM TOTAL. MOST SNOW FELL SINCE 0600         01/23
        EST.
 
  6.8   L`ANSE                   MI  BARAGA            1129 AM
        6 HOUR TOTAL. STILL MODERATELY SNOWING.        01/23
 
  6.7   3 NE NEGAUNEE            MI  MARQUETTE         0100 PM
        STORM TOTAL AS OF 1300 EST. 6.0 INCHES         01/23
        WITH 0.56 INCHES OF LIQUID EQUIVALENT
        OVER THE LAST 6 HOURS.
 
  6.5   5 ESE CHASSELL           MI  HOUGHTON          1220 PM
        NEW SNOW SINCE 7 AM MORNING                    01/23
        OBSERVATION.
 
  6.4   JACOBVILLE               MI  HOUGHTON          1230 PM
        6 HOUR TOTAL.                                  01/23
 
  6.1   HANCOCK                  MI  HOUGHTON          1220 PM
        TOTAL SINCE 0700 EST.                          01/23
 
  6.0   PAULDING                 MI  ONTONAGON         0250 PM
        STORM TOTAL. MOST FELL SINCE 0600 EST.         01/23
        VERY WET SNOW. THIN COATING OF ICE
        UNDER THE SNOW FROM OVERNIGHT FREEZING
        RAIN AND DRIZZLE.
 
  6.0   3 SW GWINN               MI  MARQUETTE         0700 PM
        12 HOUR SNOWFALL REPORT. LIQUID                01/23
       EQUIVALENT 0.64
 
  6.0   2 ENE SIDNAW             MI  BARAGA            0500 PM
        12 HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL. LIQUID                 01/23
        EQUIVALENT OF 0.60
 
  6.0   6 SSE WATERSMEET         MI  GOGEBIC           0430 PM
        SNOWFALL TOTAL SINCE APPROXIMATELY 8           01/23
        AM. LIQUID EQUIVALENT 0.58
 
  5.7   4 NNE IRON MOUNTAIN      MI  DICKINSON         0100 PM
        6 HOUR TOTAL. STILL SNOWING LIGHTLY.           01/23
 
  5.7   NE MARQUETTE             MI  MARQUETTE         0640 PM
        12 HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL.                        01/23
 
  5.5   4 NNE IRON MOUNTAIN      MI  DICKINSON         1200 PM
        UPDATED STORM TOTAL. SNOW FELL BETWEEN         01/23
        MIDNIGHT AND NOON. 2.8 INCHES OVER THE
        PAST 6 HOURS.
 
  5.0   1 WSW ALBERTA            MI  BARAGA            1152 AM
        TOTAL SINCE 0530 EST. SOME SLEET MIXED         01/23
        IN INITIALLY. STILL SNOWING.
 
  5.0   MARQUETTE                MI  MARQUETTE         1120 AM
        SNOW TOTAL THIS MORNING. 2.0 INCHES            01/23
        SINCE 0900 EST.
 
 4.8   9 SW BIG BAY             MI  MARQUETTE         1000 AM
        TOTAL SINCE LAST EVENING. MOST SNOW            01/23
        FELL SINCE 0600 EST. 0.44 INCHES OF
        LIQUID EQUIVALENT.
 
  4.5   4 WSW HOUGHTON           MI  HOUGHTON          1120 AM
        TOTAL OVER THE PAST 2 HOURS. SNOW IS           01/23
        VERY WET, CURRENTLY MODERATE SNOW.
 
  4.5   N ROCKLAND               MI  ONTONAGON         0715 PM
        12 HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL.                        01/23
  4.0   1 W ALLOUEZ              MI  KEWEENAW          1043 AM
        TOTAL SINCE 0600 EST.                          01/23
 
  4.0   4 SE BIG BAY             MI  MARQUETTE         1034 AM
        TOTAL SINCE LAST NIGHT. 1.5 INCHES             01/23
        SINCE 0900 EST. CURRENTLY HEAVY SNOW.
 
  3.5   STAMBAUGH                MI  IRON              1000 AM
        24 HOUR TOTAL. 0.32 INCHES OF LIQUID           01/23
        EQUIVALENT.
 
  3.3   3 WNW MICHIGAMME         MI  BARAGA            1000 AM
        SNOW TOTAL THIS MORNING. 0.39 INCHES OF        01/23
        LIQUID OVER 24 HOURS THAT INCLUDED RAIN
        AND FREEZING RAIN.
 
  3.0   4 NE CALUMET             MI  KEWEENAW          1046 AM
        TOTAL SINCE 0815 EST.                          01/23
 
3.0   2 NNE BESSEMER           MI  GOGEBIC           0545 PM
        2.5 TO 3.0 INCHES OF SNOWFALL SINCE            01/23
        APPROXIMATELY 6 AM. STILL SNOWING
        LIGHTLY.
 
 
SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT
 
INCHES  LOCATION                 ST  COUNTY           TIME
------  -----------------------  --  --------------   -------
  0.20  4 NNE IRON MOUNTAIN      MI  DICKINSON         0730 AM
        TOTAL ICE ACCUMULATION SINCE YESTERDAY         01/23
        AFTERNOON. 2.7 INCHES OF SNOW OVER THE
        PAST 12 HOURS. 0.38 INCHES OF LIQUID
        EQUIVALENT OVER 24 HOURS.
 
  0.20  8 SW MUNISING            MI  ALGER             0650 PM
        12 HOUR REPORT. ALSO RECEIVED 2 TO 2.5         01/23
        INCHES OF SNOW IN ADDITION TO THE ICE.
 
  0.15  1 WSW BARK RIVER         MI  DELTA             0800 AM
        ICE ACCUMULATION SINCE LAST EVENING.           01/23
        PRECIPITATION HAS TURNED TO ALL SNOW IN
        THE LAST HOUR.
 
  0.13  MENOMINEE                MI  MENOMINEE         0800 AM
        1/8 INCH OF ICE ACCUMULATION OVERNIGHT.        01/23
        SIDE ROADS ARE COVERED IN ICE.
 
  0.13  4 WNW GLADSTONE          MI  DELTA             0700 AM
        1/8 INCH OF ICE SINCE THE AFTERNOON OF         01/23
        1/22. 0.4 INCHES OF SNOW AND SLEET OVER
        THE PAST 12 HOURS. MODERATELY SNOWING
        NOW. 0.29 INCHES OF LIQUID EQUIVALENT
        OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS.


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