HILLSDALE, Mich. — During Wednesday's ice storm, parts of Michigan saw blankets of ice, strong winds and freezing rain, taking down tree branches and power lines across the state.
But one county saw the worst of it all.
The storms left Hillsdale County, located just 40 minutes outside Coldwater, almost completely in the dark Thursday.
Restoration times in that area range from Thursday all the way to Monday, with more than 90% of residents without power.
While the bulk of this system has exited the region, we are still anticipating a light freezing drizzle and flurries today, as well as gusty winds. This could lead to additional power outages across the region.
According to Consumers Energy, about a half-inch of ice covered Michigan’s southern counties, resulting in more than 5,700 downed wires and more than 215,000 outages.
In the most recent update from Consumers, more than 21,000 people have had their power restored since Wednesday's storm.
If there are any downed power lines near your home, officials say you should stay at least 25 feet away at all times and report the issue to 911.
Consumers Energy urges the public to keep important safety tips in mind:
- Be alert to crews working along roads. Drivers should slow down or stop and wait for oncoming traffic to clear so they safely can go past workers on roadsides.
- Customers should call 2-1-1 if they are looking for help connecting to resources that offer assistance in your community, including warming centers. 2-1-1 is a free statewide service.
- Never use a generator in an attached garage, basement, enclosed patio or near any air intakes. Doing so could cause a generator to produce hazardous levels of carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless and deadly gas. Read more guidance on safe generator use here.
- Consumers Energy will trim or remove trees interfering with electric restoration activities. Once safe to do so, clean-up of debris from tree trimming or removal during a storm emergency is the responsibility of individual property owners.
- In some cases, the mast that holds the electric service wires to a home or business may have been damaged or torn away. Crews will reconnect the wires to a home, but only a licensed electrician can repair or replace a mast or a cable.
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