While snowfalls totals are still being gathered, it appears that the area got at least two to three feet, with some residents reporting drifts of five, six and even eight feet tall.

The storm began early Sunday morning and didn’t relent for almost 48 hours. During the brief spells when precipitation might have paused, the winds were so powerful that drifting continued to shift the countless, intimidatingly-large snowbanks.

This snow-dumping bomb cyclone — which some might refer to as “Winter Storm Elsa” or “the St. Urho’s Day storm” — is noteworthy not only for its power, but also because of the area it affected. While blizzards of such magnitude aren’t unheard of in many parts of the northern Midwest, including much of the Upper Peninsula, the band with Menominee, Gladstone, Escanaba and Manistique is the “banana belt” that famously gets far less snow than its neighbors in Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie and the Keweenaw Peninsula. When radar predicted that the huge storm sweeping east across the continent would hit the hardest in northeastern Wisconsin and the U.P. near the Bays de Noc, it came as a surprise.

It came just shortly after a previous storm on Friday dropped about ten inches — also a lot for the area. The winter of 2025 to 2026 has proven to be snowier than the last few years.

"There's a car in the drift somewhere!" wrote Cindi Smith when submitting this photo from Stephenson on Monday. (Courtesy photo)

Many people heeded the warnings to prepare when storm warnings were issued, stocking up on necessities on Saturday. Stores and other businesses announced closures for Sunday — and found as time went on that there would be no way opening on Monday was possible. Over a foot fell on Sunday alone.

Wisely, Elmer’s County Market was one of few that said, “Reopening will be determined when we see how long Winter Storm Elsa sticks around.” Some had announced they would open for regular business on Monday and ended up eating their words.

Monday morning came, and residents awoke to find the Great White North especially white outside.

Some attempted to travel, but it was quickly discovered how unwise it was to do so.

At first, guidance from local authorities was to stay off the roads so that plows could do their work and create paths of access for emergency vehicles, with highways and main roads being priorities.

In Escanaba, Tyler Anthony, bundled against the wind, dumps a shovel-load of snow over a waist-high drift. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)

However, by 9:45 a.m., even the Delta County Road Commission bowed out, noting that “no one should be on the roads” because of the dangerous weather. “We have temporarily suspended operations until conditions improve a bit,” they announced.

“Road crews are working hard to keep main ‘M’ roads and I-75 open, but that is proving difficult with blowing and drifting snow,” wrote the Michigan State Police.

The Schoolcraft County Road Commission said that people should be prepared to be snowed in until Tuesday evening.

At 11:20 a.m. Monday, the City of Escanaba announced that they, too, would be temporarily halting operations but would monitor conditions.

In Menominee County, “tow trucks will NOT be responding for vehicles in the ditch, or on secondary roads. Vehicles that are stuck on the main highways will be removed, when possible, to prevent further road hazards,” stated the Menominee County Sheriff’s Office late Monday morning.

"This is an 8-9ft drift out our porch. There was grass there three days ago," said Trisha LaVacque of Gladstone. (Courtesy photo)

In the greater Escanaba area, Gene’s Towing and Recovery also announced that no towing would take place unless called by Delta County Central Dispatch for emergencies.

Inevitably, some drivers did attempt to battle the roads and were defeated. Midday, a smattering of cars were left abandoned at various places on the road — including one pickup truck with plow attached sitting in the middle of Ludington Street with drifts forming around it.

The windiest part of the day yesterday, according to readings taken at the Delta County Airport and recorded by the National Weather Service, was around 3 to 4 p.m., when 26-mph sustained winds were accompanied by 43-mph gusts.

As the winds are calming and snowfall slowing, plows return to the roads, and electric departments work to restore power.

Over 14,000 people across Michigan needed power restoration after the winter storm, according to the Michigan Electric Cooperative Association (MECA), noting that “Michigan’s electric cooperative crews are working around the clock.”

A pickup truck with attached plow sits abandoned on Ludington Street with snowdrifts growing around it. (Courtesy photo)

Stating that “accessing most areas is impossible,” UPPCO announced in a release Monday that those without power “should plan for their outage to extend into (Tuesday) afternoon.”

Citizens would be best advised to remain patient.

CLOSURES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

– OSF St. Francis Hospital: All physician offices, the outpatient lab, rehabilitation and oncology clinic will be closed on Tuesday. The walk-in clinic will have a delayed opening at noon. The OSF Emergency Department will maintain operating hours for medical emergencies

– Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital: SMH will also reduce to essential services, which include the emergency department inpatient care (medical-surgical unit); and the supporting departments of medical imaging, dietary, and laboratory services. HomeCare and hospice will maintain on-call services.

Brothers Joshua and Tyler Anthony, residents of south Escanaba, clear a path as the blizzard winds down. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)

The temporary partial closure of the Manistique hospital will apply to the rural health clinics in Manistique and Naubinway; RediCare clinic; the behavioral health clinic; specialty clinic; non-emergent imaging procedures; and the ambulatory care unit (including infusions, outpatient procedures, and chemotherapy).

– Delta County: All Delta County government buildings and services are closed Tuesday.

– City of Escanaba: Even vehicles in legal spaces on the street cause difficulties for plows, so the city requests drivers park off the street wherever possible.

City Hall and the Escanaba Public Library are closed Tuesday.

On Wednesday will be recycling collection for first and third weeks; Thursday will be trash collection for Monday’s and Tuesday’s routes, and Friday will be trask colection for Thursday’s and Friday’s routes.

– City of Gladstone: Trash pickup will be Wednesday and Thursday. Recycling will be on Friday.

– Mackinac Bridge: The Mackinac Bridge reopened after closing on Sunday; however, the Mackinac Bridge Authority issued a warning Monday afternoon to all motorists preparing to cross the bridge. The authority warned they were experiencing “winds of sufficient force in the Straits area (20 – 34 mph).”

– UPPCO: UPPCO is asking customers to report any outages they are experiencing by calling the Customer Service Center at 906-449-2011 or through its online portal at uppco.com. People are reminded to never approach or touch a downed power line or anything in contact with one; instead, stay at least 35 feet away and call 911 immediately.