Hancock, Michigan, USA – An intense lake-effect snowstorm struck Hancock on January 21, 2026, as powerful snow bands moved across Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula in the Upper Peninsula.

Video filmed by X user Isaac shows what he described as a “snowpacolypse” unfolding on a residential or urban street. Heavy snow falls rapidly and blows nearly sideways in strong winds, producing near-whiteout conditions and sharply reduced visibility.

Deep snow covers roads and driveways, with tire tracks quickly filling in as drifting snow builds along edges. Vehicles, porches, and nearby wood-sided homes with pitched roofs are dusted or partially buried by the fast-accumulating snow.

Swirling snowfall creates a hazy, chaotic scene under overcast winter light, highlighting the brutal intensity of the storm. The footage captures the raw power of classic Upper Peninsula lake-effect snow bands off Lake Superior.

This storm was part of a major lake-effect snow event affecting the Keweenaw Peninsula and western Upper Michigan in mid-to-late January 2026. Cold Arctic air passing over the warmer waters of Lake Superior fueled heavy snow bands. NWS Marquette and local reports noted accumulations of 12–24+ inches in some areas, hazardous travel, power outages in certain locations, and school and business closures.

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