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Ask Ellen: Why isn’t there lightning in snowstorms?
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Thundersnow is possible, but it is pretty rare. The reason has to do with the conditions needed for lightning to form in a system. Summer storms and winter storms have some similarities in the Great Lakes, but one of the most significant differences is how high a convective cloud can climb in the wintertime. Limited cloud height can make it harder for lightning to form in the winter. WHY DOES LIGHTNING FORM? Lightning occurs when warm air rises in the sky, creating relatively unstable conditions. This allows a special kind of cloud to form, called a convective cloud. These clouds can grow vertically for thousands of miles and eventually turn into tall cumulonimbus clouds, also known as thunderstorm clouds. When clouds rise very high into the atmosphere, turbulence within the cloud can throw ice crystals and other hydrometeors around. This causes collisions of ice particles in the cloud, which in turn builds up electric charges. When enough electric charge builds, it needs to be discharged. The atmosphere accomplishes this by producing a bolt of lightning. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUMMER AND WINTER STORMS In the winter, the atmospheric layer where clouds can form is much shallower due to the cold conditions. This means convective clouds have trouble growing very high compared to summertime storms. The higher the particles are in a convective cloud, the better the chance there is for lightning to occur. The shallow cloud height in winter makes it difficult for charged particles to both form and organize in the cloud. HOW DOES THUNDERSNOW HAPPEN? One exception to this wintertime rule is when a strong surge of warm air is lifted into a winter storm enough to bump the cloud height and increase the chance for lightning formation. The Great Lakes in the wintertime are an excellent source for warm air introduction into a cold winter storm. The Great Lakes are some of the most likely places to experience thundersnow as a result!
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Snow Sport Report: Jan. 1, 2026
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — After last weekend's warmth and rain, winter came roaring back this week. Overall, the month of December has been quite favorable for snow enthusiasts as all of Michigan experienced below-average temperatures. Grand Rapids ended this month 4.4 degrees below average. The massive storm system earlier in the week pummeled much of the state, especially northern Michigan. Grand Rapids is the exception to the rule with season snow running slightly below average. That certainly isn't the case near the lakeshore. Muskegon has already eclipsed 50 inches. And if you think that's impressive, check out Marquette. They've cracked the century mark for snow and that's just through December. Muskegon County winter sports park celebrates early heavy snow The snow depth across the state is some of the best of the year, especially across the north. Not much additional snow is expected this weekend but whatever we received certainly won't melt. The most will likely fall across the eastern Upper Peninsula. Looking ahead it appears the northern sections of the state will have better luck with additional snow this upcoming week. Download the free Storm Team 8 weather app SKIERS Ski resorts have been packed this week and for good reason. The post-storm conditions have been amazing with rare powder to take advantage of on some hills and wooded areas. I actually got out for the first time this year at Crystal and skied with my kids. It's the busiest I've ever seen Crystal but they handled the volume with no issues and the slopes remained in excellent condition. Ideal weather will hold this weekend with a weak system putting down 1 to 3 inches of snow across northern sections of the state Saturday. Friday and Sunday will be dry. Even though not much snow will fall this weekend, the cold will remain solidly in place. Highs Friday through Sunday will be in the teens and 20s. It's been a great season so far and this weekend will present some of the best ski conditions to date. Much of the snow is fresh from Mother Nature with many resorts reporting 3- to 5-foot bases. Storm Team 8 Forecast SCHUSS: A whopping foot of snow fell across the Shanty Creek Resort Wednesday pushing season totals to 84 inches. This has created excellent ski conditions and Schuss is ready to rock with all of there runs available to carve up. Hours are Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tubing is also an option running Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. CANNONSBURG: Cannonsburg is running at 100% with a fresh half foot of snow this week. Hours are Friday 12 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Tubing with reservations only, runs this weekend from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. BITTERSWEET: 73% of the slopes are open with the hours Friday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. TIMBERIDGE: 50% of the skiing terrain is open with the hours of Friday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN: An excellent week of snow has nearly 100% runs open with a solid base of over three feet. Hours of operation are Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CABERFAE PEAKS: All slopes are open. You can ski Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. BOYNE MOUNTAIN: 17 inches of snow fall across the resort Wednesday leading to amazing ski conditions and even rare powder to ski in. Hours of operation are Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and resuming 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. Sunday hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. THE HIGHLANDS: Ten inches of snow ahs fallen across the resort the past couple of days leading to over 90% of the slopes that are in play! Hours of operation are Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and resuming 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. NUB'S NOB: The same amount of snow graced Nub's as well. Open Friday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. TREE TOPS: 18 inches of snow has fallen over the resort earlier in the week. Last check over 90% of the resort is skiable. Open Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. 