Snowfall Records and Contests

For Michigan Tech students, alumni, and friends the region’s prodigious snowfall is a point of pride and a rite of passage. Every Husky has at least one great snow story, from digging out the wrong car in the parking lot after a blizzard to somehow making it to class during an epic whiteout.

The record-high seasonal total—a whopping 355.90 inches—came in the winter of 1978–79. The least amount of snowfall, in the winter of 1930–31, is 81.30 inches.

Snowfall is measured near Houghton County Memorial Airport by Michigan Tech's Keweenaw Research Center. In the northernmost portion of the Keweenaw Peninsula, Keweenaw County Road Commission measures the snow near Delaware, where snowfall amounts are typically greater than those recorded in Houghton County.

2010-Current
Winter	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Jan.	Feb.	Mar.	Apr.	May	Total Inches
2019-20	0.00	30.75	59.40	47.90*					138.05*
2018-19	2.00	26.00	25.50	59.50	57.75	12.63	3.75	5.25	192.38
2017-18	3.00	17.25	69.00	47.75	39.75	12.75	21.00	0.00	210.50
2016-17	0.00	6.00	74.50	55.25	36.00	2.75	5.50	0.00	180.00
2015-16	0.00	8.25	19.25	71.50	48.50	16.25	11.25	1.50	176.50
2014-15	1.75	38.25	35.75	46.25	41.50	10.25	7.75	0.00	181.50
2013-14	2.00	10.75	74.25	55.25	29.00	15.00	22.50	0.00	208.75
2012-13	2.00	18.50	17.75	67.00	51.00	34.50	33.0	2.00	225.75
2011-12	0.00	18.00	24.00	52.50	25.50	10.50	1.50	0.00	132.00
2010-11	0.00	25.50	32.50	72.00	18.00	12.50	18.00	0.00	178.50

* denotes ongoing month/season

2000-2009

Winter	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Jan.	Feb.	Mar.	Apr.	May	Total Inches
2009-10	3.00	3.50	86.50	38.50	19.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	150.50
2008-09	0.00	17.00	69.50	84.50	27.00	4.50	14.50	0.00	217.00
2007-08	0.00	21.25	39.75	55.00	32.00	23.75	13.50	0.00	185.25
2006-07	6.00	5.50	26.50	37.75	36.50	20.00	30.50	0.00	162.75
2005-06	0.00	36.00	77.50	30.00	49.50	26.50	0.00	0.00	219.50
2004-05	5.50	7.25	50.63	57.38	25.75	17.75	0.20	0.25	164.71
2003-04	1.00	15.50	47.50	105.50	37.50	21.50	3.50	0.00	232.00
2002-03	5.00	27.50	40.50	68.00	44.00	35.00	8.00	0.00	228.00
2001-02	2.50	13.50	71.00	43.00	54.00	62.00	5.50	2.50	254.00
2000-01	1.50	25.0	107.50	57.10	72.00	38.50	2.00	0.00	303.60

1990-1999

Winter	Oct.	Nov.	Dec	Jan.	Feb.	Mar.	Apr.	May	Total Inches
1999-2000	0.00	3.10	45.90	64.00	7.70	19.40	9.10	0.00	155.00
1998-99	0.00	8.40	89.80	83.30	36.00	13.50	0.00	0.00	231.00
1997-98	4.60	32.70	22.60	53.80	5.50	12.30	0.00	0.00	131.50
1996-97	1.80	26.50	61.10	105.10	14.30	34.50	3.20	6.20	253.10
1995-96	2.20	30.80	90.60	98.20	39.30	39.60	16.20	8.30	328.20
1994-95	0.20	11.00	12.70	44.70	68.10	26.00	13.20	1.00	175.90
1993-94	5.00	22.50	37.70	83.40	14.60	15.00	7.10	0.00	185.30
1992-93	8.20	13.30	42.50	59.20	22.60	10.50	3.30	0.00	159.60
1991-92	1.00	42.70	33.80	42.80	35.40	6.00	4.50	0.00	166.20
1990-91	13.40	6.70	35.60	73.30	22.30	11.70	0.90	1.90	165.80

