Strong winds topple radio transmitter tower

The return of warm weather to the Gogebic Range on Wednesday was accompanied by lightning, rain and wind damage.

Trees were knocked down across Range roadways and the 300-foot transmitter tower that WUPM-106.9 FM radio uses on Anvil Hill in the Bessemer area was toppled by wind, according to the Gogebic County Sheriff's Department.

Gusts were recorded as high as 50 mph, according to the National Weather Service offices in Negaunee and Duluth.

WUPM's Chuck Gervasio said Thursday afternoon that programming usually broadcast on 106.9-FM was switched to 92.9-FM and 1450-AM instead. The 92.9-FM usually carries oldies music, he said.

Gervasio said there's a different translator for 92.9-FM, at the Ironwood offices, and it wasn't damaged.

He said the inside of the building at the tower that WUPM uses on Anvil Hill did not appear to be damaged.

As opposed to the usual broadcasting range of 80 miles, Gervasio said it has been reduced to from approximately west of Hurley to Wakefield.

He couldn't offer an estimate as to when the Anvil tower might be repaired.

Gervasio said police told him there was a witness to the tower going down. He said 55 mph winds shouldn't have toppled the tower, but said a wind shear with stronger winds might have occurred.

Around the same time, there were downed trees and scattered power outages in the Wakefield area.

Parts of Kimball and Saxon were also without power during the heavy winds.

Gogebic County deputies were called to a report of a tree falling on a car at 1309 Palms St. in Bessemer at 12:20 a.m. on Thursday.

The tree fell on a minivan in the driveway, and the roof, hood, windshield and passenger side windows were damaged.

The temperature quickly rose from the 40s to the lows 60s and lightning flashed in Ironwood around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, when several bolts were witnessed.

The strong winds continued off and on through Thursday. The weather service said the gusty west winds, up to 40 mph, were expected to continue through Thursday evening or early Friday morning.

Ironwood received only .06 inch of rain, but other areas of the Range received steady rainfall for a few hours.

The rain and what's left of the nearly 200 inches of snow that fell over the winter helped keep fire danger low across the Range. There's still quite a bit of snow in Gogebic County, but most of the snow is gone nearer to Lake Superior.

Minnesota, which received little snow over the winter, has battled numerous wildfires in the past two days.

Burning bans are in effect across northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin.

Fire danger will remain high until green-up arrives with warmer weather.

In Minnesota, large fires were burning near Deer River, Pequot Lakes and Tower. A half-dozen fire departments were fighting a grass fire near Eveleth.

Many of the Minnesota fires were caused by trees falling over power lines and thousands were without electricity.

Much cooler weather was forecast for Ironwood today, with a high of only 35.

Snow is possible here on Easter Sunday, when another high of 35 is predicted.