This Saturday photo taken in West Branch Township shows heavy snowfall in the area. (Photo courtesy of Maryann Bernier)

MARQUETTE — Residents of Marquette County have been dealing with an overabundance of snow this winter, continuing with additional snowfall forecasted for the coming week. But how does the winter of 2025-26’s snowfall compare with local averages and records?

“As of last night, we’ve had 226 inches of snow,” said Nick Langlieb, Meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s office in Negaunee Township. Langlieb noted that they had likely gotten a bit more snow since that measurement.

“Normal (snowfall) for this time of year, winter-to-date, would be 140.5 inches, so we’re definitely 60 inches ahead of where we normally are,” said Langlieb. “We’ve exceeded our yearly seasonal average — seasonal average is 198 inches, so we already have more (snow) than we usually get the whole winter, and we still have some winter left to go.”

These are impressive numbers, but they’re not even close to the snowfall record in Negaunee Township, which was set during the winter of 2001-02 with 319.8 inches of snow.

“We’re certainly getting close to the third-snowiest winter, which was 268 inches,” said Langlieb.

“Typically in March, we get 28 inches of snow and in April we get 13.5, so it’s definitely in the realm of possibility to get in the top-three snowiest (winters).”

At the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Negaunee Township, snow and liquid precipitation equivalents are measured on-property every six hours. For the rest of their observing network, they utilize co-op observers and people who volunteer in a snow and precipitation network. These co-op observers report every 24-hours.

“So far, Marquette has reported 92.4 inches (of snow), so there is quite a ways to go for a record,” said Langlieb. “During the winter of 1860-61, there was 212.2 inches of snow (measured in Marquette).”

The 30 year average snowfall for Marquette during a winter is 108.7 inches, so that number is approaching. Langlieb reports that there’s typically about twice as much snow reported in Negaunee Township as there is in Marquette.

“Observation is right at the lakeshore (in Marquette), and when you get in between, so people who live up in the hills in Marquette or people who live in the Meijer or Target area, the snow goes up quite a bit,” said Langlieb. “You can kind of interpolate your way up the hill.”

Annie Lippert can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 550. Her email address is alippert@miningjournal.net.