Lake effect snow sets a few records
KENT COUNTY, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – Michigan's first lake effect snow storm set up shop right over Kent County and dumped snow there all day long.
The snow caught a number of people off guard, with about five to six inches accumulating in Grand Rapids. The 5.5 inches of snow fall set a new record for the date in Grand Rapids, but those totals don't compare to snowfalls of over a foot to the north and west of the city.
"Wasn't expecting this much, but it's lake effect, they never know what's coming," said Scott Sterk of Grand Rapids.
At the National Weather Service, it's clear that the lake effect snow that hit West Michigan turned out to be a unique event.
"We saw snowfall rates two inches an hour," said Ernie Ostuno of the National Weather Service, "we saw thunder-snow, so very heavy snowfall rates."
Forecasts had been calling for three to five inches in some places, but a small band of snowstorms blew that total away, dropping 14 to 15 inches in some places.
"I talked to my sister in Allendale, and they had about nine inches, over here we don't have quite as much," said Dena Docter.
Allendale, as well as Walker and Coopersville saw amounts that proved record-worth, even though some of the locales may not keep hard and fast records.
"For this particular day, December 4th, they probably never see snowfall that heavy, for an early season snowfall it was quite heavy but quite localized," said Ostuno.
The National Weather Service also says West Michigan could see another major snowstorm and lake effect event on Tuesday night heading into Wednesday.
