Update: changed my thread title since our windows are OK.

OP:
There’s an ice storm in Northern Michigan. The power company, PIE&G, calls it unprecedented.

Our generators are running, so our heat, sump pumps, and amazingly enough the internet are still working. The internet is fiber run on the same poles through the woods as the power lines, so I’m hopeful that means the electric power issue is way down the line and will be fixed quickly. The thermostat is set to 50 and the temp sensor reports it’s 48 inside.

Our one lowly camera shows one window is coated in ice. My question is do I need to fly up and do something about this? Is the ice going to break our windows? They are double pane, so damage should be limited to the outer pane, correct?

Spoke too soon. The internet is now down as of 7:37am EST. It was up when I first posted at 6:54 EST. That’s good news or bad news. It could be they are working on the spot way down the line or six more trees have fallen between there and our house knocking out more power lines and the fiber.

Time to look at cellular internet for when we aren’t there.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: trapper189,

I would let Mother Nature take its course. I doubt there would be any damage from ice accumulation on the window, side of the house, whatever.

One main issue with ice storms is branches breaking or hanging down with added weight. It can become very messy, with a lot of cleanup.

Often with ice storms it’s not really that cold, at or slightly below freezing. As long as you don’t have a heavy branch crashing through a window, I’d just monitor, watch the weather, go up on your normal schedule.

If you have a contact in the areas, ask them to walk by, hopefully after a slight warmup.

I see temps in the low 40’s N WI very soon. The sun is getting rather strong this time of year.

We moved to WI just in time for the Ice Storm of 1976. I was only 8 and we were happy the previous owners left firewood for the fireplace. We’re much better prepared these days.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
We moved to WI just in time for the Ice Storm of 1976. I was only 8 and we were happy the previous owners left firewood for the fireplace. We’re much better prepared these days.

March '76 girls basketball tournament. My folks put in a wood stove after that ice storm.

I'd let the windows alone. It's warming up and the ice will melt.

I have never heard of a window breaking just from a coating of ice building up. I guess it could happen.
I did hear that Vanderbilt MI had a 1/2" buildup of ice a few days ago.

Where in N Mi is your place?

Might look into the Michigan Gun Owners forum and you could ask if there has been some problems in your area.
Doesn't cost anything to register.

My bigger concern would be plumbing, but I suspect you drained/winterized the place before setting temp at 50 anyway?

Without internet I suspect you lost connectivity to be able to monitor generator for continued running as well?

Our place is about 50 miles NE of Gaylord as the crow flies.

Ya, water is all drained and pink RV antifreeze is in all the traps. Generators got new oil and filters before we left. Layered defenses. The generators are really to keep the sump pumps running in the event of a power outage. We have backup pumps, on separate circuits, with separate switches and even have battery backup as well. We installed the battery backup before the generators. We maybe too redundant with our sump pumps, but when the lake was at record high levels, the sumps were running 24/7 to keep the water from flooding the basements.

Without internet, I have no way to monitor the generators remotely. The alarm systems have cellular backup which seems to be working. The inside temp sensor is through the alarm system.

We just got the fiber the week before we left, so I really didn't have time to setup a proper network. That's on the list for this year and part of the reason I'm upgrading my network in Florida. I got a new dedicated router, a managed switch, and wireless access point. Just today, I got one VLAN working both wired and wirelessly for the TVs and another wireless VLAN for the other junk (thermostat, Roomba, etc.). I'll be ready to rock with this network stuff when I get back up to MI this year.

I see Verizon has a cellular internet backup plan available up there. It says unlimited data for up to 7 days a month in the event the main ISP goes down.

Pretty wide spread, 90K without power, sounds like the cellular backup is a good plan...

Link

Northern Michigan power outages: Crews target Tuesday restoration for most impacted homes

Updated: Mar. 30, 2025, 12:36 p.m.|Published: Mar. 30, 2025, 12:14 p.m.


GAYLORD, MI — Consumers Energy officials said crews by Tuesday, April 1, expect to restore power to most Northern Michigan households knocked off the energy grid by severe weather this weekend.

The communities hit hardest could see power restored as late as Wednesday, April 2, Consumers Energy officials said.

With more severe weather predicted Sunday, March 30, Consumers Energy crews plan to “pre-stage” operations near communities vulnerable to additional outages, officials said.

Over 600 Consumers Energy crews and contractors will work to restore power, officials said.

“The safety and comfort of our customers is our top priority today, especially as we brace for more severe weather,” Norm Kapala, vice president of generation operations for Consumers Energy, said in a statement. “Mother Nature has thrown a tremendous challenge at Michigan, and we’re determined to respond, to get the lights back on and to help so many communities recover.”

