Power Outage in Ironwood, MI

Storm total snowfall reports included 12-14 inches of wet snow in the Ironwood area and over 12 inches in Wakefield. The heavy wet snow combined with north winds gusting near 30 mph caused power outages to more than 1000 customers during the event and closed or delayed many Gogebic County schools on the 17th.

A spotter reported that strong south winds downed trees near the intersection of Van Buskirk and Landrud Roads southeast of Ironwood. Power lines were also reported down. A small brush fire was reportedly started, but put out at the time of the report.

Xcel Energy reported at least 976 customers without power on the morning of the 16th due to the wind storm. Watersmeet Schools were also closed on the 16th.

The Ironwood Public Safety Department reported extensive storm damage throughout Gogebic County with numerous trees and power lines down. The time of the report was estimated from radar.

Gogebic County Sheriff's department reported that a portion of Highway US-2 was flooded with stranded vehicles. Highway US-2 was closed from Douglas Boulevard to Lowell Street. Law enforcement also reported a downed power line nearby in Ironwood. Nearly an inch and a half of rainfall from thunderstorms over a three-hour period caused the flooding.

Gogebic County Sheriff's department reported that a portion of Highway US-2 was flooded with stranded vehicles. Highway US-2 was closed from Douglas Boulevard to Lowell Street. Law enforcement also reported a downed power line nearby in Ironwood. Nearly an inch and a half of rainfall from thunderstorms over a three-hour period caused the flooding.

Observers from Ironwood and Bessemer to 10 miles west of Watersmeet measured between 8 and 10 inches of heavy lake enhanced snow. The wet, heavy snow combined with northeast winds gusting to 35 to 40 mph at times caused damage to trees and power lines which blocked some secondary roads and snowmobile trails. Schools and a few businesses closed on the 27th due to the storm.

Law enforcement reported numerous trees and power lines down in the Ironwood area via Public Safety Radio.

The observer at Ironwood measured six inches of lake effect snow in approximately seven hours. West winds gusting over 35 mph at times caused considerable blowing of snow reducing visibility to one half mile or less at times. In addition, multiple power outages were reported.

Gusty westerly winds during the period which reached a peak gust of 58 mph at the Ironwood AWOS caused widespread power outages across the county as reported by WE Energies. ||The strong wind gusts also uprooted and snapped large spruce trees in Marenisco on the evening of the 7th. The trees were estimated at 50 to 70 feet long and one of the trees had a diameter of 27 inches.

The spotter in Marenisco measured 4.5 inches of wet heavy snow on trees and power lines.

Observers across the county measured between three and five inches of lake enhanced snow. Northwest winds gusting between 30 and 40 mph also caused considerable blowing and drifting of snow and sporadic power outages.

The Gogebic County Sheriff's Department and Road Commission reported that high winds downed numerous trees and power lines along Highway US-2 between Wakefield and Marenisco.

Radar estimated rainfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches caused major flash flooding over portions of far western Gogebic County and left many sections of road washed out and impassible. Many people became stranded from near Ironwood to Little Girls Point. The Gogebic County Sheriff reported the Montreal River flooded on Lake Road at the Michigan-Wisconsin border with a washout of the guardrail at the Flint Creek ravine. A Gogebic County patrol car was swept up in the Montreal River flood waters and the deputy driving the car needed to be rescued.The Gogebic County Road Commission closed Lake Road from near Saxon Harbor, WI to Lower Powers Road.

Radar estimated rainfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches caused major flash flooding over portions of far western Gogebic County and left many sections of road washed out and impassible. Many people became stranded from near Ironwood to Little Girls Point. The Gogebic County Sheriff reported the Montreal River flooded on Lake Road at the Michigan-Wisconsin border with a washout of the guardrail at the Flint Creek ravine. A Gogebic County patrol car was swept up in the Montreal River flood waters and the deputy driving the car needed to be rescued.The Gogebic County Road Commission closed Lake Road from near Saxon Harbor, WI to Lower Powers Road.

Gogebic County Sheriff's office reported large trees in excess of 12 inches in diameter down across Lake Road near Upper Powers Road. The Gogebic County Road Commission was clearing the road with front end loaders.

The Michigan State Police post in Wakefield reported numerous trees and power lines down across the county due to strong south to southwest winds. The strong winds collapsed a 300-foot radio tower near Bessemer.

The State Police Dispatch reported trees down across a couple of roads in the Wakefield area, and parts of the city were without power.

Ironwood Police reported dozens of downed power lines and downed trees blocking the road.

A tree was reported down on a power line on Lake Road at Little Girls Point.

Numerous trees were down and power knocked out in Ironwood and the west end of Lake Gogebic. The top of a pine tree was also snapped off in Wakefield.

Numerous large trees and power lines were reported down throughout the county. Due to the power outages a temporary shelter was set up at the Gogebic Community College cafeteria in Ironwood.

The Gogebic County Sheriff reported widespread trees and power lines down across Ironwood. A spotter also reported 12-inch diameter branches down on McLeod Avenue. Time of the reported was estimated.

A tree was blown down on power lines.

Storm total snowfall included 20.8 inches at Watersmeet and 12 inches at Thousand Island Lakes. The heavy wet snow damaged trees, downed some power and telephone lines, caused numerous minor traffic accidents and closed schools throughout the area on the 21st.

Power was knocked out in Ironwood. Large branches were blown down near Ironwood and Bessemer. Power lines were blown down in Wakefield.

Trees and power lines down near Gogebic County Airport.

Power lines were knocked down.

An approaching low pressure system from the Plains produced some freezing rain over portions of the western U.P. early on the 20th. The combination of icing on the trees and power lines and strong easterly winds caused power outages in the Calumet area on the afternoon of the 20th.

A severe thunderstorm downed a tree on a power line at Little Girls Point in Gogebic County.

A potent low pressure system originating over the Central Plains moved across the west end of Lake Superior on the evening of the 15th. Strong west winds developed behind this system in the early morning hours of the 16th. Sheriff's departments reported numerous trees and power lines down from this storm across Gogebic, Ontonagon, northern Houghton and Keweenaw counties. The automated observing site at Houghton County Airport reported a wind gust to 54 mph while an estimated wind gust to 55 mph was reported by the Ontonagon County Road Commission.