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Digging out: winter storm dumps more than foot of snow

Bryan French, owner of Aubree’s Pizza, shovels snow outside of his business after the Marquette area received a record amount of snowfall on Sunday and into early today. (Journal photo by Trinity Carey)

MARQUETTE — The Marquette region was hit with a record snowfall and precipitation Sunday.

According to the National Weather Service-Marquette station in Negaunee Township, the area received 14.2 inches of snow, breaking the 2004 record of 10.2 inches.

A total of 1.62 inches of precipitation fell on the area, breaking the record of .67 inch in 1989. The highest wind gust speed was measured at 31 mph.

“We’re obviously into the early part of winter season now,” said Matt Zika, a meteorologist at NWS-Marquette.

He pointed out that any storm producing over 12 inches of snow is a significant one.

That was the case Sunday.

“It was unusual because it is pretty rare for us to get more than 12 inches of snow, especially heavy wet ‘concrete’ snow,” Zika said.

He called that type of snow the “heart attack” snow because it’s difficult to shovel.

Zika also said western Marquette County was hit with more snow than downtown Marquette.

“This was the classic perfect set-up for basically a highlands Marquette County snowstorm,” he said.

Zika explained that northeasterly winds blow across Lake Superior, and as the air comes in, it’s forced up higher terrain, causing more precipitation in those areas.

Negaunee Public Schools, Ishpeming Public Schools and NICE Community Schools were closed today. Other closures included: the Negaunee Senior Center, Ishpeming Senior Center, Negaunee Co-op Preschool and Christ the King Preschool in Ishpeming.

Meals on Wheels and senior dining in Ishpeming and Negaunee with Community Action of Alger-Marquette were canceled. There will be no garbage pickup in Richmond Township, although it will be picked up Tuesday and Wednesday instead.

Today’s forecast calls for Isolated snow showers before 11 p.m. and being mostly cloudy, with a high near 29, a low around 22 and a northwest wind of 10 to 15 mph becoming west after midnight. The chance of precipitation is 20 percent, and winds could gust as high as 20 mph.

For Tuesday, the weather is expected to be partly sunny, with a high near 29 and a west wind around 10 mph. Tuesday night is expected to be mostly cloudy, with a low around 21 and a west wind around 10 mph.

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