Icy conditions lead to hazardous travel Monday

Icy conditions prevailed over the weekend on area roadways and sidewalks.

Highs in the 30s and lows in the 20s since Friday aided a bit of melting and refreezing that seemed to Zamboni many surfaces. High winds and a third of an inch of precipitation overnight Monday made for a slick Tuesday, as well.

Local deputies responded to a few single-car accidents, but no injuries were reported. Iron County responded to two vehicles in the ditch, another in a snow bank and one stuck in a driveway. Gogebic County heard reports of a pair of car-deer accidents over the weekend.

With the high winds, there were also reports of trees and tree limbs down on roadways. A Mercer resident reported a tree on a power line that was sparking. Xcel Energy responded to the scene on Okonski Road.

A large pine tree was reported down on Lake Road in Ironwood Township Sunday evening at 9:35.

Deputies from both county sheriff’s departments urged drivers to slow down when icy conditions prevail.

Todd Kluber from the National Weather Service in Marquette said the Ironwood area should see those winds die down today and temperatures should remain steady through the rest of 2016 with highs in the 20s and lows in the single digits or low teens.

While a half-inch of snow is predicted for today in the Ironwood area, Ontonagon, northern Houghton and Keweenaw counties are expecting 4 to 8 inches.

Kluber said the Ironwood area’s next best chance for snow could be Thursday into Friday.

To date, Ironwood has received 56.0 inches of snow for the season, as measured at the Gogebic-Iron Wastewater Treatment Facility.

—Larry Holcombe