A gathering low pressure system in the Central Plains pushed northeast toward the southern Great Lakes on February 3rd. Snow developed over southern Upper Michigan during the early morning hours and spread north to encompass almost the entire Upper Peninsula by daybreak on the 4th. The passage of an arctic cold front during the early morning hours exacerbated the hazardous weather conditions as north winds gusting as high as 56 mph at Stannard Rock lighthouse,  52 mph at Bark River in Delta County, and 49 mph at Copper Harbor caused near blizzard conditions at times. Michigan State Police closed highway M-28 between Harvey and Munising for a time on the 4th due to poor visibility and drifting snow. Temperatures nosedived from the 20s into the single numbers above zero. The gusty winds and falling temperatures produced wind chill reading of 10 to 20 below zero. Snowfall totals on the morning of the 4th include 22 inches at  Wetmore in Alger County, 18 inches at Gladstone, Munising and Ironwood, 17 inches at Rockland, Sands township in Marquette County, and in McMillan in Luce County, 12 inches at Crystal Falls, 11 inches at Channing in Dickinson County, and 10 inches at Watton in Baraga County. Snowfall over the Keweenaw Peninsula and in Menominee County was a bit lighter, generally in the 6 to 10 inch range. Even after the snow associated with the main low pressure system exited during the morning of the 4th,  lake effect snows continued near Lake Superior, especially in the snow belts east of Marquette. Close to another 10 inches fell from Munising to Newberry from sunrise on the 4th into the early morning hours on the 5th. Fortunately, winds decreased later in the day on the 4th, reducing the blowing snow hazard.  The lake effect snow diminished overnight on the 4th and 5th as a ridge of high pressure crested into the Upper Midwest and the wind shifted southwest.

Heavy Snow in ALGER, MICHIGAN
From 03-FEB-03 21:00:00 to 03-FEB-03 21:00:00 (EST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Heavy Snow in LUCE, MICHIGAN
From 04-FEB-03 00:00:00 to 04-FEB-03 00:00:00 (EST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Heavy Snow in GOGEBIC, MICHIGAN
From 04-FEB-03 01:00:00 to 04-FEB-03 16:45:00 (EST)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Heavy Snow in HOUGHTON, MICHIGAN
From 04-FEB-03 06:00:00 to 04-FEB-03 16:45:00 (EST)
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Heavy Snow in BARAGA, MICHIGAN
From 04-FEB-03 06:00:00 to 04-FEB-03 16:45:00 (EST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Heavy Snow in KEWEENAW, MICHIGAN
From 04-FEB-03 06:00:00 to 04-FEB-03 16:45:00 (EST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Heavy Snow in ONTONAGON, MICHIGAN
From 04-FEB-03 05:00:00 to 04-FEB-03 16:45:00 (EST)
Reported by: DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

Heavy Snow in MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN
From 03-FEB-03 22:00:00 to 04-FEB-03 16:45:00 (EST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Heavy Snow in MENOMINEE, MICHIGAN
From 04-FEB-03 01:00:00 to 04-FEB-03 05:30:00 (EST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Heavy Snow in SCHOOLCRAFT, MICHIGAN
From 03-FEB-03 22:00:00 to 03-FEB-03 22:00:00 (EST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Heavy Snow in DICKINSON, MICHIGAN
From 04-FEB-03 01:00:00 to 04-FEB-03 23:45:00 (EST)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Heavy Snow in DELTA, MICHIGAN
From 03-FEB-03 23:00:00 to 04-FEB-03 05:30:00 (EST)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Heavy Snow in IRON, MICHIGAN
From 04-FEB-03 01:00:00 to 04-FEB-03 23:45:00 (EST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER