WEXFORD COUNTY — An ice storm in Northern Michigan has left more than 80,000 residents without power and forced the closure of schools and government buildings across the region. Roscommon County officials declared a state of emergency as high winds and freezing rain caused widespread damage to utility lines and roadways.
The storm has primarily impacted Wexford, Missaukee, Osceola and Roscommon counties. In Wexford County, Emergency Management Director Erik King reported that 10,000 of the 33,000 residents are currently without electricity. Crews from the county road commission and local energy companies have been working to clear downed trees and debris from roads since approximately 8 p.m. Sunday.
Wexford County Emergency Management King urged residents to prioritize safety by remaining indoors. King recommended that people limit all non-essential travel while crews address the damage. “My advice to our residents is stay home, limit any non-essential travel and if residents have to do any traveling, to use extreme caution, anticipate, you know, roadblocks, wires down, you know, lanes of traffic,” King said.King also emphasized the importance of being prepared for roadside emergencies if travel is unavoidable. He suggested motorists keep specific supplies in their vehicles. “And and be prepared. Have an emergency kit in the car. Water, blankets. Make sure their cell phone is charged,” King said. “Things you know, that are going to help them if they run off into a ditch or they got sit and wait for a tow truck.”Statewide, Consumers Energy reported that approximately 90,000 customers lost power due to the storm. The vast majority of those outages—roughly 80,000—occurred in Northern Michigan. Roscommon County was hit particularly hard, with more than 80% of its residents losing electricity during the peak of the storm.To manage the restoration efforts in the hardest-hit areas, Consumers Energy established a mobile command center in Roscommon County. A representative for Consumers Energy explained that the unit allows for advanced on-site coordination. “Think of a kind of a high technology large vehicle with, where we can stage an entire team of people to, let’s call it, run a portion of the storm,” the representative said. “We have additional trailers with more equipment and materials so that everything is there when we need it.”Restoration efforts may be challenged by ongoing weather conditions, including wind gusts that are expected to reach between 40 and 50 mph Monday evening. A representative for Consumers Energy noted that while the ice and snow began to subside, the wind was expected to remain a factor until nearly midnight. “So, from a safety perspective, you know, that’s going to keep things a little bit slower,” the representative said.The utility company also issued a warning regarding the dangers of downed infrastructure. Officials stressed that any wire on the ground should be treated as high voltage and reported immediately. “Do not approach it. Do not try to move anything off it,” a Consumers Energy representative said. “Call 911 and they central dispatch has a direct communication line to us and we will get somebody dispatched to make it safe.”In Wexford County, the storm’s impact led to the closure of multiple government buildings and schools. The county road commission has been working alongside energy companies to clear trees and debris that have blocked traffic lanes and entangled power lines since the storm intensified on Sunday night.
Consumers Energy estimated that it could take a few days before power is fully restored to all affected areas in Northern Michigan. Wexford County Emergency Management officials stated that some schools and businesses may remain closed on March 17, 2026, if high winds continue to bring down additional trees and power lines overnight.