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• Snow Sport Report: Dec. 11, 2025

  GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — It would be difficult to improve on this weather pattern if you are a snow enthusiast. Two consecutive weeks of below average temperatures has placed Grand Rapids in its fifth coldest start to a December. Muskegon County winter sports park celebrates early heavy snow Take advantage of it, especially snowmobilers, as there appears to be a pattern change to warmer temperatures next week. After a cold weekend, a ridge begins to develop into the Great Lakes by the middle of next week. This will likely bring in a surge of snow melting temperatures. Below is the ECMWF model meteogram of temperatures reflecting the warm-up. The 8-14 day temperature outlook confirms this warm-up that may jeopardize a white Christmas. I don't want to be a Debby Downer about the chances of a white Christmas, so let's check out all the snow we've enjoyed so far. Locally, Plainwell takes the golden shovel award, with Muskegon close behind. The snow depth across the state remains impressive. Season snow totals are adding up with more on the way No big storm systems on the horizon, but Lake Michigan and its lake-effect will pad the snowpack through the weekend. The next round will arrive statewide Friday evening. We certainly won't melt any snow this weekend and lake-effect belts amidst the cold will add onto the snow depth through the weekend. Download the free Storm Team 8 weather app SKIERS If you don't mind braving the cold it will be an excellent weekend to hit the slopes. The bonus is that all resorts are open! Dress warm, as this will be a very cold weekend — especially when you factor in the wind chills. Wind chills Saturday will occasionally dip below zero. The cold Sunday won't be quite as biting, but will remain frigid. Storm Team 8 Forecast SCHUSS: The resort has already received 32 inches of snow this season and more on the way this weekend. Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Daily skiing begins December 18th. CANNONSBURG: Cannonsburg opens Friday at 4 p.m. and will remain open Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. and the following week 4 p.m. - 9 a.m. Don't forget to make reservations for the Winter Forest. It runs two more weekends, with hours on Fridays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. BITTERSWEET: Open 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. 73% of the runs are open with a base of 6-12 inches. CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN: Open Friday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Crystal team is working hard to have 40 runs open this weekend. Daily skiing and night skiing opens December 19th. CABERFAE PEAKS: Nearly 38 inches of snow has covered the Peaks of Caberfae this season to date, with a base up to three feet. Peaks is open Friday from 10 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. BOYNE MOUNTAIN: Open daily for the season from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Night skiing begins December 19th. BOYNE HIGHLANDS: Open daily for the season this Friday. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Night skiing begins December 20th. NUBS NOB: Open Friday for the season. Hours will be 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Both the south and front side mountain runs are anticipated to be open. TREE TOPS: Open this Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Current base peaks at 30 inches, with over 32 inches of snow this season. Extreme tubing begins December 20th. SNOWMOBILERS Get after it snowmobilers! After this weekend, a considerable, pre-Christmas (bah humbug) warm-up is likely. Previous storm systems unfortunately did not help the Allegan county trails, but they are still reported as "fair". Below is the the latest trail report from SORVA:
  
  "Sorry I haven’t able to get the update sooner. But trail sections are open an have be groomed. With the exception of the west loop crayon number 592. We hope to get more and groom more this week. NOTICE: Minimum of four inches of base snow on the trail required before opening.  We are getting landowner complaints that sleds are on the trail too soon. Also no ORVS or wheeled vehicles. Please follow the 4 inch rule, or we will lose the trail. Keeping the trail is hard enough, so please don’t make this harder than it already is. Thank you, and see you on the trail" The Muskegon, Oceana to Newaygo trails are still holding on. A warning from the West Shore Snowmobile Council. Attention all snowmobilers in the state of Michigan, more so Muskegon County. STAY ON THE TRAIL when on the Muskegon County waste water property. Do not cut through the fields. We are on the verge of losing the only connector out of Muskegon. Wastewater has crops planted that are being damaged and we are trying to hold them back from taking our easement away. If we lose this it will be the end of any trail rides to seven mile inn Twin Lake or Shelby from the Red Barn. Please pass the message along. We will be out this weekend with more signs and barricades but we can only do so much . They now have a designated sheriff patrolling the area along with the DNR being fully aware of the issues. Stay on marked trails and be aware of where you are riding." Cadillac and Baldwin trails area indicating some of the best trail conditions to start a season in many years. The latest reports indicate groomers are doing a great job. Keep in mind, there's still some soft terrain out there as a few spots have not completely frozen up yet. Houghton Lake, Mancelona and Gaylord to Petoskey are reporting excellent conditions for the time of year. The bonus: with very cold temperatures and a few more inches of snow expected, it will help add to and freeze up the base. U.P. trails are going to be the best from M-28 north or trail 8/9 north from Sault Ste. Marie, Newberry, Seney, Shingleton to Gwinn. As I mentioned earlier in the report, it appears some snow eating temperatures will arrive leading up the Christmas and beginning as early as next week. I'm not so concerned about the ski resorts, as they will have a good base but more so for snowmobilers. So take advantage of the snow while it's good. Sign up for the Storm Team 8 daily forecast newsletter The Snow Sport Report is sponsored by Schuss Mountain at Shanty Creek Resort.

