Winter Roads – December 2023 by Thomas Mann
This gorgeous shot by Thomas from near East Jordan a couple Decembers ago is our latest Facebook page cover. See in his Michigan Winter Scenes gallery on Flickr!
Winter Roads
Mounds of snow for Michigan
Lake Michigan Ice Mounds by Mark Swanson
The Lansing State Journal reports the National Weather Service says that a triple threat of subzero temperatures, high winds and ice-free Great Lakes really piled up the lake effect snow last week:
“This snowy week is nearly at an end, including a visit from real Arctic air, and many towns near Lake Michigan and Lake Superior got a foot or two of fresh snow as a result,” the NWS said. “Clearly, the vast majority of snow was a result of lake effect, as plenty of other parts of Michigan only saw an inch or two at best.”
Air temperatures in Michigan fell below zero Jan. 18-22. In some cases, the thermometer didn’t read above zero for two days. The coldest reading in the state came Monday night when Stambaugh, in the western UP, registered minus 30 — before wind chill. The town also saw minus 28 on Tuesday night while Ironwood’s NWS observer recorded minus 27.
You can see that the conditions have also piled up shoreline ice in these pictures that Mark took over the weekend at Lincoln Township Beach just north of Grand Mere State Park. Here are some more recent ones and a shot from summer of 2016 below. More in Mark’s 2025 gallery on Flickr!
W-w-w-whiteout on US-2!
Whiteout on US-2 by Gustafsons Smoked Fish
Gustafson’s Smoked Fish shared this photo yesterday from their Facebook as they closed due to generally horrible conditions. They are open again today & located about a half hour west of the Mackinac Bridge on US-2 along the northern shore of Lake Michigan. The family has been making and selling smoked fish, jerky & cheese curds for nearly 50 years, and they have always been one of my favorite post-Bridge stops!
Now here’s a shot of their delicious salmon. If anyone is driving past do you mind picking up a couple pounds for me?
Fish in the smoker by Gustafson’s Smoked Fish
Damn Cold Michigan Morning at Barton Dam
Barton Dam – Cold by Bruce Bertz
Most of the schools in Michigan were closed today due to single digit or subzero temps as the entire state wonders what box it put the electric blanket in. ArborWiki’s entry for Barton Dam says that:
The City of Ann Arbor purchased the dam from Detroit Edison in the 1960s and restarted hydroelectric generation in the 1980s. The facility has a 900-kilowatt turbine that generates 4.2 million kWh per year.
Barton Dam is one of Ann Arbor’s four dams on the Huron River. It was designed by engineer Gardner Stewart Williams and architect Emil Lorch and built in 1912-13 as part of the development of hydroelectric power on the Huron River by the predecessor of Detroit Edison. The earthen-construction dam is 34 feet high and 1767 feet long, and has a typical surface area of 315 acres and typical storage of 5050 acre-feet. The dam can be accessed from Huron River Drive from the city park located at the foot of Bird Road.
See more including another shot from Barton Dam Nature Area in Bruce’s 2025-01 gallery on Flickr and STAY WARM!!!
Get Ready for the Siberian Express
Polar Express Selective Color by Charles Bonham
mLive meteorologist Bill Vandermolen shares that frigid air that began its journey in Siberia will be descending on Michigan on Monday:
When we get our normal cold here in Michigan the air moves from southwest Canada, across the northern Plains and into the Great Lakes region. A little stiffer brand of cold comes from northwest Canada in the Yukon Territory. Our most dangerous cold comes straight from the north. If the air is really cold it will originate in Siberia, cross over the North Pole and then pour south into the Great Lakes and Northeast.
We are probably just lucky the Great Lakes still have 35 degree to 40 degree surface waters. This same Arctic outbreak of cold would take us 10 degrees colder if it happened with colder Great Lakes’ waters. In looking at the pattern I wouldn’t be surprised to see another Arctic outbreak in a week or two when the lake water is colder.
Lucky indeed because even with the temperature moderation of the Great Lakes, the temps Monday & Tuesday do not look fun!
Charles is one of Michigan in Pictures’s most enduring photographers. He took the photo below earlier this week in Leland’s Fishtown & you can see more in his Steam Engine, Railroad Photos gallery on Flickr.
Fishtown Spillway by Charles Bonham
Temps on Monday & Tuesday
Waterfall Wednesday: Winter Wonderland at Bond Falls
Winter Wonderland at Bond Falls by Michigan Nut Photography
Pure Michigan shares that lower Bond Falls is a scenic and popular waterfall in the Upper Peninsula’s Ontonagon County that is created by the middle branch of the Ontonagon River tumbling over a thick belt of fractured rock that divides it into numerous small cascades. Total drop of the falls is approximately 50 feet & you can get directions & more from the DNR page for Bond Falls Scenic Site.
I originally saw this photo posted by a Facebook page not affiliated with the photographer, something that has become increasingly common. I really hope we can all endeavor to share info & links for the photos we share and to block & report pages that steal photos from actual photographers!