1980-1989

Winter	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Jan.	Feb.	Mar.	Apr.	May	Total Inches
1989-90	0.40	34.80	108.50	50.50	31.50	6.30	10.50	3.90	246.40
1988-89	11.10	37.90	71.60	80.20	86.70	34.50	7.80	3.40	333.20
1987-88	9.80	3.90	12.00	75.90	66.70	47.60	3.10	0.00	229.00
1986-87	0.00	54.42	31.60	34.70	9.90	25.03	9.21	6.00	170.86
1985-86	0.00	62.30	109.60	48.60	24.30	39.60	2.290	0.00	286.69
1984-85	1.00	4.60	57.30	70.30	42.50	55.20	4.20	0.00	235.10
1983-84	2.90	29.70	100.00	51.40	11.60	30.70	4.80	0.20	231.30
1982-83	10.80	32.20	32.50	37.20	15.00	26.60	13.50	0.00	167.80
1981-82	8.60	5.20	99.00	82.00	27.70	17.70	19.90	0.00	260.10
1980-81	3.20	11.50	52.60	72.50	30.50	8.60	5.30	0.00	184.20

1970-1979

Winter	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Jan.	Feb.	Mar.	Apr.	May	Total Inches
1979-80	11.30	30.50	23.70	95.60	41.00	6.50	6.70	0.00	215.30
1978-79	0.70	55.00	118.90	88.30	39.80	43.20	9.40	0.60	355.90
1977-78	0.00	22.40	83.70	70.20	36.00	18.10	4.30	0.00	234.70
1976-77	6.50	37.00	72.40	68.50	30.10	10.80	9.70	0.00	234.80
1975-76	0.00	10.50	58.90	69.80	47.10	72.30	0.60	0.00	259.20
1974-75	0.00	29.80	26.70	85.40	54.10	42.10	1.90	0.00	240.00
1973-74	0.00	10.10	61.10	68.70	40.30	8.00	18.40	3.00	209.60
1972-73	0.00	18.80	58.60	66.20	43.80	3.90	1.60	8.70	201.60
1971-72	0.00	18.10	18.40	104.50	49.90	45.10	21.90	0.00	287.90
1970-71	0.00	15.90	50.60	97.80	56.90	34.90	19.80	3.80	279.70

1960-1969

Winter	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Jan.	Feb.	Mar.	Apr.	May	Total Inches
1969-70	0.00	24.50	35.90	69.40	18.10	8.70	8.50	0.00	165.10
1968-69	0.00	24.00	78.00	87.50	27.00	5.50	5.50	0.00	227.50
1967-68	10.50	40.50	26.50	25.50	36.00	4.50	8.00	0.00	151.50
1966-67	2.00	23.00	50.00	65.50	37.50	14.00	6.00	0.50	199.00
1965-66	0.00	46.00	36.00	57.50	18.50	28.00	16.00	1.00	203.00
1964-65	5.00	42.00	68.00	63.50	56.50	25.50	7.00	1.00	268.50
1963-64	0.00	5.00	83.50	27.50	33.00	33.50	11.00	0.00	193.50
1962-63	3.50	9.00	65.00	51.00	34.50	24.50	2.50	2.00	192.00
1961-62	0.00	18.50	57.00	61.50	45.00	5.00	4.00	1.00	192.00
1960-1961	0.00	18.50	36.50	49.00	44.00	15.00	6.00	5.50	174.50