8 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Extreme tubing Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. SNOWMOBILERS Trails have returned to much better condition compared to the previous weekend. with many locations across Lower Michigan in play. The best conditions being reported are closer to the lakeshore and west of I-75 to the north. I was in the Cadillac area Tuesday and definitely noticed more robust snow west of Cadillac. Cautionary note: The wind event earlier in the week brought down a few branches and low hanging limbs (helmet slappers) so please use caution. The Gaylord Trail camera is looking good as well. This image above is New Year's Day morning with a few snowmobilers taking advantage of the fresh snow. I used this same camera last week and it showed some "snirt" but no longer. The good news is all of the U.P. looks great not just trails north of M-28. This means trails closer to Lake Michigan such as the Manistique area up to Trout Lake have a green light. If all goes well I may see you on the trails in and around Trout Lake this weekend. Take advantage of the excellent snow conditions as a warm-up will arrive next week. It appears the warmer-than-average conditions may extend into mid-January, at least potentially across the Lower Peninsula. With that being said it does appear to be an active pattern. As always the question remains, will the systems dump more snow than rain? So don't wait around, get active and take advantage of all the fresh snow while you can. Sign up for the Storm Team 8 daily forecast newsletter The Snow Sport Report is sponsored by Schuss Mountain at Shanty Creek Resort. -
Winter storms bring blizzard conditions and strong winds, disrupting post-holiday travel
(NewsNation/NEXSTAR) — Hundreds of flights were canceled Monday as winter weather overwhelmed parts of the country, threatening severe winds and freezing conditions across the Midwest and into the Northeast. As of Monday afternoon, the flight-tracking website FlightAware had recorded more than 800 cancellations affecting flights within, into, or departing from the United States, with Buffalo Niagara International Airport leading the nation's airports in terms of canceled itineraries. ‘Super flu’ cases rising across US: What to know Airport officials in Buffalo had previously warned of high winds on Sunday night. "We encourage travelers to check flight status with their airlines before heading to the airport and allow extra time," reads a post shared to the airport's X account on Dec. 28. Meteorologists in the area had also warned of damaging wind gusts, bitter cold and snow on Monday. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul also urged the public to stay off the roads. “Western New Yorkers, myself included, we think we’re tough, we can handle anything, but when you’re on the roads and there’s 50, 60, 70 mile-an-hour winds and the wind is blowing, it is a dangerous condition," Hochul said. Chicago O'Hare was also experiencing a high volume of flight delays on Monday. The city has been hit with rain, fog, snow and high winds in the past 24 hours. As of 4:30 p.m. local time, the average delay at O'Hare was 31 minutes. A busy day for travel Tens of millions of Americans were under winter weather alerts Monday morning as they headed home from their holiday trips. One of the busiest travel periods of the year, AAA has projected record-breaking travel, with 122.4 million Americans expected to trek at least 50 miles from home over the 13-day, year-end holiday period, beginning Dec. 20 and ending Jan. 1. Over 8 million of those travelers were estimated to be going by air, AAA estimated. Passenger screenings at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints on Sunday indicated that over 2.9 million Americans were scheduled to fly on Dec. 28, marking the busiest day of U.S. air travel since Nov. 30 (the Sunday after Thanksgiving). Blizzard conditions grip the Midwest, Northeast The Midwest was hit especially hard. Blizzard conditions swept through the region, causing hundreds of delays and dozens of cancellations at major flight hubs, including Minneapolis-St. Paul. Parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin remained under blizzard warnings Monday morning, with wind gusts over 40 miles per hour and snowfall totals reaching up to 8 inches in some areas. Many cities across the region have declared snow emergencies, and power outages have blacked out parts of Wisconsin. Further east, portions of the Northeast were dealing with snow and freezing rain. Severe weather also triggered tornado warnings Sunday in parts of Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. What were the most fun cities in America this year? On Monday, the National Weather Service also warned of a "rapidly-intensifying storm" gripping the upper Midwest, the Great Lakes and the Northeast; NWS maps showed winter weather advisories, ice storms, blizzards and gale warnings scattered throughout the regions. The Midwest and lower Ohio Valley were also expected to see scattered storms and powerful wind gusts, NWS said, while an arctic cold front would cool temperatures further south. “Part of the storm system is getting heavy snow, other parts of the storm along the cold front are getting higher winds and much colder temperatures as the front passes,” Bob Oravec, a lead forecaster with NWS, told the Associated Press. “They’re all related to each other — different parts of the country will be receiving different effects from this storm.”
