During winter months the ground snow cover is seldom less than two feet. Keweenaw's average season tallies at least 250 inches, but to set a new record, Mother Nature would have to beat the 390.4-inch record she set back in '78 - '79. This official tally doesn't reflect even higher amounts north of the measuring station at Houghton County Memorial Airport, fifty miles south of Copper Harbor. You can observe the dramatic rise of the snowbanks as you head up the peninsula past tiny Delaware, "Snow Capital of the Midwest," north to Copper Harbor. What's our secret?
Some may swear by the powers of Heikki Luunta, the mythical Finnish Snow Queen. Every winter, snow lovers pay homage to Heikki, lighting bonfires and performing inspired dances to summon flakes from the sky.
More scientifically speaking, the open waters of Lake Superior are responsible for the Keweenaw Peninsula's prodigious snowfall. The lake serves as a reliable natural snow machine, working in concert with our generally modest air temperatures (average 20 degrees Fahrenheit) to cause generous loads of snow to be dumped on Copper Harbor and the Keweenaw Peninsula in general, even when other regions are seeing little to no snowfall. The heaviest snows accumulate several miles away from the lake where the elevation rises to around 800 feet above lake level. That's why the ghost town of Delaware, 14 miles south of Copper Harbor, is called, "The Snow Capital of the Midwest." Brockway Mountain also has a generous snowfall that lasts into the late winter season to the delight of the winter sportsmen that visit the Keweenaw Peninsula.
Winter – the other season. In winter Copper Harbor becomes a true winter wonderland. Our average snowfall is 250”, most of it dry powder. The temperatures are typically mild thanks to Lake Superior surrounding the Keweenaw Peninsula.