1950-1959

Winter	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Jan.	Feb.	Mar.	Apr.	May	Total Inches
1959-60	3.00	54.00	26.00	63.50	41.50	17.50	10.00	7.00	222.50
1958-59	0.00	23.50	96.00	85.50	14.50	25.50	0.00	0.00	247.00
1957-58	0.00	29.50	30.00	39.50	35.00	16.00	0.00	0.00	150.00
1956-57	0.00	29.50	36.50	58.50	26.00	5.00	12.00	0.00	167.50
1955-56	0.00	30.25	77.50	40.00	17.00	12.00	12.50	4.00	193.25
1954-55	4.00	14.25	6.00	51.50	12.50	54.00	0.50	0.00	142.75
1953-54	0.00	8.00	20.00	43.00	13.00	21.00	1.50	11.00	117.50
1952-53	1.00	13.00	18.00	39.50	59.00	12.00	17.00	0.00	159.00
1951-52	7.00	33.00	62.00	35.00	9.00	21.00	10.00	0.00	177.00
1950-51	0.00	35.00	85.00	49.00	49.00	26.00	13.00	0.00	257.00

1940-1949

Winter	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Jan.	Feb.	Mar.	Apr.	May	Total Inches
1949-50	0.50	31.00	26.50	89.00	41.00	31.00	28.00	7.00	254.00
1948-49	0.50	17.50	61.00	47.00	45.00	18.00	0.00	0.00	189.00
1947-48	0.00	52.00	50.00	44.00	16.00	18.00	2.00	0.00	182.00
1946-47	2.00	14.00	42.00	30.50	60.50	18.50	8.50	0.00	176.00
1945-46	0.00	17.50	77.00	47.00	29.00	8.00	7.00	0.50	186.00
1944-45	0.00	14.00	42.50	68.50	59.00	7.00	18.50	0.50	212.00
1943-44	0.00	13.00	24.00	13.50	20.00	43.00	4.00	0.00	117.50
1942-43	7.00	22.00	66.00	39.50	26.50	31.00	9.50	0.00	208.00
1941-42	0.00	15.00	25.50	41.50	29.00	33.00	1.00	2.00	147.00
1940-41	0.00	27.00	30.50	51.00	43.50	10.50	7.00	0.00	169.50

1930-1939

Winter	Oct.	Nov.	Dec	Jan.	Feb.	Mar.	Apr.	May	Total Inches
1939-40	4.00	2.00	25.50	61.00	27.50	31.50	12.50	8.00	172.00
1938-39	2.00	23.00	51.00	41.50	60.00	35.00	13.50	0.00	226.00
1937-38	1.50	15.20	42.50	46.00	12.50	8.50	1.00	0.00	127.25
1936-37	1.75	25.50	25.25	77.00	51.00	2.50	8.00	0.00	191.00
1935-36	1.20	28.25	41.25	50.50	38.00	15.75	2.00	0.50	177.45
1934-35	0.50	13.00	54.00	59.00	11.00	7.50	1.50	0.00	146.50
1933-34	7.50	25.25	30.50	21.00	11.00	14.25	15.25	0.00	124.75
1932-33	12.00	10.00	35.75	15.00	23.00	14.20	5.50	0.00	115.45
1931-32	0.00	3.00	5.00	33.50	25.00	23.00	2.50	0.00	92.00
1930-31	2.80	6.00	23.00	21.50	12.50	11.50	4.00	0.00	81.30

1920-1929

Winter	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Jan.	Feb.	Mar.	Apr.	May	Total Inches
1929-30	5.50	19.50	36.20	42.50	12.00	8.80	1.00	0.00	125.50
1928-29	0.00	1.20	25.80	61.00	14.00	11.00	1.00	1.50	115.50
1927-28	0.00	24.25	58.48	36.75	12.00	9.00	26.00	0.00	166.48
1926-27	5.50	31.50	30.50	15.00	23.00	1.00	2.00	0.00	108.50
1925-26	8.50	4.00	18.50	17.00	11.00	21.50	3.50	0.50	84.50
1924-25	0.00	17.25	44.00	17.00	11.00	6.00	0.00	0.00	95.25
1923-24	8.25	6.00	25.00	45.00	11.00	5.00	3.50	0.00	103.75
1922-23	1.49	5.25	46.00	48.50	27.00	5.80	6.50	0.25	140.79
1921-22	1.00	16.50	25.00	41.50	34.50	4.00	11.00	0.00	133.50
1920-21	0.00	17.00	41.00	19.00	19.00	15.00	0.00	1.50	112.50