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Snow, wind snarl traffic in West Michigan
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Strong winds and falling snow led to dangerous driving conditions Monday morning, with crashes and slide-offs reported across West Michigan. Windy winter storm hits West Michigan Monday A number of the morning's crashes were reported in Allegan County. In Saugatuck Township, a semi-truck was heading north on I-196 when it crashed through the railing and went onto Old Allegan Road, Fire Chief Greg Janik told News 8. The crash shut down the northbound lanes of the highway and they were expected to remain closed overnight because state road inspectors had to assess whether the bridge sustained structural damage. The scene of a crash on I-196 in Allegan County. (Dec. 29, 2025)Traffic conditions Closer to Holland, a jackknifed semi-truck shut down southbound I-196 west of 60th Street, Allegan County Emergency Management said around 9:30 a.m. In Allendale, a News 8 crew saw a rollover crash on 68th Avenue between Lincoln and Warner streets. The Ottawa County Sheriff's Office was on scene around 9:40 a.m. The driver said the wreck happened after he hit a patch of ice and lost control. Neither the driver nor passenger in the car were injured. The scene of a crash on 68th Avenue in Allendale on Dec. 29, 2025.The scene of a crash on 68th Avenue in Allendale on Dec. 29, 2025.The scene of a crash on 68th Avenue in Allendale on Dec. 29, 2025.The scene of a crash on 68th Avenue in Allendale on Dec. 29, 2025.The scene of a crash on 68th Avenue in Allendale on Dec. 29, 2025.The scene of a crash on 68th Avenue in Allendale on Dec. 29, 2025.The scene of a crash on 68th Avenue in Allendale on Dec. 29, 2025. "Roads are very slick. Very poor visibility," Allendale Fire/Rescue Department Lt. Scott Harkes said, saying the department had responded to a number of slide-offs and property damage crashes — though none had resulted in injuries. "Stay home if you can. Take it slow, give yourself extra time," Harkes said. Crews respond to power outages across West Michigan In Kalamazoo County, snow on the I-96 Business Loop toward the city of Kalamazoo also made for a traction challenge, and downtown roads were snowy, too. Alvan Allison was heading from Jackson to Grand Rapids with friends to cheer on the Michigan State University hockey team. He said some spots were touch and go in the morning, though conditions were clearer by the early afternoon. "Kind of clear coming into here for the last 3 or 4 miles, but before that, it was pretty intense," Allison said. "With the wind, it's kind of tough to gauge because you'll be driving along and the next thing, you're going this way or this way and you're not sure if it's the wind or the roads — but a little bit of both, I think." At Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport, the air traffic control tower was hardly visible Monday morning through the snow and wind. A few flights were delayed, with a Chicago-bound flight canceled ahead of the evening. Snow obscures the view of the control tower at Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport on Dec. 29, 2025. Farther north, the Kent County Road Commission says it was working to clear the roads, focusing first on state and county primary roads, as snow continues to fall throughout the day. The road commission warned that high winds can reduce visibility, bring down trees and cause snow to quickly recover the roads. Steve Roon, director of maintenance and local road construction for KCRC, told News 8 that while crews are making progress clearing the roads, it is important that drivers watch for quickly changing conditions. “(The roads) have improved greatly from earlier this morning to what we’re seeing now. Our crew’s efforts are really starting to make a difference,” Roon said. “We still want to caution motorists that we still have these heavy winds, so you can be driving on some bare pavement for a long stretch and then come across an area that’s drifted across and might make for a short distance of some slippery roads.” Muskegon County road crews said the biggest obstacle for plow drivers was the blowing snow. "A lot of drifted areas, especially up north and out east, so that's been a little complicated to deal with," Muskegon County Road Commission maintenance superintendent Drew Nichols said. Sign up for the Storm Team 8 daily forecast newsletter He said the night crew would be on the lookout for refreezing and drifts — though with snow and winds lessening toward the evening, drifting was not as bad as earlier in the day. He said with more snow and cold temperatures in the forecast for the next few days, crews may rely on more on sand rather than simply salt to treat the roads. "The snow we can deal with. It's the ice that gets a little interesting," Nichols said. —News 8's Susan Samples, Josh Sanchez, Rachel Van Gilder and Katherine Wilkison contributed to this report.
