Michigan’s cold and snowy winter has been “extreme” for many residents, according to a Purdue University-based group that tracks Midwest climate.
The Midwestern Regional Climate Center currently ranks this winter, from Nov. 9, 2025, to Feb. 6, 2026, severe or extreme for more than half the 17 locations it is tracking in Michigan through its Accumulated Winter Season Severity Index.
“Winter seasons have significant societal impacts across all sectors ranging from direct human health and mortality to commerce, transportation, and education,” the MRCC said on its website. “The question ‘How severe was this winter?’ does not have a simple answer. At the very least, the severity of a winter is related to the intensity and persistence of cold weather, the amount of snow, and the amount and persistence of snow on the ground.”
While some locations in Michigan are currently experiencing “average” conditions, according to the index, every location tracked has accumulated more index points this winter than at the same time a year ago based on snow and cold temperatures. In addition, none of the Michigan locations were experiencing severe or extreme conditions at this point in 2024-25.
The Midwestern Regional Climate Center, a partnership with the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) and Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, tracks climate across nine states, and 176 cities within Michigan.
The index tries to objectively quantify and describe the relative severity of the winter season for various locations, the MRCC said, based on how much snow they get and how cold it is.
The index tracks 365 locations across the continental U.S. for each season from 1950‐51 to the current winter season.
Here’s a look at how it rates this winter across the state.
How does the winter index work?
The AWSSI is not limited to meteorological winter (December ‐ February), and instead includes winter weather from its earliest occurrence to its last, starting when:
The index accumulates data until the last occurrence of any of:
The index accumulates points to each tracked location based on temperature and snowfall totals, and their amount or severity.
High temperatures from 25 to 32 degrees accumulate 1 point, while a high of minus 20 accumulates 10 points.
Snowfall of up to an inch gains 1 point for a location while 9-11 inches gains 6 points and 24-25 inches receives 10.
The index compares the current points total for a site to the percentile for all previous years tracked to determine whether a site is experiencing mild, moderate, average, severe or extreme weather.
How many locations in Michigan are suffering an extreme winter?
The MRCC’s winter index rates this winter as extreme at eight locations: Marquette, Herman, Muskegon, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Flint, Ann Arbor and Detroit.
Here’s how they rank as of Feb. 6 with the high points for the date, low and last year’s points:
Marquette scored big on a few dates this winter. On Jan. 23, the “high” was minus 7 and the low minus 19 — giving the city 18 temperature points for the day. On Jan. 25, Marquette saw a high of 7 and a low of minus 27, totaling 20 temperature points.
In addition, the city scored 32 points for snowfall on Dec. 29 when 17.1 inches fell.
In Herman, the city scored 36 points for snowfall on Dec. 29 when 20 inches was recorded.
Detroit, which typically sees less snow, scored 11 snowfall points on Jan. 25 when 4.8 inches fell. The city accumulated 13 temperature points on Jan. 24 when the high was 7 and the low minus 10.
Which Michigan cities are experiencing a severe winter?
The MRCC’s index rates the winter severe for Sault Ste. Marie, Ironwood, Houghton Lake, Iron Mountain and Saginaw as of Feb. 6.
Here’s how they rank with the high points, low and last year’s points for the date:
Is winter considered average anywhere in Michigan?
The MRCC says winter has been average for Port Huron, Alpena and Cheboygan.
Here’s how they rank as of Feb. 6, with the high, low and last year’s points for the date:
How much snow has your town received?
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Yes, Michigan’s winter has been ‘extreme.’ How climate center ranks season
Reporting by Dan Basso, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