Customers can check ConsumersEnergy.com/outagemap for updates on outages related to Consumers Energy.

“We appreciate the patience of our customers and applaud the hard work of our coworkers, police and fire officials, and others who are helping these communities through a difficult day,” Kapala said. “We encourage people to turn to our website, our outage map and social media channels for updates, or to call 911 if they face an immediate need.”

While a significant ice storm has made a mess in Northern Michigan and parts of the Upper Peninsula — downed trees, power lines, and power outages topping 90,000 — the threat for severe weather is looming for the bottom half of the Lower Peninsula, too.

Up to an inch of ice is coating trees and roadways and power lines in some areas.

The most heavily impacted area stretches from Grayling and Oscoda up to Gaylord, Alpena and Rogers City, and over to Petoskey and Charlevoix, up to the Mackinac Bridge in the Lower Peninsula.

Local police and sheriff’s officials are warning people to stay off the roads, to stay home, and to go to local warming centers if they are without power. Temperatures are expected to drop Monday, exacerbating issues for those without power.

Public safety officials have provided locations of shelters for residents impacted by the widespread ice storm.

Just heard 95% of Montmorency County is out of power.

The past two days here in MQT have seen 18 to 20 inches of heavy wet snow. Mixed with freezing rain and sleet. I think it is the heaviest snowfall of the entire season. And its late March! Bright sunshine now, though.
My windows get iced up but never break. What does get damaged is my screens, usually from falling icicles.

My wife just said they closed the Mackinac Bridge because of falling icicles.

The internet is apparently back, the ice melted off the window, and it appears the glass is intact. Power is still off.



From the Steering Wheel Capital of the World:

“Onaway, Michigan (March 31, 2025) -The severe ice storm that swept through the northern territory and delivered heavy ice caused widespread damage to trees, powerlines, poles, and infrastructure. Thirty-five thousand Presque Isle Electric & Gas (PIE&G) members do not have power or internet access. Members should plan on a multi-day outage that could extend 5+ days and should make alternative shelter arrangements.“ Link

Southern Lower Michigan got hit with winds and at least two tornadoes Sunday evening. Three deaths attributed to it, tree fell on a car killing three children on the west side of the state.

We lost power for about 24 hours. DTE kept saying power would be restored by the end of today, I had serious doubts. But it’s back on.

I bought a Harbor Freight 9600Inverter generator in ‘23, replaced a 2003 6500 watt Coleman with it. Say what you will about HF but it powers our furnace, water heater, sump pump, microwave, tv, Internet and lights just fine.

Just in time, for another storm predicted to hit Wednesday afternoon.

Please the origin of the steering capital of the world. Thanks

Onaway Steers the World' A 30-foot-tall sculpture pays homage to what was once the Steering Wheel Capital of the World.

and

Onaway Steers the World

The three kids who were killed in SW Michigan were neighbors of our accountant. It was really a freak accident, a tree fell on moving vehicle and struck just behind the front seats. The adults up front weren't seriously injured, the fatalities were all in the back seat.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: NOCkid,

In No. West Illinois we get these also.

Lately it's be voracious wind , which gets flipping old after about a week, but it's manageable.

Close to no snow in my area this winter.
I despise the ice storms. Snow is easy comparatively .

My family has had a vacation property near Gaylord since the 60's. We talked to the neighbor across the street Sunday and he said all he could hear was constant breaking of trees and limbs in our woods across the street and behind him on his property. Our place is a half mile back in the woods. It won't be safe to walk back there for at least a week so no idea how bad it is up there for us.

This map shows 6 counties in N. Mich at nearly 100% without power.
https://poweroutage.us/area/state/michigan

PIE&G (Presque Isle Electric and Gas) still says 32,000 customers without power.

Window cam from this morning:

quote:

Originally posted by NOCkid:
The three kids who were killed in SW Michigan were neighbors our accountant. It was really a freak accident, a tree fell on moving vehicle and struck just behind the front seats. The adults up front weren't seriously injured, the fatalities were all in the back seat.

I can't imagine the horror, that's is absolutely unreal.


https://x.com/upnorthlive/status/1906791165334090170

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
Our place is about 50 miles NE of Gaylord as the crow flies.

From previous postings, I got the sense you were close to Mackinaw City on Lake Michigan is that not the case?

In any case, I'm sorry you have to deal with a nerve wracking situation while being so far away. While I can tolerate most of the curveballs mother nature throws during winter, I detest ice storms and freezing rain since they can cause so much havoc.