Record heat heavy snow and Lake Superior ice top the list of Michigan weather events on this day in history. From the National Weather Service archives here are the events that happened on March 16.
1897 – Muskegon records their lowest temperature ever for the month of March with a frigid -11°. Sault Ste. Marie sees a daily record low with -14°.
1941 - 20 people were stranded on ice on Lake Superior near Skanee near Point Abbaye when ice broke away from the shoreline with strong west winds. 2 men that were stranded when ice broke away near Point Abbaye in Lake Superior drifted 28 miles on to shore in Northern Baraga County from where they had been fishing in Lake Superior.
1997 - The big snowstorm wound down in the U.P. The storm produced a record snow depth of 63 inches at the Marquette County Airport which exceeded the previous record depth of 59 inches recorded on March 13, 1976. Other locations that exceeded 20 inches included Phoenix in Keweenaw County with 29 inches, Herman in Baraga County with 25 inches and Shingleton in Alger County with 21 inches. Other snow totals included Alger County Munising 19.5 inches, Baraga County L'Anse 16 inches, Pelkie 14 inches, Watton 12 inches, Delta County Bark River 13 inches, Gogebic County Ironwood 18 inches, Watersmeet 18 inches, Houghton County Calumet 10 inches, Iron County Paint Lake 14 inches, Luce County Two Heart 18 inches, Marquette County Champion 18 inches, Gwinn 15 inches, Ontonagon County Bruce Crossing 16 inches.
2004 - A snowstorm began over Southeast Lower Michigan that dumped 7.0 inches of snow on Port Huron. The storm lasted through the 17th.
2012 – The warmest March on record for Southwest Michigan produces record warm temperatures. Starting with the low temperatures for the day, Grand Rapids observes a record warm reading of 51° and Muskegon a record 45°. Record high temperatures around the state include Grand Rapids 79°, Muskegon 72°, Lansing 78°, Flint 75°, Houghton Lake 72°, and Marquette 64°.
1897 – Muskegon records their lowest temperature ever for the month of March with a frigid -11°. Sault Ste. Marie sees a daily record low with -14°.
1941 - 20 people were stranded on ice on Lake Superior near Skanee near Point Abbaye when ice broke away from the shoreline with strong west winds. 2 men that were stranded when ice broke away near Point Abbaye in Lake Superior drifted 28 miles on to shore in Northern Baraga County from where they had been fishing in Lake Superior.
1997 - The big snowstorm wound down in the U.P. The storm produced a record snow depth of 63 inches at the Marquette County Airport which exceeded the previous record depth of 59 inches recorded on March 13, 1976. Other locations that exceeded 20 inches included Phoenix in Keweenaw County with 29 inches, Herman in Baraga County with 25 inches and Shingleton in Alger County with 21 inches. Other snow totals included Alger County Munising 19.5 inches, Baraga County L'Anse 16 inches, Pelkie 14 inches, Watton 12 inches, Delta County Bark River 13 inches, Gogebic County Ironwood 18 inches, Watersmeet 18 inches, Houghton County Calumet 10 inches, Iron County Paint Lake 14 inches, Luce County Two Heart 18 inches, Marquette County Champion 18 inches, Gwinn 15 inches, Ontonagon County Bruce Crossing 16 inches.
2004 - A snowstorm began over Southeast Lower Michigan that dumped 7.0 inches of snow on Port Huron. The storm lasted through the 17th.
2012 – The warmest March on record for Southwest Michigan produces record warm temperatures. Starting with the low temperatures for the day, Grand Rapids observes a record warm reading of 51° and Muskegon a record 45°. Record high temperatures around the state include Grand Rapids 79°, Muskegon 72°, Lansing 78°, Flint 75°, Houghton Lake 72°, and Marquette 64°.