Will historic Michigan ice storm freeze summer tourism on popular Mackinac Island?
This destruction called into question whether the island would be open in time to welcome back visitors starting in late April.
Michigan mother speaks out about struggles to keep family warm after historic ice storm wipes out power grid
Thousands of Americans in Michigan are still without electricity, after a historic ice storm bombarded the Wolverine State two weeks ago. Stevie Mendez and her son Luca joined FOX Weather and spoke about the challenges they continue to face while living without power during freezing cold temperatures.
MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich. – Mackinac Island in northern Michigan continues its recovery efforts after a historic ice storm slammed the area in late March.
Located off the northern coast of the Lower Peninsula, Mackinac Island saw about a quarter-inch of ice accretion, according to the FOX Forecast Center. This icy build-up was enough to take down trees and power lines, resulting in outages and other damage across the island.
This destruction called into question whether the "Summer Capital of the World," as dubbed by the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau, would be in a position to welcome visitors in late April.
Ice-covered trees bend over a fence.
(Michigan State Historic Parks / FOX Weather)
"Northern Michigan was hit hard by recent ice storms, and Mackinac Island was no exception," the bureau said on Facebook, flagging that damage was enough to interrupt services for island businesses. "The storm left behind quite a mess and there’s a lot of cleanup still to do."
The bureau also noted that most of the damage occurred along trails and lands within its popular Mackinac Island State Park. Park officials shared photos of damage, such as ice-covered trees bending over fences and trails or snapping completely from the weight of the ice.
On Thursday, tourism officials announced that the island is set to open to visitors starting April 25 and into May that following week.
"We appreciate your patience and support as we get everything back in shape and we can't wait to see you soon on Mackinac Island—stronger and more beautiful than ever!" they said.
They noted that while tourists can visit the island, they may still see work being done to address storm damage.
Workers tend to down trees in a park.
(Michigan State Historic Parks / FOX Weather)
Many other areas in the northern Lower Peninsula have a way to go when it comes to recovering after the ice storm, as some received up to 1.5 inches of ice accretion from the storm.
In Cheboygan, which is located across the strait from Mackinac Island, some residents continue to live without power, water and heat since the ice storm hit nearly two weeks ago.
"It’s still freezing. It’s snowing. It’s very tough conditions," said Cheboygan resident Stevie Mendez. "We don’t know when power is going to be restored again."
Damage from the ice storm was so extensive that many northern Michigan parks, such as Cheboygan State Park, have been closed, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Additionally, all state-managed trails in the region have been closed indefinitely.
MICHIGAN STATE PARKS CLOSE AS THOUSANDS STILL WITHOUT POWER AFTER HISTORIC ICE STORM
"The damage was extensive in the forests of the northern Lower Peninsula where our recreational trails are found, and the cleanup effort will take weeks or months," said Paige Perry, DNR recreation trails specialist for the north-central Lower Peninsula.