Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
THOMAS CASLEY took this shot of Aurora Street in downtown Ironwood Thursday morning as the falling snow gave the area a "snow globe" effect.
A strong arctic cold front swept across the region Thursday that included a winter storm warning, frigid temperatures, blowing snow and wind chill advisories.
Ironwood, Bessemer, Wakefield-Marenisco and Watersmeet schools all canceled school early Thursday and at the same time called off school for today. Hurley also called off school for today.
The Michigan State Police Wakefield Post was cautioning against any travel on area roads Thursday. Late Thursday, MSP announced M-28 was closed between Marquette and Munising.
Gogebic Community College called off classes Thursday afternoon, but later in the evening its website said classes were to resume today.
The National Weather Service said Thursday's blast was just the beginning of a week long period of very cold conditions. A second surge is expected Saturday night and Sunday and a third at the middle of next week.
Today's temperatures are expected to peak around minus 6 degrees with wind chills in the minus 30 to minus 40 range. The chances of continuing snow is 50 percent. Tonight's low is forecasted at minus 17 with wind chills continuing to be well below zero.
In addition to the bitter cold, lake effect snow and blowing snow will impact the Lake Superior snow belts, according to the NWS.
An official at the NWS Marquette station said the very cold air leads to light, powdery snow that is extremely effective at reducing visibilities and is easily blown about by even moderate winds. The result will be white-out or near white-out conditions in many of the lake effect snow bands.
Saturday's high in Ironwood is predicted at 4 degrees with a low of minus 14 that evening and a 90 percent chance of snow.
The outlook for Sunday is colder with a high of only minus 5, a low of minus 17 and an 80 percent chance of snow.
After a predicted high temperature of 6 degrees on Monday, temperatures look to remain below zero for a couple days, with a forecasted high for Tuesday of minus 2 and Wednesday of minus 8.
-Larry Holcombe
