National Weather Service Puts Michigan on Alert for ‘Heavy Snow Risk’ January 18-20

The winter of 2024-2025 has not been dull. Many parts of Michigan have had their moments, like the 4-5 foot dumping of snow in the central and eastern Upper Peninsula to begin the season. That storm buried cars feet deep in snow at Tahquamenon Falls.

Cold temperatures have set in for January 2025 and a new significant snow threat looms later in the month.

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The Climate Prediction Center at the National Weather Service has released a projection for heavy snow risk. All of Michigan is within the slight risk category specifically on January 18-20. The NWS pegs Michigan's risk factor for a significant snow event between 20-40%.

Before that potential snowmaker, there are Winter Weather Advisories posted for the far Western Upper Peninsula for lake effect snow across Gogebic and Ontonagon Counties - up to a foot in the Porcupine Mountains and 4-8 inches north of M-28, 1-3 elsewhere across those counties through Saturday, January 11.

A winter weather advisory over that same time frame in the lake shore and inland counties of West Michigan call for 2-5 inches of snow possible from Muskegon to South Haven and including Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo inland.

Those events are part of a forecasted weekend clipper system.

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For the heavy snow risk later in the month, the Midwest Weather Facebook page notes the temperatures will be cold enough for a snow event should other factors line up.