Michigan braces for prolonged deep freeze as dangerous temperatures grip state
Expect the deadly deep freeze that has overtaken Michigan ― and most of the country — to continue through early next week, when weather forecasters say temperatures may finally "get warmer," reaching the balmy 30s.
"I’m not going say that's warm, but that’s warmer than where we are at now — for sure," meteorologist Kevin Kacan said Tuesday. "This time of year, our normal highs should be 32 degrees, and the normal low is 19. So, we’re a good 20-something degrees below that."
So far, at least one Oakland County man has died from hypothermia, and weather forecasters said many others, especially those without shelter, could be exposed to frostbite.
And while winter is usually cold here, he said, the below-normal cold air is extending all the way to Texas.
Hundreds of schools in metro Detroit were closed Tuesday, and perhaps longer. Nationwide — particularly in the South — schools are shut down, affecting more than a half-million kids.
Another swath of schools across nine counties announced closures for Wednesday, as well, including in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Livingston counties.
For much of Tuesday, expect high temperatures in the single digits in metro Detroit, and nighttime lows at or below zero, National Weather Service meteorologists said. A wind chill advisory has been issued, starting at 7 p.m. and lasting until noon Wednesday.
"Bundle up," Kacan said. "Be cautious going outside and wear appropriate clothing."
One danger is frostbite, and with the wind, it can feel like minus 20. At that temperature, within just 30 minutes, the intense cold can permanently damage exposed skin. Symptoms include feeling cold, then prickly and numb with skin discoloration.
Last Sunday, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office said, the body of a homeless man was found under a blue tarp in Orion Township near Height Road. Authorities said he froze to death. They also are urging residents to check on elderly people and look out for pets.
Adding to the weather woes, heavy snow knocked out power to tens of thousands of residents Friday and through the weekend. Utilities restored power to most customers by Tuesday, with only a few hundred still without electricity.
It’s unclear, however, how long Michigan schools will remain closed; many districts will make day-to-day decisions based on the most current forecasts. In some schools, the cold doesn’t just pose health risks but also threatens the infrastructure.
Other problems include frozen and burst pipes and overwhelmed heating systems.
Parents of some Wayne State University students, for example, have been complaining that some dorm rooms seem to be losing heat.
Associate vice president of university communications Matt Lockwood told the Free Press that out of the more than 1,700 dorm rooms on campus, the extreme cold has affected only 24 rooms in the Ghafari, Towers and University Towers residence halls.
Lockwood said that the school is trying to fix the various heating problems and apologized for the inconvenience on the university's behalf; but, in the meantime, Wayne State offered students in those rooms space heaters to warm up.
Earlier this week in Detroit, part of the Southfield Freeway was closed last Monday when a tractor-trailer driver knocked over a fire hydrant, causing it to flood the road, WDIV reported. The water quickly turned to ice.
No more snowfall, however, is expected until Wednesday, when metro Detroit may get as much as another inch. The cold is forecasted to persist all week. On Thursday, highs could hit the low and mid-20s, then drop Friday into the teens and remain there.
Next Monday, however, there is some hope, with highs finally pushing back into the 30s.
Free Press reporter Miriam Marini contributed to this report.
Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan forecast: 'Bundle up,' as bitter, deadly cold set to last