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Windy winter storm hits West Michigan
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Soaking rain and thunderstorms on Sunday led to impactful wind and lake-effect snow on Monday in West Michigan. Inside woodtv.com: Radar A winter storm warning is in effect for counties along and west of US-131 and a wind advisory is in along the border. Both are in effect through Monday evening. STRONG WINDS, LAKE-EFFECT MONDAY Temperatures plummeted overnight, allowing Sunday's rain to freeze on area roadways. Several inches of snow stacked up on area roadways, causing dozens of crashes Monday morning. Luckily, the worst of the conditions are in the past. Snow will begin to lighten and eventually taper off Monday evening. As the warnings and advisories expire, expect widespread snow totals of 4 to 8 inches or more along and west of US-131, with 1 to 3 inches farther inland. As the system comes to a close, winds will begin to quiet as well. Sign up for the Storm Team 8 daily forecast newsletter This comes on the heels of a very windy morning: Top wind gusts were reported in the 50 to 60 mph range. COLD THROUGH NEW YEAR'S DAY Cold temperatures will last through the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026. Occasional snow chances will remain through at least New Year's Day. Stay with Storm Team 8 on air and online through the event for the latest updates.
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Snow Sport Report: Dec. 24, 2025
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — This marks the last Snow Sport Report of 2025, and I'm sure there have been very few complaints about how the winter has started if you enjoy the white stuff. December to date is still running well below average. This helped to build the snowpack and allowed ski resorts to make tons of snow. Freezing rain Friday may impact post-holiday travel This past week, we did see a pull-back of the harshest winter conditions with warmer than average temperatures invading much of the U.S. Still, a good start in terms of snow for most. The cold and resultant lake-effect really helped lakeshore communities pile it on. Muskegon County winter sports park celebrates early heavy snow There's no question that the recent warming has eaten away at a lot of snow, especially across Lower Michigan. Very little snow will fall this weekend across Lower Michigan. The U.P. could get anywhere between 2 and 6 inches by late Sunday. Download the free Storm Team 8 weather app SKIERS This is the busiest time of year for ski resorts, and the weekend looks good — but for one exception. Here's a picture of my daughter and her boyfriend taking advantage of the slopes at Cannonsburg. The exception I'm alluding to is the chance of freezing rain Friday. It looks like freezing rain will only be an issue during the morning hours then pealing away during the afternoon. Fortunately, the skiing looks much better Saturday. A strong storm system will intensify across Michigan Sunday. Initially we'll be on the warm side of it with rain showers expected Sunday. As the system departs Monday much colder air, wind and snow will develop. Behind the front, a colder pattern develops next week that should bring in more chances of snow across the state, especially areas prone to lake-effect. Below is the expected snowfall this upcoming week through Friday January 2nd. And whatever falls will stick around in this colder pattern that will develop. Here's the status of slopes as of Christmas Eve. Keep in mind those that are not currently at 100% will likely add additional runs during the days ahead. Storm Team 8 Forecast SCHUSS: It's the holiday season and full speed ahead. Holiday hours in effect. Christmas 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Great news! Night skiing begins Friday. That means slopes will be open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Plus, all terrain parks will be open Friday. CANNONSBURG: Cannonsburg will be closed Christmas but back in action Friday through Dec. 30 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. New Year's Eve 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and New Year's Day 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. BITTERSWEET: Open Christmas 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. this weekend and New Year's Eve 9 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. with a fireworks display. CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN: Open Christmas 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday through Jan. 3 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. CABERFAE PEAKS: Open Christmas 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday through Jan. 3 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. BOYNE MOUNTAIN: Open Christmas Day 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. with similar hours through Jan. 3. BOYNE HIGHLANDS: Open Christmas Day 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with