Thaw breaks record high reading here

IRONWOOD — After narrowly missing a record high the day before, a new daily high temperature was set for Ironwood on Friday.

For the 24-hour period to 7 a.m. on Friday, the high was a balmy 50 degrees, which broke the old mark of 48 set in 1981.

Temperatures in the low 50s were unofficially recorded in other areas of the Gogebic Range.

For the 24-hour period to 7 a.m. on Thursday, the high was 46, but that fell short of the 116-year Ironwood record of 47 set in 1981, according to the National Weather Service office in Marquette.

Steady rainfall on Friday across the Gogebic Range threatened to wipe out much of what was left of the dwindling snow cover. The snow cover on Friday was around 5 inches at the Gogebic-Iron Wastewater Treatment Plant off Cloverland Drive.

Town roads were reduced to glare ice or muddy ruts as the rain was accompanied by temperatures in the high 30s.

The high readings for the week were about 80 degrees above the all-time lows.

The record low for Jan. 20 in Ironwood stands at 31-below, set in 1996, while the low for Jan. 19 is 27-below in 1994.

The mid-January thaw resulted in the Ontonagon County Road Commission issuing temporary road restrictions, effective today through Jan. 25. They pertain to county roads.

The road limits were also announced for Baraga, Houghton and Keweenaw counties.

It’s free fishing weekend in Wisconsin and while the mild temperatures are forecast to continue, many lake surfaces have turned to slush and ice, so the Department of Natural Resources is advising caution.