October Snow Predicted for Most of Michigan This Year

AccuWeather has released its US 2023 Fall Forecast, and weather experts say signs are pointing to early snowfall in parts of Michigan.

Get our free mobile app

AccuWeather Meteorologist Paul Pastelok says that while Michigan and the rest of the Great Lakes could initially see a slow transition out of the warm summer temperatures, don't be fooled - an abrupt change is likely in October.

Over the past three years, the weather phenomenon known as La Niña has influenced weather patterns across the United States. La Niña occurs when water temperatures near the equator are cooler than average.

La Niña has left the building, and her big brother El Niño has moved back in - a climate pattern that forms when water temperatures near the equator are higher than average. History would indicate that weather patterns across the U.S. will also change in response to the presence of El Niño.

The team at AccuWeather has delved into past weather data to find years with similar weather pattern set-ups to use for comparison. They point to 2009 as the most recent year with a similar set-up to what appears to be shaping up for the upcoming winter in Michigan.

I think we could start to see some flurries in the higher elevations maybe very late September, early October. But lower elevations may wait until later October, maybe November before we start to see some of that activity going.

~ Paul Pastelok, AccuWeather Meterologist

While minor accumulations are possible for most of Michigan during October, AccuWeather projects significant snowfall throughout the state during November. Forecasters also believe much of Lower Michigan could potentially see an earlier-than-usual first frost as well.