You can view & purchase more Michigan waterfall pictures including these on John’s website, and also get prints, canvas, puzzles, photo coasters, note cards, and Michigan calendars at michigannutphotography.com so what are you waiting for?
Winter at Upper Bond Falls by Michigan Nut Photography
Downtown Holland says no to snow
Heated Sidewalk in Holland by Discover Holland
One of the stories you read more & more every year is how online shopping is killing downtowns. Discover Holland shares that in the 80s when suburban malls were wreaking similar havoc, downtown Holland business owners & the city created a plan for Snow Free Holland, now the largest municipal snowmelt system in North America:
Joining the conversation was Holland native and Prince Corporation founder, Edgar D. Prince. Prince brought to the table an idea that he discovered while in Europe, a system of underground piping that circulates warm water to keep the snow and ice at bay during the winter months. Using this idea, Prince expanded on the possibilities of snow and ice free access in downtown, and thus began the downtown Holland snowmelt project.
Currently, snowmelt is maintained by the Holland Board of Public Works in collaboration with the Holland Energy Park. Snowmelt was first implemented in 1988 and is the largest municipally-run snowmelt system in North America. By using waste heat from power generation, water is heated and circulated through 120 miles of plastic tubing underneath the streets and sidewalks. The tubes are 3/4″ in circumference; Holland has 600,000 square feet of tubing totaling 4.9 miles and 10.5 acres of heated streets and sidewalks. With the water heating up to 95 degrees Fahrenheit, the system can melt 1″ of snow per hour – even at 20 degrees F with 10 MPH winds!
More from Discover Holland & a big thanks to Mike Karl who shared one of these pics the other day!
Leonid Meteors fight back against Big Moon
Lake Michigan … anticipation by Ken Scott
This story I shared on Leelanau.com about how the Leonid meteors are being recorded hitting the surface of the moon gave me a chuckle when I realized they were doing it becauser the moon is shining on their big show! 😅
EarthSky shares that since the radiant – the point in the sky from which the meteors appear to radiate – for the Geminid Meteor Shower rises in mid-evening, you can watch for these meteors all night long in the days before & after the evenings of December 13-14 as we pass through the Geminid swarm. They say that the radiant is highest at 2am. Although you won’t see the 20 meteors per hour with the nearly full Cold Moon hanging in the sky, they are particularly bright & you will see some if you give it 15 minutes or so!
Speaking of the meteors & the moon, EarthSky & other outlets have shared video of meteor impacts on the lunar surface from Japanese astronomer Daichi Fujii, the curator of the Hiratsuka City Museum! Check it out below along with tips on how to get the best view of this annual meteor shower!
Ken took this back in April of 2015 when he was hoping to catch a lunar eclipse but sadly…
this morning was to be a
Total eclipse of the moon …
it started out fantastic and
then clouds rolled in . . .
Follow Ken Scott Photography on Flickr & Facebook for his latest! Also if you are wondering about the ice balls, Leelanau.com has the info on that too with another pic from Ken & video by Paul May!
snow squalls & snow daze!
Snow squalls at the Straits by Paula Liimatta
mLive’s Tanda Gmiter shares that the cold front rolling into Michigan is packing a powerful punch:
Snow squalls are in the forecast across Michigan as a cold front rushes in, beginning today and lasting into Thursday. Drivers should be aware, as these can be a serious hazard if you’re out on the road when a squall whips up. Snow squalls cause white-out conditions and can leave roads icy. They are forecast to develop in West Michigan this afternoon, then over a several-hour period tonight in Southeast Michigan as a strong cold front arrives, National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologists in the Grand Rapids and Detroit offices said. The front is expected to spark some rapidly-changing weather conditions.
Paula got this shot of snow squalls buffeting the Mighty Mackinac Bridge back in January of 2018. See more in her Winter 2017 gallery including this reminder than for all its problems, snow can be SUPER FUN!!!
Mr Coyote
Coyotes are found in every county in Michigan, something I learned on a Christmas Day 2019 bike ride in Detroit when a coyote & I surprised each other on the eastside! The Michigan DNR shares a little bit about living with coyotes in Michigan, including the fact that it is critical for their well being as well as the safety of our pets & farm animals that they retain their natural fear of people. To do this:
Eliminate outside food sources like garbage or pet food
Clear out brush piles that provide hiding places for small mammals and birds
And for sure keep small pets indoors or accompany them outside!
If you do see an unwanted coyote in your area, you can try to scare it off by yelling, clapping or making other loud noises.
Most coyotes are afraid of people and will leave if you frighten them, but if they don’t leave, remember that they are wild animals and also be aware that there are coyote/wolf crossbreeds in Michigan known as “coywolf” and they are a whole different beast!
Mark shared this photo back in 2016, saying that Mr. Coyote paid a visit to their house looking for Mr. Pussycat, who was smartly hiding under the coffee table! Follow @downstreamer7 on Instagram for Mark’s latest!
PS: Here’s a shot of a coyote pup I took years ago.
Coyote Pup by Andrew McFarlane
Michigan in Pictures 