Leelanau is looking in the eyes of the first snow of the season as temperatures drop and precipitation is expected to fall Saturday and Sunday, with the best chance.
“A colder shot of air over the Great Lakes gives us a chance of more widespread snow (across the region),” Gaylord National Weather Service meteorologist Harold Dippman said.
The first day of snow of accumulated snow in 2024 was November 21.
Dippman is uncertain where the heaviest snow will fall, depending on wind direction to the northeast or the northwest, which could affect the amount of snow Leelanau could face.
“The bottom line is a solid chance some snow flying in Leelanau County. The lake temperatures are very warm for November in the 50s. That could set up (a situation) where you are leaving Leland and it’s raining on the coast. As you get inland to Cedar and Maple City, there could be snow because of the higher terrain,” Dippman said.
Temperatures are expected to drop on Thursday night and remain low throughout Saturday and the rest of next week. Sunday is predicted to have the first snowfall, with a high of 37 and a low of 27, and Monday will be a high of 37 and a low of 28 degrees.
Dippman said this brief cold spell will have a warm up following through the second and third week of November that could even see a few days in the 50s.
Eventually, cold air will return to normal by Thanksgiving, allowing for a normal winter up north.
Dippman made a guess that Leelanau County will receive 137 inches of snow this season, which would be an average winter.
The deadline for the Leelanau Enterprise annual snowfall contest is fast approaching on Nov. 12, but people still have a couple of weeks to submit their snowfall predictions for the upcoming 2025-26 winter season.
The total snowfall accumulation in the region for the 2024-25 period came in at 128.5 inches, a significant increase from the previous year’s unusually low total of 62 inches. Last year’s winter saw significant snowfall accumulations from December to March. While it may or may not be an indication of what the winter season to come will look like, those entering the contest have the chance to take all factors into consideration when making their snowfall predictions.
The contest prizes include $200 for first place, $100 for second, and $50 for third. The fourth place winner will receive a signed copy of Ken Scott’s Back Pages of Leelanau County. The person who guesses closest to the total amount of snowfall recorded for the 2025-26 season is the winner. If there is a tie breaker, the winner will be the person who makes a guess closest to the total number of points scored in the 2026 NCAA’s Men’s Basketball Championship game.
Entries must be received by 5 p.m. on Nov. 12 at the Leelanau Enterprise office and must be filled out on the form printed in the Enterprise. Entry forms are available at the Enterprise office or by mail request by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope to 7200 E. Duck Lake Rd. Lake Leelanau, MI 49653.
