An intense April snowstorm has pummeled parts of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, blanketing the region in deep snow and causing significant power outages. According to the National Weather Service, regions could see more than two feet of snow with strong winds up to 55 miles per hour creating dangerous conditions and near-zero visibility. Forecasters issued blizzard warnings through Wednesday evening for Baraga and Marquette counties, with the expectation of up to 12 inches of fresh snow on lower grounds and more than two feet of snow across higher elevations, as reported by Patch.
The National Weather Service initially set a blizzard warning Tuesday night, but downgraded it to a winter storm warning, which is to remain in effect until early Thursday. The storm is expected to taper off Thursday afternoon, but not before adding up to an additional eight inches to areas that already saw up to 14 inches since Tuesday, the Detroit News detailed. Nearly 30,000 homes and offices, including the National Weather Service's own office in Negaunee Township, were reported without power Wednesday afternoon, operating on backup generators according to the Detroit Free Press.
Residents of the affected areas have been advised to stay indoors unless travel is necessary. "We're open right now," said Gibson Phansaithong, 22, an employee at Thai House Marquette, recounting the difficult road conditions to The Detroit News. "The roads are really slushy. Marquette's in this little bubble, everywhere else is pretty bad." Some businesses, such as Jasper Ridge Brewery in Ishpeming, chose to close due to "extremely low visibility and persistent snowfall," manager Kevin Hokenson, 40, informed the same publication.
The conditions have led to treacherous travel situations, with snow reducing visibility and causing vehicles to become stuck or slide off roads. Menominee County emergency services reported "extreme weather and road conditions," with vehicles stuck in the roadway and sliding into ditches, as per the Detroit Free Press. In addition, the Marquette Sawyer International Airport was snowed in, further highlighting the storm's impact on transportation.
Despite the spring calendar date, blizzards in April are not unheard of in the region, noted Jonathan Voss, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Last year, he mentioned it snowed in May; and in 2007, there was a 3-foot blizzard, underscoring the Upper Peninsula's susceptibility to severe winter weather even late into the season, as he told the Detroit Free Press.