• School closing prediction for Wednesday, Dec. 10

  Below, see the predictions for whether West Michigan school districts will be closed Wednesday, Dec. 10. If you are looking for another day, click here for the latest school closing predictions article. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A mix of snow and rain, some of which will be heavy, is likely to close schools in some of West Michigan Wednesday. Blake will have more analysis tonight on WOOD TV8 at 7 p.m. and will be hosting a livestream on Instagram at 7:30 p.m., which you can watch here. A winter weather advisory is in effect for Ottawa, Kent and Ionia counties north from 10 p.m. Tuesday until 4 p.m. Wednesday. Along and north of I-96 can expect to receive a general 4-6 inches of snow, with less south. Snow will begin everywhere this evening, arriving between 9 p.m. and midnight. Slowly, some rain will begin mixing in as temperatures warm to the mid-30s, especially south of I-96. Even if the changeover occurs, rain could still fall on snow-covered roads and create icy conditions, especially on rural roads. Wednesday system to bring rain and snow across West Michigan Therefore, the commute is likely to be slick across most of the area and will likely be enough for closings north of Grand Rapids. Ottawa & Kent The best chance for closings will be north and east of Grand Rapids, where the heaviest snowfall accumulations (4 to 6 inches by midday) occur. This includes places like Kent City, Cedar Springs, Sparta, Rockford and Lowell. Elsewhere, a mix with rain is expected at some point overnight. However, any untreated dirt or gravel road could ice over if rain falls on top of snow. For that reason, closings very much remain a possibility even if the changeover occurs. The chance is low for now across Ottawa and southern Kent counties, but the chance could increase quickly if this icing occurs. Northern area The best chance for closings will be across Montcalm, Newaygo, Oceana and Mecosta counties, where the snow will be most persistent. Widespread totals of 4 to 6 inches are likely there by midday Wednesday. Even if rain manages to briefly mix in (appears unlikely this far north), back roads will likely become very icy. Widespread closings are likely here. A moderate chance also exists across Ionia County for the same reasons. For analysis on Ottawa and Kent counties, see the section above this one. Inside woodtv.com: Radar Southern area A changeover from snow to rain is likely across southwest Michigan overnight, which will likely improve conditions on the main roads. However, dirt and rural roads could actually ice over, which would make conditions first. Closing chances remain as a result, especially in more rural areas north of Kalamazoo. South of Kalamazoo and Battle Creek, too little snow will fall to lead to closings, though a few ice-related closures remain possible. For analysis on Kalamazoo and Battle Creek, see the section below this one. Kalamazoo With only an inch or two of snow falling before the changeover to rain occurs, closings are unlikely in the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek areas. Icy roads remain a concern, however, in rural areas as the rain could freeze over snow-covered roads. A low chance exists near and north of I-94, with a very low chance south. Looking ahead Though light snow chances will continue through the remainder of the week, closing chances Thursday and Friday will likely be quite low.

• Wednesday system brings rain, snow across West Michigan

  GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Snow showers kicked off Wednesday morning, resulting in a slushy commute for many. As expected, the highest snow totals were near and north of I-96. More rain mixed in south allowing areas like Hastings to only see around an inch. Lakeview in Montcalm County has the highest report so far with 5 inches. Though snow was expected to slow drastically into the afternoon, a winter weather advisory was scheduled to continue until 4 p.m. Wednesday Light, lake-effect snow was forecast continue Wednesday afternoon through Thursday. Snow totals are expected be to quite minor, with some cities in Allegan and Van Buren County seeing up to 2 inches. The other issues lies with temperatures. Highs Wednesday technically reached the mid-30s early Wednesday morning, but continued to fall in the afternoon into the 20s. With below-freezing temperatures making a return, any untreated roads or slush will freeze over. This could make for a messy evening commute. Inside woodtv.com: Radar The concern over roads freezing over resulted in several delays and cancellations for counties from Grand Rapids to the north. Download the free Storm Team 8 weather app Colder air surges right back in for the weekend. The next good chance of widespread accumulating snow will be Friday after sunset into Saturday. Stay with Storm Team 8 for the latest. You can submit your snow photos at WOODTV.com/ReportIt.

