Legal Kandil-Elsayed v. F & E Oil (2023): open and obvious ice no longer cancels an owner's dutyMichigan salt Detroit Salt mines 1,100 to 1,200 feet under the cityNOAA normal Detroit (DTW) averages about 45 inches of snow a seasonFreeze-thaw About 69 freeze-thaw days a year at DTW in our count of NOAA dataEst. treated salt Pre-treated bulk salt usually runs $20–$50 a ton over plain rock saltEst. salt brine Salt brine by the gallon: roughly $0.20–$0.40, before deliveryEst. bagged rock salt Pallet of 49 × 50 lb rock salt bags: roughly $240–$330Est. ice melt pallet Pallet of 49 × 50 lb blended ice melt: roughly $430–$600Rule of thumb Plain rock salt slows way down below about 15°F pavement temperatureFall pre-buy Lock in tons and pickup or delivery before the first storm, not during itLegal Kandil-Elsayed v. F & E Oil (2023): open and obvious ice no longer cancels an owner's dutyMichigan salt Detroit Salt mines 1,100 to 1,200 feet under the cityNOAA normal Detroit (DTW) averages about 45 inches of snow a seasonFreeze-thaw About 69 freeze-thaw days a year at DTW in our count of NOAA dataEst. treated salt Pre-treated bulk salt usually runs $20–$50 a ton over plain rock saltEst. salt brine Salt brine by the gallon: roughly $0.20–$0.40, before deliveryEst. bagged rock salt Pallet of 49 × 50 lb rock salt bags: roughly $240–$330Est. ice melt pallet Pallet of 49 × 50 lb blended ice melt: roughly $430–$600Rule of thumb Plain rock salt slows way down below about 15°F pavement temperatureFall pre-buy Lock in tons and pickup or delivery before the first storm, not during it

Price figures are estimates from public bids and published price lists, not quotes. Where these numbers come from

Home › Snow & Ice Guide › How a Michigan winter unfolds

How a Michigan winter unfolds

Metro Detroit snowfall, freeze-thaw counts, lake effect and the season month by month.

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A Metro Detroit winter brings steady snow, cold snaps and frequent freeze-thaw; West Michigan adds lake-effect bands. Here's how a typical season tends to go. Any given year can differ.

Snowfall and freeze-thaw

Place	Average seasonal snowfall	Freeze-thaw days a year
Detroit (DTW)	45.0 in	69.3

Snowfall: NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals.¹ Freeze-thaw days: our count of days with a high above 32°F and a low below 32°F in NOAA GHCN-Daily records, 1991–2020 average.²

The season, month by month

November: line up supply

First snows and lake-effect in the west. Pre-buy and fill your pile.

December: first storms

Pavement still warm. Brine ahead; rock salt works on most events.

January to February: the core of winter

Coldest pavement and the most snow. Treated salt and calcium.

March: freeze-thaw

Warm days, cold nights. Watch pile melt refreeze.

Next in the guideStorm-readiness checklist →

Sources

Figures are quoted from the sources above. Conditions on your sites vary; follow product labels and your own calibration.