National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Clipper to Impact the Great Lakes and Northeast with Blast of Winter Weather

A strengthening clipper storm will shift across southeastern Canada Wednesday and Thursday with a arctic cold front crossing the Great Lakes and Northeast which will produce intense bursts of snow and gusty winds. Localized short-duration blizzard conditions will be possible with several feet of additional lake effect snow in the Great Lakes. Dry and warm conditions are expected in the West. Read More >

Overview

A strong upper-level wave pivoted across the Upper Peninsula on Friday bringing widespread snow, with significant lake enhanced snow off of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. Initially, the heavier lake enhanced snow was confined to areas north of Lake Michigan on Friday, then as a surface trough pushed south across the Upper Peninsula, heavy lake enhanced snow pushed across western Upper Michigan late in the day Friday, and then shifted over north central portions of Upper Michigan late Friday night into Saturday morning. As these heavier bands of snow pushed onshore late in the day Friday through Friday night, whiteout conditions were reported. Also behind the system, sporadic power outages and blowing/drifting snow occurred as wind gusted upward of 45 to 55 mph, especially over the Keweenaw Peninsula. Near the Lake Superior shoreline across western and north central Upper Michigan, high-end gales of 40 to 45 knots brought waves of 14-18 feet and concerns for minor lakeshore flooding and beach erosion Friday night through Saturday morning.

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Radar from the early morning hours on Friday morning through Saturday morning. The areas where radar returns show up in white denote areas of enhanced snowfall rates, typically around or greater than 1'' per hour.
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