Freezing rain has caused significant disruption in Michigan and Wisconsin, bringing down trees and power lines and leaving thousands without electricity on Sunday in the upper Great Lakes region. Meanwhile, severe weather is anticipated to impact Tennessee shortly.
Winds are expected to exceed 70 mph, along with the potential for tornadoes and hail reaching 2 inches in diameter, as warned by the National Weather Service.
Residents are advised to prepare their safe spaces as a precaution. Over 200,000 power outages have been reported across Michigan and Wisconsin, prompting churches, schools, and fire halls to serve as warming centers while utility companies work to restore services. Efforts to restore electricity, especially in small communities and rural areas, may extend into Monday.
The Weather Service office in Gaylord, Michigan reported significant ice accumulation, indicating that conditions are still severe despite the arrival of spring. Ryan Brege, managing director of the Alpena County Road Commission, noted the persistent winter conditions.
Emergency response agencies are currently facing challenges due to the ongoing ice storm, which has disrupted phone services and blocked roads with fallen trees, particularly 250 miles north of Detroit.
In South Carolina, progress has been made in containing wildfires in the Blue Ridge mountains. The Table Rock and Persimmon Ridge fires have scorched nearly 17 square miles, leading to mandatory evacuations in some parts of Greenville County.
“Thank you for the prayers. They’re being heard. There’s rain in the air,” commented Derrick Moore, operations chief for the firefighting Southern Area Blue Team.