• Magnitude 7.5 quake in northern Japan injures 23 people and triggers a tsunami

  TOKYO (AP) — A powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck off northern Japan late Monday, injuring 23 people and triggering a tsunami in Pacific coast communities, officials said. Authorities warned of possible aftershocks and an increased risk of a megaquake. The Japanese government was still assessing damages from the tsunami and late-evening quake, which struck at about 11:15 p.m. in the Pacific Ocean, around 80 kilometers (50 miles) off the coast of Aomori, the northernmost prefecture of Japan’s main Honshu island. “I’ve never experienced such a big shaking,” convenience store owner Nobuo Yamada told the public broadcaster NHK in the Aomori prefecture town of Hachinohe, adding that “luckily” power lines were still operating in his area. A tsunami of up to 70 centimeters (2 feet, 4 inches) was measured in Kuji port in Iwate prefecture, just south of Aomori, and tsunami levels of up to 50 centimeters struck other coastal communities in the region, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said 23 people were injured, including one seriously. Most of them were hit by falling objects, NHK reported, adding that several people were injured in a hotel in Hachinohe and a man in Tohoku was slightly hurt when his car fell into a hole. The meteorological agency reported the quake's magnitude as 7.5, down from its earlier estimate of 7.6. It issued an alert for potential tsunami surges of up to 3 meters (10 feet) in some areas and later downgraded to an advisory. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara urged residents to go to higher ground or seek shelter until advisories were lifted. He said about 800 homes were without electricity, and that the Shinkansen bullet trains and some local lines were suspended in parts of the region. Nuclear power plants in the region were conducting safety checks, Kihara said. The Nuclear Regulation Authority said about 450 liters (118 gallons) of water spilled from a spent fuel cooling area at the Rokkasho fuel reprocessing plant in Aomori, but that its water level remained within the normal range and there was no safety concern. About 480 residents were taking shelter at the Hachinohe Air Base, and 18 defense helicopters were mobilized for a damage assessment, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said. About 200 passengers were stranded for the night at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido, NHK reported. The meteorological agency issued a caution about possible aftershocks in the coming days. It said there is a slight increase in risk of a magnitude 8-level quake and possible tsunami occurring along Japan's northeastern coast from Chiba, just east of Tokyo, to Hokkaido. The agency urged residents in 182 municipalities in the area to monitor their emergency preparedness in the coming week. Satoshi Kato, a vice principal of a public high school in Hachinohe, told NHK that he was at home when the quake struck, and that glasses and bowls fell and smashed into shards on the floor. Kato said he drove to the school because it was designated an evacuation center, and on the way he encountered traffic jams and car accidents as panicked people tried to flee. Nobody had yet come to the school to take shelter, he said. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in brief comments to reporters that the government set up an emergency task force to urgently assess the extent of damage. “We are putting people’s lives first and doing everything we can,” she said. Later, she urged residents in the region to pay attention to the latest information from local municipalities. “Please be prepared so you can immediately evacuate as soon as you feel a tremor." The quake struck about 80 kilometers (50 miles) northeast of Hachinohe, and about 50 kilometers (30 miles) below the sea surface, the meteorological agency said. It was just north of the Japanese coast that suffered the magnitude 9.0 quake and tsunami in 2011 that killed nearly 20,000 people and destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. “You need to prepare, assuming that a disaster like that could happen again," the meteorological agency's earthquake and volcano division official Satoshi Harada said.

