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Winter in Lake County, Michigan
93 winter storms and snow events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Winter Storm, Winter Weather, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Ice Storm, Lake-Effect Snow, Sleet.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
Lake County, Michigan, has 93 winter events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 26 different years.
January is the busiest month, with 31 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 48 events against 45 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.9% of the 10,836 winter events recorded in Michigan; its 16.4 per 100 square miles compares with 19.1 statewide.
Some winter weather and high wind events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county; zone-recorded events whose zone is named for the county are included and marked "Forecast zone" in the table.
Compared with Michigan
| Measure | Lake County | Michigan | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter events since 1950 | 93 | 10,836 | 287,339 |
| Per 100 square miles | 16.4 | 19.1 | 8.1 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 75.6 | 10.8 | 8.7 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 52 | 2,509 |
| Busiest month | January | January | January |
By year
Seasonality
31Feb
18Mar
11Apr
3May
0Jun
0Jul
0Aug
0Sep
0Oct
0Nov
5Dec
25
Recorded events
All 93 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Jan 2026 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Dec 2025 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Nov 2025 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 Jan 2025 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Jan 2024 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Dec 2022 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Nov 2022 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Jan 2022 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Dec 2019 | Winter Storm | — | $50K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Feb 2019 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Jan 2019 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Jan 2019 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Apr 2018 | Winter Storm | — | $100K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Dec 2016 | Lake-Effect Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Mar 2016 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Dec 2015 | Sleet | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Feb 2015 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Jan 2015 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Nov 2014 | Lake-Effect Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Feb 2014 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Jan 2014 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Dec 2012 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Mar 2012 | Heavy Snow | — | $100K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Jan 2012 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Jan 2012 | Lake-Effect Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Mar 2011 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Mar 2011 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Feb 2011 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Feb 2011 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Jan 2011 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Jan 2011 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Jan 2011 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Dec 2010 | Winter Storm | — | $250K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Dec 2010 | Lake-Effect Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Dec 2009 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Dec 2009 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 Feb 2009 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Dec 2008 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Dec 2008 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Dec 2008 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Feb 2008 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Feb 2008 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Jan 2008 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Dec 2007 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Dec 2007 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Mar 2007 | Winter Storm | — | $25K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Feb 2007 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Feb 2007 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Dec 2006 | Lake-Effect Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Dec 2006 | Lake-Effect Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Dec 2006 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Feb 2006 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Jan 2006 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Feb 2005 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Feb 2005 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Jan 2005 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Jan 2005 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Jan 2004 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Jan 2004 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Apr 2003 | Ice Storm | — | $200K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Feb 2003 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Dec 2002 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Mar 2002 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Feb 2002 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Dec 2001 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Feb 2001 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Dec 2000 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Dec 2000 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Apr 2000 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Feb 2000 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Jan 2000 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Jan 2000 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Mar 1999 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Mar 1999 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Mar 1999 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Feb 1999 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Jan 1999 | Lake-Effect Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Jan 1999 | Lake-Effect Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Jan 1999 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Jan 1999 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Jan 1999 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 Dec 1998 | Lake-Effect Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Mar 1998 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Mar 1998 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Jan 1998 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Jan 1998 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Jan 1998 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Jan 1998 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Dec 1997 | Lake-Effect Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Dec 1997 | Lake-Effect Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Nov 1997 | Lake-Effect Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Nov 1996 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Jan 1996 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
Questions and answers
How many winter events has Lake County had?
93 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of winter storms and snow became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded winter event in Lake County?
18 Jan 2026 (Winter Storm). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging winter event recorded in Lake County?
The winter storm of 11 Dec 2010, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $250K.
How does Lake County compare with Michigan for winter?
16.4 events per 100 square miles against 19.1 statewide; the county holds 93 of the state's 10,836 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Winter hub and the county page.