Kim Adams: Why we got more snow than expected in Metro Detroit
ClickOnDetroit | WDIV Local 4 • • nation
Key Points:
- Meteorologists significantly underestimated snowfall in Metro Detroit, predicting about an inch but receiving roughly five times that amount, leading to a much more difficult evening commute than expected.
- The unexpected heavy snow was primarily due to a secondary cold front moving slowly through the area, which prolonged and intensified snowfall beyond initial forecasts.
- Forecasting lake-effect snow remains challenging due to its localized and variable nature, as seen in the Thumb region where some areas received less snow than predicted.
- The "butterfly effect" metaphor illustrates how small changes in atmospheric conditions can lead to large, unpredictable weather outcomes, contributing to the forecast errors.
- While forecasters acknowledge the mistake and apologize, they emphasize that such events are exceptions rather than the norm in weather
