textproduct: Marquette

KEY MESSAGES

- Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect through Thursday morning for an additional 3-6 inches of snowfall in the eastern UP, associated with NW wind lake effect snow bands.

- Gale Warnings are in effect for much of Lake Superior for northwest winds up to 40 knots today and tonight. Additional Gale Watches are in effect Thursday evening into Friday. Both rounds will be accompanied by moderate to heavy freezing spray and waves of 8+ ft.

- Colder than normal temperatures continue through the forecast. Expect wind chills below zero across much of the U.P. tonight, falling as low as the negative teens near the WI border.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 405 PM EST Wed Dec 3 2025

Last night's clipper has moved well east of the U.P. this afternoon, making way for lake effect snow as cold northwest flow settles over the region. The most impressive snow band is found over eastern Alger into northern Schoolcraft County as of mid afternoon, aided by a strong Lake Nipigon connection noted on GOES Day Cloud Phase imagery. Forecast snow amounts remain on track across the east as frigid 850 mb temps of -20C moving over Lake Superior yield Delta-Ts of 25C while model sounding continue to show inversion heights around 7-8 kft from Munising to Grand Marais. This will be counteracted somewhat by a relatively shallow and dry dendritic growth zone given the cold air mass. All in all, expect additional accumulations of 2-4 inches across the eastern Lake Superior adjacent counties through tonight, with locally higher amounts of as much as 3-6" possible in a few locations. Could also see some blowing snow and locally reduced visibilities along the immediate lakeshore where winds will gusts as high as 35-40 mph at times tonight. The Winter Weather Advisory thus remains on track in the east through Thursday morning. Meanwhile, spotty light snow showers will also continue across western and central parts of the U.P. tonight, but accumulations will generally be limited to an inch or less in these areas. The other forecast concern tonight will be the cold temperatures as lows drop into the single digits across a wide swath of the U.P., and near or even slightly below zero across the interior west. These cold temperatures coupled with breezy northwest winds will produce below wind zero wind chills across most of the area overnight into Thursday morning, with some locations in the west and near the WI border dropping into the mid teens below zero.

Expect a lull in precipitation during the day on Thursday as winds shift southwesterly and push lake effect bands back offshore. The frigid air mass will remain in place, capping high temperatures in the teens for most locations Thursday afternoon. Another clipper heads our way from the Canadian Rockies Thursday night into Friday, bringing another round of light snow to the region. Impacts look to be very similar to this most recent system as most locations are only expect to a see around an inch or two of accumulation through Friday morning.

The upper level pattern shows little change through the long term as deep low pressure remains centered in the vicinity of Hudson Bay and continues the parade of clipper systems across the Upper Great Lakes. This will result in an active but rather low impact weather pattern across the U.P. as systems continue to traverse the region every few days, bringing mostly minor accumulations followed by periods of lake effect snow across the northwest wind snow belts. Temperatures mostly remain below freezing through the end of next week, with highs in the teens to 20s each day and another round of colder overnight temps in the single digits looking likely this weekend.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 622 PM EST Wed Dec 3 2025

Lake effect snow showers will bring snow showers, ceilings, and reduced visibilities to all terminals this evening and tonight. Greatest intensity is expected this evening as a shot of colder air moves overhead, resulting in stronger snow showers and winds. Expect variable visibilities through the night, with IFR being expected in snow showers. Gusty northwest winds are also expected, mostly 20- 25kts but higher winds of 30-35kts are expected at KCMX. Ceilings are mostly expected to remain MVFR. KIWD/KSAW are expected to improve to VFR by morning while KCMX holds onto MVFR into the afternoon.

MARINE

Issued at 405 PM EST Wed Dec 3 2025

Gales continue as northwest winds increase across Lake Superior this afternoon, with several observations reporting winds gusting to 35 to 40 kt. Expect gales to diminish west of the Keweenaw overnight, but continue for the rest of the lake into Thursday morning as waves build to 8 to 13 feet over the eastern half of the lake. Opted to move up the start time of the Heavy Freezing Spray Warning to this afternoon as we already have received a ship ob of freezing spray and winds will only continue to strengthen over central and eastern parts of the lake this evening. Winds will shift southwesterly Thursday morning and at least temporarily diminish into the 20-30 kt range through most of the day on Thursday. However, winds will increase again Thursday evening into Thursday night, and have therefore hoisted another round of Gale Watches beginning over the western half of the lake late Thursday afternoon and the central and eastern parts of the lake Thursday evening, continuing through early Friday morning. Have also upgraded the Gale watches to warnings for northern Lake Michigan zones Thursday night into Friday morning. Expect northwest winds 20-25 kt over the waters through much of the weekend.

MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Upper Michigan... Winter Weather Advisory until 7 AM EST Thursday for MIZ006-007- 085.

Lake Superior... Gale Watch from Thursday afternoon through late Thursday night for LSZ162-241-242-263.

Gale Warning until 1 AM EST /midnight CST/ Thursday for LSZ241- 242-263.

Gale Warning until 7 AM EST Thursday for LSZ243>251-264>267.

Gale Watch from Thursday evening through Friday morning for LSZ243>251-264>267.

Heavy Freezing Spray Warning until 7 AM EST Thursday for LSZ244-263-264-266.

Lake Michigan... Gale Warning from 10 PM Thursday to 7 AM EST Friday for LMZ221- 248-250.