Can You Believe It? Snow Spotted in Michigan Before Fall Even Starts

Can you believe it? Snowflakes were spotted falling in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula earlier today, nearly three weeks before fall officially arrives. Yes, you read that right. Snow. Not frost, not leaves, not hail, but honest-to-goodness flakes of actual snow, giving locals a very early taste of winter.

But how much later will it really hit?

Eddie Brecht Captures the Snow

The video below was captured by Eddie Brecht, manager of Fletchy's Otter Belly Lodge in Eagle Harbor. Brecht told WJBK-TV that he was outside doing chores when he noticed the rain changing to snow.

He recorded the footage earlier today, September 4.

“Alright guys, I just had to show you for myself,” Brecht says. “I don't know if you can see it landing on my jacket too. It's snowing. It's coming down—a snow-rain mix. Pretty incredible.”

September Snow Is Rare in the U.P.

Even in the Upper Peninsula, snow in September is rare. According to the National Weather Service in Marquette, measurable snow at this time of year is uncommon, with the earliest recorded totals typically arriving closer to mid-September. Traces of snow have been reported even earlier, dating back to September 1917 in the Houghton/Hancock area, but those events were brief and scattered.

Why It Happened: Lake-Effect and Cool Temperatures

Lake-effect conditions, combined with cooler-than-average temperatures this week, helped create the perfect setup for snow to mix with rain over the Keweenaw Peninsula. Even so, locals were surprised to see flakes landing on their jackets so far ahead of the official start of fall.