The Ice Storm Cometh - And Your Favorite Winter Storm

Submitted by xtramelanin on

Mates,

It looks like we could be in for some epic weather this weekend, from top to bottom of the state.   Could be the kind of storm that LSA has to work for a week straight if the power goes out with all the ice they are predicting.  The middle of the state is in for a whacking with ice:

Some more info here:

 

And for up north there is over a foot of wet snow predicted, then ice to cover it all.  Its supposed to come in waves throughtout the entire weekend, too. Did I mention the gale force winds on the lakes, 15 foot waves?  I guess fishing will have to wait for a weekend.

Sat A.M. EDIT:  Snow up here is way, way heavy with moisture, trees starting to bow down l-o-w, and the winds are picking up.  Could get interesting if the rest of the weather prophesy unfolds as predicted.

Two questions for you all:

1.  Are you prepared if/when the power goes out this weekend?

2.  What's your memory of your favorite winter storm?  When was it and how gigantic did it get?

If it turns out as bad as advertised, be safe you all.

XM

Mr. Elbel

April 14th, 2018 at 8:57 AM ^

Ice storm over Christmas in Flint probably about mid-2000's. Knocked out power as we were opening presents on Christmas Eve evening (we're weird like that). Had to open the rest by candle light. The discovered 3 inches of water covering our finished basement on Christmas morning. Spent the rest of the week hauling carpet to the curb and pumping out water. Good times.

mischill

April 14th, 2018 at 10:20 AM ^

I’m a teacher, so any storm that gets us a snow day is ok in my book. I will say that my least favorite storm ever came a couple years ago on the night that I had tickets to see Jason Isbell in Royal Oak. Had to waste them, and sat at the kitchen counter drinking bourbon instead.

Seth

April 14th, 2018 at 11:27 AM ^

I don't have a memory of this winter storm because I literally didn't exist yet, but thanks to the Blizzard of '79 late October/early November in my grade always had a glut of birthday parties.

rob f

April 14th, 2018 at 12:21 PM ^

was born about 2 weeks early DURING that blizzard and her dad (my sister Kathy's hubby) was stranded at work 15 miles away, snowbound for a day and a half after she was born. It took a major expedition to reach my sister to get her to the hospital in GR before giving birth: they sent a snow plow AND a 4-wheel drive vehicle AND a snowmobile to get her from rural Caledonia. From what I've heard, there were a lot of babies born early during that storm, as the barometric pressure was so low as to cause a lot of near-term moms to go into labor. And because my niece is also my god-daughter, that's my favorite winter storm (not to mention the 3-4 days off work to wait for the 30+" of snow to get plowed).

Wendyk5

April 14th, 2018 at 12:11 PM ^

Maybe 8 years ago, we had such a huge snowstorm here in Chicago that the drifts outside our garage were six feet and people were cross country skiing down the main thoroughfares. With that said, I'm done with winter. Hate every moment of it. Since my daughter is a high school freshman, I have three to go. Then I'm out. 

Blue Ninja

April 14th, 2018 at 12:15 PM ^

I remember that one well. I was 9 years old and my dad got stuck at work so my mom and I went out and began clearing all the very large branches in the driveway and trying to shovel out. For several days the best way to get around was by snowmobile.

Maize4Life

April 14th, 2018 at 12:52 PM ^

had to be mid 70s ish..Living In Boyne City as a kid..HUGE blizzard and the damm school didnt close and we had to report...I remember holding on too my little sister as we walked to school and there was so much snow I could barely even see her..Then of course we all got trapped at school...talk about a disaster

StephenRKass

April 14th, 2018 at 1:27 PM ^

  1. Grew up in Chicago, and still vividly remember the blizzard of 67. All the cars (not just those affected by snowdrifts) had snow up to the windows. They used huge front loaders to clear the streets. The piles of snow were a good 12 - 14 feet high. As it got warmer, they solidified. I still remember when it was warming up in May, that the piles of snow were yet above my head. I was wearing short sleeves, it was warm out, but the snow was still piled up.
  2. January 1978, Ann Arbor. I was a freshman. Didn't realize how rare snow days were, but we had a couple.
  3. June 1992. Was living in rural Nevada . . . first time I experienced snow in the mountain passes.

UM Griff

April 15th, 2018 at 6:24 PM ^

Was the ice storm in Maine in 1998(?). Power was out for 14 days - I had to winterize my plumbing and move in with friends who had a wood stove. I was never so appreciative of modern convieniences like a hot shower :)