U.P. Snowfall Maps

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xc500mod

Member
John,

Thanks for the great site.

I like maps and snow, so this map is right up my alley.

http://www.weather.gov/mqt/seasonsnowfallmaps

There is quite a bit more variation in snowfall over the past 10 years than I would have suspected. I was surprised to see the variation by general location as well as total amounts.

In your opinion what accounts for this tremendous variation? My guess would be lake effect snows, just based on the fact that the "polar vortex" winter had the highest amounts. If this is true, there must have been winters with very few arctic blasts?

Thanks for thinking snow while you're trying to enjoy the summer.

Andy
 
jd

jd

Administrator
Staff member
Your hunch is right, it is lake effect snow that leads to the big variance in snowfall from season to season and even location to location within the same season.

We have had a few winters that did not contain a lot of arctic blasts, but I don't remember one where we were free from at least 2-3.

Keep in mind it does not take a true arctic blast to create lake effect snow. Even temps in the teens and 20's can cause it to occur.

-John
 
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xc500mod

Member
I've got another question for someone who has the answer.

On the map I posted, if you look at the '12-'13 winter there are big patches of white that represent over 300'' of snow fall. Are these the "higher terrain" areas John refers to in his forecast text sections?

Thanks
 
B

Bullitt69

Member
Xc500 / Andy,

Yes, and no.

In the Keweenaw, Yes - There's an area south of Hougton/Hancock (The South Range), where the elevation does indeed rise from the area around the portage canal, plateau's from about Painesdale to south of Twin Lakes and then gradually declines. This high country, along with the northern Keweenaw (Calumet to Delaware) typically gets more snowfall due to it's elevation and proximity to the lake.
Also, over the Huron Mountains - the area in the middle of that map, is higher terrain. You'll note that most of the snow falls inland a few miles, which is also proportional to a rise inland from Big Bay, or Marquette inland to Negaunee.
The area east of Munising saw an incredible amount of snow that year - I believe in part to the cold snaps and predominant NW flow.
Also, there's a long Fetch of lake northwest of these areas, e.g. from Munising to Paradise.

Do a search in "Ask John" typing in "Weather in the UP of Michigan". There's an older post from October, 2012 that's awesome.
Hope this helps!

Bullitt
 
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xc500mod

Member
Bullit,

Thanks for the info. We usually ride the eastern U.P. specifically the kingston plains area. Not to much high country over there, so I always suspected the longer fetch across the lake had something to do with it.

Andy
 
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Bullitt69

Member
Hey, Thanks J&A!

That seems to be the consensus of the locals too, the main snow belts being from Munising to Paradise and the Keweenaw.

I was just up in the Kingston Plains over Memorial Day. It certainly is a fascinating landscape with the remnants of logging days past.

Man, it was really dry up there then, I hope they've gotten some rain since! That whole area looked as if it was plagued by wildfires, even semi recently.

Cheers!
Fellow SnowGeek Bullitt, aka Steve B
 
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