• No change in sight: Snow and cold temperatures continue

  GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — With an average temperature of 21.3 degrees, the first seven days of December marks the fourth coldest on record in Grand Rapids. TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY SYSTEMS It doesn't happen often, but there will be two separate systems impacting West Michigan in less than 24 hours. The first round arrives Tuesday morning with the best chance of accumulating snow near and north of I-96. The system will move quickly with only a few inches expected. ReportIt: Send us your photos A break in the snow will arrive Tuesday afternoon before a secondary system slides in Tuesday night. Initially falling as snow, temperatures will warm overnight, allowing a transition over to rain. Inside woodtv.com: Radar There is expected to be a relatively sharp cutoff between snow and a wintry mix. Areas near and north of I-96 are still expected to see 4 inches of snow or more. Wednesday morning brings the best chance for accumulating snow into the week ahead. However, lingering snow chances will likely persist through the weekend. COLD HERE TO STAY Cold air continues to pour in this week, with a good chance of below-average temperatures through at least Dec. 16. Highs this weekend will remain in the teens. Temperatures may relax closer to average nearing Christmas, with highs in the low to mid 30s. Widespread melt is not anticipated, but this could lead to a more comfortable holiday for enjoyment and travel. Sign up for the Storm Team 8 daily forecast newsletter Stay with Storm Team 8 for the details.

• Snow Sport Report: Dec. 4, 2025

  GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The weather pattern that brought winter to Michigan around Thanksgiving has put a smile on snow lovers' and ski resort owners' faces. This is one of the best starts to winter in a decade. Cold and snow go hand-in-hand in Michigan. Muskegon County winter sports park celebrates early heavy snow Most of the nation has experienced the turn to cold. Now that the cold air has arrived, it will stick around. I don't see any snow melting any time soon. More often than not, below-average temperatures will stick around through mid-December. This will result in the current snowpack sticking around, also providing for great snowmaking conditions for ski resorts. Speaking of snow, it's been a great start to the season, with lakeshore areas receiving the most: Season snow totals are adding up with more on the way Mother Nature will add a little bit to the snow base this weekend with a cold front Saturday morning and a weak system grazing us from the south. There's a good bet most of lower Michigan will receive 1 to 3 inches of snow by the the end of the weekend. Higher amounts of 4 to 8 inches are more likely across the Straits of Mackinac and eastern Upper Peninsula, Download the free Storm Team 8 weather app SKIERS The recent cold has been a boon to ski resorts as the snow machines have been working overtime. Above, you can see good snow where the runs of Kings Canyon and Good Knight come together at the base of the Yellow chairlift at Schuss Mountain. This will be the opening weekend for many resorts and if your favorite resort isn't open this weekend, it will welcome you the next weekend. High temperatures both days this weekend will be in the 20s across northern Michigan. Saturday will be a little warmer if you are skiing Bittersweet. Storm Team 8 Forecast SCHUSS: Perks for those season pass holders. Schuss will open the Magic Carpet and the Purple chairlift for season pass holders Saturday 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. CANNONSBURG: Next weekend will be the target day for opening day. Stay tuned. BITTERSWEET: Opening Thursday at 3 p.m. Open 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. CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN: Open Friday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Slopes will be closed Monday through Thursday for additional snowmaking. CABERFAE PEAKS: Open Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. BOYNE MOUNTAIN: Opening Friday, Dec. 5. BOYNE HIGHLANDS: Opening Thursday, Dec. 4 from 12 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Also open Friday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. NUBS NOB: Opening Saturday, Dec. 6 and Dec. 7, noon to 4:30 p.m. They anticipate 12 runs will be open serviced by three chairlifts. TREE TOPS: Open this Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., then closed through the following week Friday. SNOWMOBILERS I can't even recall the last time you could ride trails near Grand Rapids on opening day. Here's picture of some of my riding partners Tuesday: They rode trail 19 out of Ravenna. They said considering the time of year, the trail was in good condition with leaves coming up in some of the corners. Trails are obviously the best closer to Lake Michigan where the snowbelts are. It's early season riding, so there are a couple of things to keep in mind: One is that the ground is not frozen yet. This has led to a few incidents of sleds getting stuck and wet. Second, make sure to check groomer reports (35 alone in Lower Michigan) on your planned riding route as the pre-Thanksgiving Day storm brought down a few branches. The pattern forward looks favorable to keep the snow around. The latest eight- to 14-day temperature and precipitation outlooks have a great combo of below-average temperatures and above-average precipitation. Sign up for the Storm Team 8 daily forecast newsletter I hope you're as excited as I am about the snow and I look forward to providing additional Snow Sport Reports every Thursday through this winter. The Snow Sport Report is sponsored by Schuss Mountain at Shanty Creek Resort.

