Northern Michigan Snowfalls Far Below Normal

Snowfall totals in northern Michigan are well below normal heading into February.

While some parts of northern Michigan, like Traverse City and Petoskey, are fairly close to the amount of snow they should see by this time of year others are not.

For instance, Sault Ste. Marie is nearly 40 inches shy of where it should be and nearly 90 inches off for the seasonal average.

Aaron Mayhew, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Gaylord, says northern Michigan has seen far less lake effect snow than usual, which is keeping snowfall totals down.

While Lake Michigan has been warm, and not frozen over, the air hasn’t been cold enough to produce the lake effect snow northern Michigan is used to.

He says El Nino is to blame, which is pushing the really cold air further and further north.