Northern Michigan and Upper Peninsula residents may have a bit more time before snow falls, as warmer temperatures are forecast for the remainder of October, but historical data suggests it won’t be much longer before flakes hit the ground.
“No snow is in the forecast for the remainder of October as the temperatures will be too warm,” Grand Rapids National Weather Service meteorologist Brandon Hoving said of Michigan’s weather outlook in an Oct. 19 email. “It’s too early to anticipate what date we’ll get the first snowfall, but based on what I’ve looked at we may get cold enough temperatures as early as the middle of November to support some snow in places.”
Though Michigan has already seen below-freezing temperatures that created frost and some hard freezes, the daily highs have been too warm to create snow. On Saturday, Oct. 18, for instance, much of the Lower Peninsula saw highs in the 60s and upper 70s.
As of Oct. 20, Michigan was forecast to see above-normal temperatures — and precipitation — for the rest of October, especially in the Upper Peninsula and northern areas, the Climate Prediction Center operated by the National Weather Service said on its website.
Portions of the Lower Peninsula typically see its first snowfall in early to mid-November, and the Upper Peninsula sees its first snow in mid-October, according to records from the Midwestern Regional Climate Center, a program between the National Centers for Environmental Information and Purdue University that provides climate data for the Midwest.
Here’s snowfall data for cities in Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula:
When does Winter officially begin 2025?
Winter begins at 10:03 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, according to the Farmer’s Almanac, marking the winter solstice as the shortest day of the year (therefore, longest night) and official start to winter.
When will Northern Michigan and the U.P. see their first snow this year?
Here are average, earliest and latest snowfall dates for cities in Michigan’s northern regions, according to the Midwestern Regional Climate Center:
Cheboygan
Northport
Maple City
Alpena
Onaway
Sault Ste. Marie
Marquette
Ironwood
Ontonagon
Escanaba
Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@lsj.com
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Will U.P., Northern Michigan see snow soon? When to expect the season’s first flakes
Reporting by Sarah Moore, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
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