night skiing beginning Friday! NUB'S NOB: Open Christmas Day 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. From Friday through Dec. 30, the hours of operation will be 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. On New Year's Eve, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. TREE TOPS: Open Christmas 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. From Friday through Jan. 3, 10 a.m. 8 p.m. Extreme tubing Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. SNOWMOBILERS The trails across Lower Michigan have taken a hit due to the recent warmth. There's still a few you can ride poor to good conditions from US-10 north or the Baldwin/Cadillac area to Houghton Lake north. Here's a view of Trail 7 camera in Gaylord. You can see that the snow is thin and even down to snirt in spots. If you want the best overall trails and don't mind the extra money and miles to get there, I would suggest crossing the bridge. Any of the trails from M-28 north near the Lake Superior shoreline should put a smile on your face. Whenever we are in a milder pattern, I look to see when winter conditions may make a return. The latest 8-14 day temperature outlook doesn't appear encouraging, but I'm not so sure it's going to be correct. The ECMWF ensembles are suggesting it could be quite a bit colder across the Great Lakes. I know it might be "wish-casting" on my part but it is at least a possibility to consider. Either way, enjoy the snow that's out there and the wonderful first month of the season. Hopefully 2026 will continue the trend. Sign up for the Storm Team 8 daily forecast newsletter The Snow Sport Report is sponsored by Schuss Mountain at Shanty Creek Resort.
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Freezing rain winds down in West MI Friday
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Freezing rain has ended across West Michigan Friday afternoon. The winter weather advisory that was in effect has ended as precipitation moved east of the state. Storm Team 8 Forecast Improving conditions are being felt as temperatures lift into the upper 30s, helping to melt away the ice. Temperatures will warm up further during the upcoming weekend with highs getting into the 40s both Saturday and Sunday. A stronger system Monday will likely lead to more adverse traveling conditions.
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Ask Ellen: What is the winter solstice?
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich (WOOD) — The winter solstice happens once a year when the Earth's axis is tilted furthest from the sun in the northern or southern hemisphere. Here in North America, our winter solstice lands on Dec. 21 or 22 each year. In the Southern Hemisphere, the winter solstice occurs on June 21 or 22. THE EARTH IS TILTED As the Earth orbits the Sun, which takes 365 days, it does so at a tilt of 23.5 degrees. This tilt is the reason we have seasons. When the tilted part of the Earth is close to the Sun, temperatures warm and summer occurs. When the tilted part of the Earth leans away from the sun, less light hits the planet, causing cooler temperatures and winter. DAYLIGHT INCREASES AFTER WINTER SOLSTICE While the winter solstice is known as the "start of winter" astronomically, it actually marks the turning point to increasing daylight. Starting the day after the solstice, daylight begins to rise incrementally by a few seconds at a time. By the fourth day following the winter solstice in Grand Rapids, a whole 35 seconds of daylight will have been added since making the turn. Latitude is significant when talking about the amount of daylight a location receives. Grand Rapids sees only nine hours of sunlight on the winter solstice but more than 15 hours of daylight on the summer solstice! As a rule, the closer to the equator, the less fluctuation the day length has. Spots on the equator always feature 12 hours of daylight, whereas places like Barrow, Alaska, spend a full 64 days in complete darkness around the winter solstice and nearly three months of continuous daylight in the summer!
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Chief Meteorologist Ellen Bacca (and husband Mark) welcomed their first child over the weekend, with the birth of Piper Sunny. Check out these sweet pictures<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hurricane Lee continues to slowly track toward the United States. Click here for the latest on intensity and path<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Saturday brought plenty of sunshine and calm conditions. Bill’s Blog dives into what is currently the calmest day of 2023.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
WEATHER WEAR<\/strong>
Rain Jacket
Umbrella<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SUNRISE<\/strong> 7:17 a.m.
SUNSET<\/strong> 7:59 p.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is my command – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
JOSHUA 1:9 NLTGrand Rapids / Lakeshore
Kalamazoo
Battle Creek
Benton Harbor