If you woke up this morning and had to play "find the car" under a mound of white fluff, you aren't alone. Honestly, it’s been a weird few months for anyone living between Pontiac and Downriver. We spent half of December wondering if we’d even need a shovel this year, and then January decided to show up and remind us that we live in Michigan. Metro Detroit snow totals have been jumping all over the map lately, leaving some neighborhoods buried while others just got a light dusting. It’s frustrating. It’s messy. It’s classic Southeast Michigan.
The National Weather Service (NWS) out in White Lake has been busy. They just tracked a system on January 14 and 15, 2026, that was supposed to be a "clipper" but ended up acting like a full-blown blizzard for specific spots. While the forecast originally called for maybe an inch, parts of the metro area got smacked with over 6 inches in less than 24 hours. That’s the thing about this region; the lake effect doesn’t always reach us, but when the moisture from the south hits the cold air from the north right over I-94, things get ugly fast.
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Breaking Down the Recent Metro Detroit Snow Totals
You’ve probably noticed that your cousin in Ann Arbor is complaining about a foot of snow while you’re sitting in Grosse Pointe with nothing but a wet driveway. That’s not your imagination. The variation in metro Detroit snow totals this season has been wild.
Take the late November storm we had back in 2025. Hamburg in Livingston County reported 7.1 inches. Meanwhile, over in Grosse Pointe Farms, they barely scraped together 1.4 inches. That’s a massive gap for a forty-minute drive. Here’s a look at how some of the local numbers have shaken out recently across the counties:
- Oakland County: White Lake Township saw a solid 6.1 inches during that same November stretch, and Novi wasn’t far behind at 5.2.
- Washtenaw County: Ann Arbor usually gets hit harder because of its elevation and position, clocking in at 5.7 inches during the early season surges.
- Wayne County: Dearborn Heights sat around 4.6 inches, while Southfield (just across the border in Oakland) only saw 3.3.
It’s basically a lottery. Meteorologists like Derek Kevra from FOX 2 have been pointing out that these "surprise" totals often happen because the storm tracks shift by just twenty or thirty miles. That’s the difference between a "working from home" day and a "brushing off the car for twenty minutes" day.
The Weird Science of the 2025-2026 Winter
Why is this happening? Basically, we’re dealing with a La Niña pattern. Traditionally, La Niña means a colder and wetter Great Lakes region, but it also creates high volatility.
Last winter (2024-2025) was a bit of a "snow famine" for us. Detroit ended February 2025 with only about 26.5 inches total. Usually, by that point in the year, we should have seen closer to 37 inches. We were starved for the white stuff while Gaylord was getting buried under 180 inches. This year, the atmosphere seems to be trying to make up for lost time.
Historical Context: Are These Totals Actually High?
If you talk to anyone who lived through the 70s, they’ll tell you this is nothing. They aren't entirely wrong, but they aren't entirely right either. The all-time record for a single-day snowfall in Detroit still belongs to December 1, 1974, when 18.4 inches fell at Metro Airport.
But if we look at the "Big One," that was April 6, 1886. Imagine 24.5 inches of snow hitting in April. That’s nightmare fuel. In more recent memory, the February 2015 storm gave us 16.7 inches. So, while 6 inches in a night feels like a lot when you’re stuck behind a slow salt truck on I-75, we’re still well within the "normal" range of Michigan chaos.
Why Your Shovel Feels Heavier This Year
Snow density matters. Not all metro Detroit snow totals are created equal. Some days it’s that light, powdery "Vail" snow that you can basically clear with a leaf blower. Other days—usually when the temperature is hovering right around 32 degrees—it’s "heart attack snow."
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This happens when the air is moist. Because we’re surrounded by lakes (it's in the name, after all), our snow often has a high water content. A cubic foot of light snow might weigh 7 pounds, but the wet stuff we’ve been getting lately can hit 20 pounds per cubic foot. If you’re clearing a three-car driveway in Sterling Heights, you’re literally lifting tons of water.
The Impact on Local Infrastructure
Wayne County and MDOT have been under the microscope lately. After the January 15 mess, officials vowed to improve response times. The problem is often the timing. If 4 inches falls right at 5:00 AM, the plows are stuck in the same traffic you are.
- Salt Effectiveness: When it drops below 15 degrees, traditional rock salt stops working. We’ve seen a lot of those "bitter cold" days following the snow this January, which leads to that nasty black ice on the Lodge and the Southfield Freeway.
- Plow Priorities: Main roads like Woodward or Gratiot get cleared first. If you live on a side street in Royal Oak or Ferndale, you’re likely waiting 24 to 48 hours for a blade to hit your pavement.
- Airport Delays: DTW is actually one of the best in the world at snow removal, but even they have limits. When the totals hit 6+ inches in a single session, de-icing becomes a bottleneck.
Misconceptions About Detroit Snow
People think because we're "The North," we get the most snow in the state. Not even close. Grand Rapids and Muskegon regularly double our totals because of the lake effect coming off Lake Michigan. We’re actually in a bit of a "snow shadow" most of the time.
However, we get the "ice" more than they do. The "Wintry Mix" is the true villain of the Detroit winter. It’s that transition from rain to sleet to snow that creates a layer of "concrete" on your windshield. Many of our recorded metro Detroit snow totals actually include a base layer of sleet, which makes the measurement look lower but the driving conditions much worse.
Preparing for the Rest of the Season
We aren't out of the woods yet. Statistically, February is one of our heaviest months for accumulation. If you’re looking at the numbers and feeling overwhelmed, there are a few practical things you should be doing right now.
First, check your salt supply. Stores like Meijer and Home Depot usually run out the day before a storm, so grab a bag of calcium chloride now—it works at lower temperatures than the cheap stuff. Second, clear your catch basins. If the snow melts and then freezes because the drain is blocked by slush, you’re going to have an ice rink in front of your house.
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Finally, keep an eye on the "Thumb" area. Often, a storm that gives Detroit 3 inches will dump 8 inches on Lapeer or Port Huron. If you commute north, your local total doesn't mean much once you hit M-59.
Actionable Next Steps for Residents:
- Download the NWS Mobile Site: Don't rely on generic weather apps; check the "Hourly Weather Forecast" on weather.gov for the 481 or 482 zip codes to see exactly when the changeover from rain to snow will happen.
- Check Tire Pressure: Cold air causes PSI to drop. A 10-degree temp drop can lose you 1 PSI, which drastically affects your traction on slushy Metro Detroit roads.
- Clear Your Exhaust: After a heavy dumping, make sure your car's tailpipe isn't buried in a drift before you start it up to warm it. Carbon monoxide is no joke.
- Follow MDOT on Social Media: They provide real-time updates on freeway closures and "plow maps" so you can see if I-696 has been touched yet.
The winter of 2026 is turning out to be a test of patience. Whether you're tracking metro Detroit snow totals for work or just to know if the kids have a snow day, remember that in Michigan, the only constant is change. You might be shoveling today, but it’ll probably be 50 degrees and raining by Tuesday.