• Season snow totals are adding up with more on the way

  GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — As forecasted, the winter has started out with a bang: Snow chances have been persistent the last 10 days, with more on the way this week. HOW MUCH SNOW FELL SUNDAY AND MONDAY? Snow totals were very impressive from the band that set up over Oceana, Muskegon and Ottawa counties Monday night. In fact, the single day record for Dec. 1 was broken in Muskegon. Other reports from Nov. 30 to Dec. 1: Mears: 15 inches Spring Lake: 11.5 inches Norton Shore: 8.6 inches Ludington: 8 inches Muskegon: 7.5 inches Montague: 6 inches ReportIt: Send us your photos WHAT ARE THE SEASON SNOWFALL TOTALS? Monday and Tuesday's system comes on the heels of a widespread system snow over the weekend. Muskegon currently tops the list with over 2 feet so far this season. Grand Rapids has seen just short of a foot of snow. Further inland, Lansing has been around 9 inches. IS THERE MORE SNOW ON THE WAY? There are a few systems in the 8-day forecast that may bring considerably more snow to West Michigan. Inside woodtv.com: Radar The first arrives on Saturday and looks to have relatively minor impacts. Preliminary forecasts indicate a couple of inches of fresh snow possible. Toward the middle of next week, a longer disturbance could bring system snow to West Michigan yet again. Stay with Storm Team 8 for details.

• Plows work to clear Muskegon roads after another round of snow

  MUSKEGON, Mich. (WOOD) — People in Muskegon spent Monday cleaning up from the weekend snowstorm, even after another round pelted lakeshore communities. On Monday afternoon, Bernadette Young was clearing off the end of her driveway. She is used to the routine of snow removal in Muskegon. “The plows had come through and I just want to clean it up. It's sort of hard,” Young said. Heavy snow at lakeshore continues overnight She uses a shovel and a snowblower to keep the snow from building up. “The ideal snow for me would be 2 inches, three times a week. But when it all comes at once, it does get harder, as you get older,” Young said. Snow was coming down so hard in the area that the Muskegon County Airport announced it was closing the airfield until about 8 a.m. Tuesday. Delbert Smith and his wife Dorris Smith returned home Sunday night from a trip to Mississippi. “I've been in Michigan almost all my life, so I'm kind of used to it. But when we got home last night, we were surprised to see it being the way it was because when we left, there was nothing — nothing but some leaves,” Delbert Smith said. They were not sure how much snow would be blanketing their driveway. “Some of our neighbors had been texting us and telling us it was 6 to 12 inches of snow. I didn't think it was that much, but when we got here and we saw it, yeah, it was a surprise,” Dorris Smith said. ReportIt: Send us your photos Their neighbor helped clear the driveway after the auger on their snowblower stopped turning. “We’ve been dealing with this for a long time, so we don’t look forward to it but we know how to deal with it,” Delbert Smith said. For longtime residents like Young, a few tips can make the process easier. “Just deal with it and as far as shovels go, get the smaller shovel because once you get a load on it, it does become heavy, so the smaller the shovel the better it is and just take your time,” Young said.

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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

TODAY<\/strong>
Widespread Rain Developing
Pockets of Locally Heavy Rain
HIGH:<\/strong> 67
LOW:<\/strong> 55
WINDS: SE 5-10 mph<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SUNRISE<\/strong> 7:17 a.m.
SUNSET<\/strong> 7:59 p.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TODAY<\/strong> Take along the rain jacket and umbrella as you head out the door, as widespread rain will be rolling through the area today. The most concentrated rain will prevail during the morning hours, with the rain becoming more scattered in nature late in the day. Amounts will range from 0.10-0.50+ and will likely be localized. Otherwise, expect overcast skies and highs in the mid-upper 60s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TUESDAY<\/strong> – WEDNESDAY<\/strong> Scattered showers continue for most of Tuesday before tapering off Wednesday morning. Cooler temperatures arrive with highs in the low to mid-60s. It will be breezy as winds come from the north at 10-20 mph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THURSDAY <\/strong> Cool and quiet conditions will prevail with more sunshine and highs in the mid-upper 60s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FRIDAY <\/strong> Plenty of sunshine is on tap, with slightly warmer air returning to the area. Afternoon highs will reach the mid-70s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WEEKEND WEATHER<\/strong> Sunshine will continue to dominate over the weekend, with highs in the low-mid 70.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LOOKING AHEAD<\/strong> The overall pattern remains mostly dry and warmer than “average” into the fourth week of September, with the 8 to 14 day outlook placing West Michigan in a drier and warmer-than-normal pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n