Scattered severe thunderstorms are forecast across central and eastern North Dakota, as well as far northwest Minnesota Saturday (Slight Risk level 2 of 5). Damaging wind gusts are the primary threat. Elevated to critical fire weather conditions will persist through the weekend across the Western U.S. Isolated dry thunderstorms could lead to new fire starts over portions of the northern Rockies. Read More >
Overview
Arctic airmass brought cold temperatures and lake effect snow to the area. SW Lower MI was most impacted by the lake effect snow as a single band of 1-2" per hour snowfall rates dropped into Berrien/Cass counties around 8 pm on January 6th and lingered overnight. After a lull in lake effect on Friday morning, another dominant band formed during afternoon and affected South Haven to north of Three Rivers during the afternoon. 8 to 14 inches fell overnight across northern Berrien County with 48 hour totals of 19 to 24 inches across far northern/northeast Berrien County. Wind chills Thursday night into Friday morning ranged from 5 to 15 below zero.A combination of several lake effect snow bands spread a swath of heavy snow across a narrow corridor of counties in southwest Lower Michigan. As is typical of this type of snow, the accumulation came fast and the gradient of snow was tight.
Photos:
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| Heavy Lake Effect Snowfall in Dowagiac, MI. Photo courtesy of Chicago & Midwest Storm Chasers @ChicagoMWeather | Snow covered this vehicle in Dowagiac, MI. Photo courtesy of Maci Tetrick and Michael E. | Lake Effect Snow makes a winter wonderland on these shrubs outside of a home on the Cass County / Van Buren County Line. Photo provided by Matt Rudkin @MattRudkinWx |
Radar:
Radar evolution of lake effect snow bands:
Initially light lake effect snow showers were ongoing from the previous event with westerly flow of 15 to 25 knots, a few gusts to around 30 knots at times in the evening. Better accumulation began when a W-E oriented band developed from Lake MI around 6 PM EST Thursday from roughly Stevensville, MI (Berrien Co) to Dowagiac, MI (Cass Co). This dropped southward through about 8:30 PM EST before weakening.
Meanwhile, the single band connected up to Lake Superior and huddled somewhat near the Lake MI Shoreline (W-E initially) dropped steadily southward through the late afternoon/evening hours with 1-2" snow rates-causing accidents, visibilities less than 1/2 mile (blowing/drifting/falling snow), and road closures (US 131, and others). This band entered Berrien County around 8 PM EST Thursday evening and spread into Cass county (Michigan).
By 2 AM EST Friday, the band took on a more NNW-SSE orientation, extending from Benton Harbor (KBEH) down to the Edwardsburg, MI area. There were numerous videos on Twitter and reports of the accidents from a group of chasers following the band.
Another dominant band formed from South Haven to north of Three Rivers in the mid-afternoon Friday.
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| 24 hour loop of 0.5 degree Reflectivity from KIWX radar of lake effect banding (6 pm January 6 to 6 pm January 7) |
Storm Reports
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Public Information Statement National Weather Service Northern Indiana 448 PM EST Fri Jan 7 2022 ...SNOWFALL REPORTS OVER PAST 48 HOURS... Location Amount Time/Date Lat/Lon ...Indiana... ...La Porte County... 0.8 W La Porte 1.0 in 1258 AM 01/07 41.61N/86.73W ...St. Joseph County... 2 S Indian Village 3.2 in 0700 AM 01/07 41.69N/86.23W Granger 1.8 ENE 3.0 in 0700 AM 01/07 41.75N/86.11W 1 N New Carlisle 3.0 in 0100 PM 01/07 41.71N/86.51W South Bend 3.3 SE 2.0 in 0800 AM 01/07 41.64N/86.23W South Bend 4.6 SE 1.2 in 0700 AM 01/07 41.62N/86.22W Mishawaka 3.9 ENE 1.1 in 0710 AM 01/07 41.68N/86.10W ...Michigan... ...Berrien County... Watervliet 22.0 in 0100 PM 01/07 42.19N/86.26W Eau Claire 19.0 in 1245 AM 01/07 41.99N/86.30W 3 WSW Sandy Beach 12.0 in 0300 AM 01/07 42.04N/86.23W 3 S Watervliet 10.0 in 0100 PM 01/07 42.15N/86.25W Buchanan 1.3 WNW 8.5 in 0600 AM 01/07 41.84N/86.39W Niles 2.7 W 8.5 in 0800 AM 01/07 41.84N/86.30W Shoreham 2.0 SE 8.1 in 0800 AM 01/07 42.03N/86.49W 3 ESE Berrien Springs 6.5 in 0617 PM 01/06 41.93N/86.30W St. Joseph 1.5 SSE 6.0 in 0700 AM 01/07 42.08N/86.48W Buchanan 1.4 ESE 5.8 in 0700 AM 01/07 41.82N/86.34W Bertrand 5.0 in 0800 AM 01/07 41.77N/86.26W 1 WNW Sodus 5.0 in 0900 AM 01/07 42.05N/86.39W Shoreham 2.0 SE 4.8 in 0800 AM 01/07 42.03N/86.49W Saint Joseph 4.7 in 0900 AM 01/07 42.10N/86.49W Bertrand 4.5 in 0800 AM 01/07 41.77N/86.26W Stevensville 1.7 SSE 4.4 in 0845 AM 01/07 41.99N/86.51W 3 ESE Berrien Springs 4.3 in 0751 AM 01/07 41.93N/86.30W Buchanan 1.3 WNW 4.0 in 0600 AM 01/07 41.84N/86.39W St. Joseph 2.8 SSE 4.0 in 0700 AM 01/07 42.06N/86.47W Buchanan 1.4 ESE 3.5 in 0700 AM 01/07 41.82N/86.34W Stevensville 1.7 SSE 3.5 in 0845 AM 01/07 41.99N/86.51W St. Joseph 1.5 SSE 3.0 in 0700 AM 01/07 42.08N/86.48W ...Cass County... 3 E Magician Lake 15.0 in 1120 PM 01/06 42.06N/86.11W 1 SSE Indian Lake 15.0 in 0344 AM 01/07 41.98N/86.20W ...St. Joseph County... Three Rivers 2.4 NE 1.5 in 0700 AM 01/07 41.97N/85.60W 0.7 S Three Rivers 1.4 in 0700 AM 01/07 41.93N/85.63W Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying equipment and exposures. We thank all volunteer weather observers for their dedication. Not all data listed are considered official.
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