NEGAUNEE TWP (WWJ) -- Twenty inches of snow fell in an Upper Peninsula town Thursday, breaking a record from 1990 and bringing to mind one of the worst winter storms to blow across Northern Michigan.
While winter has been fairly mild across Metro Detroit and mid-Michigan, storms have hit Northern Michigan and the west side of the state, bringing significant snowfall.
On Thursday, Negaunee Township -- located just west of Marquette in the Upper Peninsula -- got 20 inches of snow, breaking a record from over 30 years ago.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the previous record was six inches, which fell on Feb. 23, 1990.
Other areas in Northern Michigan saw record snow totals as well, including 14 inches in Palmer, 13 inches in Forsyth Twp and 12 inches in Sands Twp.
Meanwhile, this week marks the anniversary of what NWS called "one of the most devastating ice storms in northern Michigan."
From Feb. 21 to 23, 1922, a swath of northern mid-Michigan experience two days of heavy rain -- more than four inches in some areas. With temperatures just below 32 degrees, the precipitation froze, weighing down tree limbs as well as telephone, telegraph and electric lines and poles, pulling many to the ground.
Annihilating infrastructure and devastating entire orchards of fruit trees, the 1922 ice storm caused over $5 million in damage.
North of the strip, precipitation fell as snow and sleet, and southern Michigan saw rain and slush -- both avoiding the frozen glaze and overwhelming destruction.
Closer to home, the Metro Detroit area is still struggling to recover from this weekend's ice storm.
DTE president and COO Trevor Lauer provided an update during a conference call Friday, saying that more than 450,000 customers are still without electricity, and that four thousand crews were out working to restore power.
Lauer said that priority will be given to warming centers, nursing homes and customers dependent on medical devices.
DTE hopes to have service restored to 95% of its customers by Sunday, Feb. 26.
Related
