It was quite the week of snow across the Sault Ste. Marie area with it all starting Monday as a storm system dropped a widespread 7"-9".
After a couple of days of cleaning up, intense snow squalls off Lake Superior and Whitefish Bay just pummeled the greater Sault Ste. Marie area mainly north of M-28 including Sugar Island.
Farther south of M-28, the lake effect was minimal, to non-existent, until late Friday night through Saturday.
National Weather Service officially reported the city of Sault Ste. Marie received 42 inches of snow since Monday.
However, residents across the area posted on social media seeing more than that, especially on the northern end of Sugar Island.
It all started Thanksgiving Day morning and was almost continuous through Saturday midnight with persistent, and ideal, west-northwest winds. While there were some small breaks from the snow, the end finally came around Saturday midnight as the winds turned more north-northwest pushing the squalls west of the greater Sault Ste. Marie area.
Lake effect snow is common across the Eastern U.P. during the late fall and winter. Lake effect snow occurs when cold air, often originating from Canada, moves across the open waters of Lake Superior and Whitefish Bay. As the cold air passes over the unfrozen and relatively warm waters, warmth and moisture are transferred into the lowest portion of the atmosphere. The air rises, clouds form and grow into narrow bands that could produce 2 to 3 inches of snow per hour or more under the most intense bands.
More snow is forecast as another system spreads widespread snow Tuesday night and Wednesday, with lake effect for Wednesday night and Thursday. There is another chance for system snow Saturday then once again later Sunday so don't put away those shovels, and cameras, just yet!
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