March 11, 2013: Another Snowstorm
Another snowstorm has hit Upper Michigan. This is the fourth major snowstorm to affect parts or all of Upper Michigan this winter. The storm developed out of low pressure that formed over the southwestern U.S. late last week. The initial energy that came out of the system brought a warm up and some rain and snow on Saturday into early Sunday. Then the main energy lifted northeastward into the western Great Lakes Sunday night. It was this system that brought the heavy band of snow.
The heaviest snow by far fell in the hills west of Marquette. As of 8 this morning, the National Weather Service (NWS) measured 12.9 inches of new snow. The city of Marquette had around 7 inches. To the west, a late report out of Baraga had 10.5 inches, while Twin Lakes in Houghton Country had an early morning total of 6.5 inches (that’s likely gone up a few since).
Warmer air and a less favorable position in relation to the low-pressure system that moved up from the southwest meant less snow over southern and eastern portions. Stephenson and Powers in Menominee County each had 5 inches. Iron Mountain had 4.8 inches; Norway 4.4. Gladstone had 3.8 and Newberry 3.2 inches. Out west, Ironwood was too far away from the path of low to get heavy snow and only had 2.3 inches as of mid-morning.
Snow should continue right through Tuesday into Tuesday night. That’s because there is lots of energy and moisture still diving into the Great Lakes from the northwest. This morning, the strong disturbance that brought the snow was sitting over the Great Lakes (Image 1 above). By tomorrow morning, that same disturbance will be lifting through western Quebec, while a deep trough will be developing back over us (Image 2). This will mean general light snow and flurries with heavier snows adjacent to Lake Superior as the air gets colder. The left-over snow will finally diminish and end on Wednesday.
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