1910-1919

Winter	Oct.	Nov.	Dec	Jan.	Feb.	Mar.	Apr.	May	Total Inches
1919-20	9.00	41.00	53.00	27.00	11.00	18.00	6.50	0.00	165.50
1918-19	2.00	11.00	38.00	18.00	29.00	5.00	1.00	2.00	106.00
1917-18	2.00	4.00	46.00	40.00	6.00	4.00	1.00	0.00	103.00
1916-17	5.00	8.00	46.00	19.00	13.00	27.00	4.00	0.00	122.00
1915-16	1.50	9.00	25.00	53.00	23.00	22.00	4.00	0.00	137.50
1914-15	0.00	6.00	21.00	40.00	12.00	6.00	1.00	0.25	86.25
1913-14	3.00	4.00	4.00	25.00	23.00	12.00	16.00	0.00	87.00
1912-13	0.00	12.00	46.00	29.00	33.00	30.00	7.00	0.00	157.00
1911-12	1.00	31.50	29.00	40.00	7.00	4.00	8.00	0.00	120.50
1910-11	4.00	21.00	33.00	29.50	32.00	11.00	5.50	0.00	136.00

1900-1909

Winter	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Jan.	Feb.	Mar.	Apr.	May	Total Inches
1909-10	10.00	20.50	40.50	51.00	24.00	0.50	9.00	0.50	156.00
1908-09	0.00	30.00	28.50	25.00	28.50	16.25	19.00	4.00	151.25
1907-08	0.00	18.50	19.50	19.00	26.50	20.50	12.00	0.00	116.00
1906-07	1.00	27.00	40.50	39.00	10.00	16.50	35.00	2.50	171.50
1905-06	6.25	24.25	31.00	22.00	27.00	25.00	0.50	0.00	136.00
1904-05	0.25	16.25	55.50	37.00	14.50	7.50	5.50	3.00	139.50
1903-04	0.00	39.00	52.00	33.50	11.00	21.00	10.50	3.00	170.00
1902-03	0.80	8.00	52.00	22.00	24.00	11.00	18.00	3.00	138.80
1901-02	0.00	15.00	31.00	43.00	24.00	12.00	7.50	0.00	132.50
1900-01	0.00	13.50	20.00	32.50	15.00	18.50	0.00	0.00	99.50

1890-1899

Winter	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Jan.	Feb.	Mar.	Apr.	May	Total Inches
1899-1900	0.00	1.00	42.50	22.00	19.50	13.00	0.00	0.00	100.00
1898-99	1.20	15.30	36.00	30.50	15.00	13.00	0.00	6.50	112.50
1897-98	1.00	13.00	36.50	19.50	20.00	12.00	1.50	0.00	103.50
1896-97	3.00	37.00	16.70	36.50	18.50	12.00	1.50	2.00	127.20
1895-96	2.80	14.00	62.00	29.00	15.80	6.00	8.50	0.00	138.10
1894-95	0.00	29.50	18.30	74.00	9.00	5.25	0.00	1.50	137.55
1893-94	1.00	30.00	48.50	37.00	14.50	23.00	10.00	1.00	165.00
1892-93	0.00	23.00	44.00	24.50	16.50	17.00	13.00	1.00	139.00
1891-92	0.00	31.00	23.00	44.00	18.00	12.50	1.00	0.00	129.50
1890-91	1.00	12.20	12.00	33.00	28.50	22.00	2.50	0.00	111.20

Snowfall totals 2004-present by Keweenaw Research Center. Totals 2000-2003 courtesy local meteorologist John Dee.