Spring break crowd basks; we get a blizzard warning

Around the time the National Weather Service was issuing a "blizzard warning" for Leelanau County yesterday morning, county clerk Michelle Crocker was waking up in a hotel room near Orlando, Fla.

“It’s been like 86 degrees here; it’s so warm it’s unbelievable,” Crocker said.

Like many Leelanau County residents with kids in school, Crocker this week was enjoying “spring break” in warmer, southern climes.

“It’s a little overcast but it’s definitely pool and sun weather here,” Crocker said. “It’s hard to believe you’re having a blizzard there,” she said by cell phone.

“Eat your heart out,” Crocker added, laughing.

Early Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service office in Gaylord issued a blizzard warning for much of northwest Lower Michigan.

A blizzard warning means “severe winter weather conditions are expected or occurring,” and that “falling and blowing snow with strong winds and poor visibilities are likely.”

Leelanau County Road Commission superintendent Herb Cradduck said Wednesday morning that crews and equipment were ready to cope with the anticipated blizzard.

Cradduck added, however, that the Road Commission hoped to avoid using sand on roads as much as possible. He said that in recent weeks crews had already begun cleaning up sand used through the winter to improve traction on the roads. He expressed hope that any accumulating snow would melt relatively quickly.

From the National Weather Service office in Gaylord, meteorologist Mike Boguth explained that a deepening low pressure system had stalled northeast of Michigan, and that areas of heavy lake-enhanced snow were expected to develop on the backside of the system.

“We expect winds to gust up to 45 miles per hour on the Leelanau Peninsula,” Boguth said. “Once some snow accumulates on the ground, it’s going to blow around and visibility will be reduced to less than a quarter of a mile at times,” he said.

The blizzard warning posted Wednesday morning was to remain in effect until 8 a.m. today even though the National Weather Service forecast called for snow showers to continue through the weekend.

Accumulation of two to four inches was predicted during the day on Wednesday, with another one to three inches Wednesday night. The forecast for today called for new snow accumulation of less than one inch.

Winds were expected to gust to above 40 miles per hour through today. Indeed, on Wednesday morning, reports of downed power lines were being called into the county’s 9-1-1- dispatch center due to high winds.

The high temperature today, Thursday, was expected to be 27 degrees, with a low tonight of 21 degrees. Temperatures were expected to remain unseasonably clod through the weekend, with a high of 25 on Friday, and highs in the mid 30’s on Saturday and Sunday.

The National Weather Service predicted that snow would be “likely” on Friday and Saturday, with a “chance of snow on Sunday.

The forecast for Monday called for partly cloudy skies and a high near 40. On Tuesday, there may be rain with a high near 46.