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Winter always arrives a little earlier in the Keweenaw than the rest of the state, which makes the first full week of November a good time for Winter Hazards Awareness Week in Michigan.
In an effort to raise awareness about the potential dangers of the upcoming winter season, Governor Rick Snyder has declared November 5 – 11, 2017, as Winter Hazards Awareness Week in Michigan. As we know, Upper Michigan winters are severe, so preparedness, awareness and common sense are always important when facing winter hazards.
During Winter Hazards Awareness Week, Michigan residents are encouraged to learn about the dangers associated with cold, snow and ice and how to stay safe during the winter season. Outside of a few brief cold shots, last winter will be remembered as being mild with below average snowfall. In fact, many locations experienced a top ten warmest winter. There were very few widespread significant snowfall events. Instead, most of the last year’s snowfall came from a combination of lake effect snow and quick moving nuisance systems.
Are we in for another unusually mild winter this year? In the absence of a strong El Nino or strong La Nina, it is too early to tell with much certainty how this winter will pan out. It is doubtful it will be as mild as the last two winters, but on the flip side it will not be as brutally cold as the winters of 2013-2014 and 2014-2015. So, the official long range forecast suggests temperatures and snowfall will average much closer to their long-term winter averages.
With a more typical U.P. winter expected, we know that it will soon be getting cold and there will also be multiple bouts of wintry weather to contend with during the next six months. Thus, now is the time to get prepared for the upcoming winter season. Many simple preparations can be taken including making sure your car is ready for the colder weather, having a survival kit in your car, ensuring you have warm coats, hats, and gloves, and being aware of potential fire and carbon monoxide hazards from alternate heat sources such as a fireplaces, wood stoves or space heaters.
For more information on how to prepare for the upcoming winter season, visit the National Weather Service Marquette website at www.weather.gov/mqt, or follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/NWSMarquette) or Twitter (@NWSMarquette).
