Just as Michiganders are expecting spring to be around the corner, several winter storms are unexpectedly dragging on the winter season this year.

This year during February and March the temperatures have been off the charts and have been bouncing from warming up and bringing all of the birds and flower buds back to preparing for spring and then drastically dropped causing rain to freeze, frosting the ground and surfaces, increasing high-wind strengths, and accumulating inches of snow.  

“Warm air can carry more moisture, so winter storms are dropping more snow or freezing rain, Climatologist Dr. Richard Rood said. Rain and freezing rain are becoming increasingly likely as average winter temperatures tick upward.” Due to icy roads, blackouts, and tree limbs scattered everywhere, driving became unsafe for so many Michiganders.

Driving conditions were not the only issue. Consequences from high winds and heavy snow storms have caused a common issue:  power outages that have lasted days or weeks for some students. Student Jordan Metcalf of Pulaski explains, “ my power was out for over a week.” Although many students struggled with power outages it seemed it was a mutual struggle throughout the state. According to Fox2Detroit, the ice storms knocked nearly a million Michigan residents off of the electric grid. DTE had restored power for most but there were still more than 25,000 people who were living without electricity weeks later after the storms. 

Unfortunately, when the power goes out, Concord High School may also lose power causing many snow days on top of the snow days occurring from the horrible roads. It becomes absolutely impossible for students to work on school assignments when there is no internet access or power to do so.  Senior Faith Moore describes, “With having no internet it became challenging to get work done on time. Driving conditions weren’t too bad as a truck driver, but people who drove cars had it a lot worse.”

The first day of spring was on March 21st and the April forecast is already looking much better.  Although, the delay of spring hopefully won’t affect crop production and the budding of trees and flowers.

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