Storm dumps more than 20 inches of snow
The season?s largest snowstorm dropped between 18 and 26 inches of snow on eastern Presque Isle County. Totals from this week?s storm alone, which spanned three days, already have exceeded January totals the last four years. The Presque Isle County Road Commission unofficially measured between 18 to 20 inches, with the hardest hit area being Belknap, although totals were difficult to pinpoint because of so much blowing snow. NOAA weather observer Wallace Roeske recorded a snow depth of 26 inches in Moltke Township.
THE SNOWIEST January in the last four years was last year when 29.75 inches of snow fell to the ground. That was for the entire month, though. Road Commission snow totals for the season have equaled or exceeded totals from the five-month recording period from November 2002 to March 2003. Superintendent/manager Eric Rose said the totals for the season were at 50.25 inches prior to this week?s storm, and are now near 70 inches for the ?03-?04 season. The season average for the Rogers City area is 104 inches. That has only been reached once since 1997-98.
The totals this month are at, or have exceeded, a 10-year high of 44.50 inches recorded in 1997.
THE STORM forced the cancellation of schools Tuesday, the early closing of businesses and government facilities, and created hazardous driving conditions. The Presque Isle County Sheriff?s Department and the road commission advised people to
?VISIBILITY WAS bad, that was the main problem,? said Rose. ?Other places I had heard of road closures — I don?t know if they were true — but we didn?t close anything here. We just asked people if they didn?t have to go (somewhere), not to go.? It was the largest amount of snow since an early spring storm dumped between 18 and 31 inches on the area last April.
Rose, in his more than two decades with the road commission, ranked this storm in the bottom five of his top 10. He said ?it wasn?t that bad.?