2-day snow totals more than a foot

IRONWOOD — The first day of spring resulted in more snow and cold temperatures on the Gogebic Range Wednesday as March continued to be a bear of a month.

A total of 4.5 inches of snow was recorded at the National Weather Service weather station off Cloverland Drive for the 24-hour period to 7 a.m. Wednesday, resulting in an accumulation for the past two days of 13 inches.

It was fluffy stuff and the 4.5 inches of snow melted to just .1 inch of precipitation.

The overnight low early Wednesday was 6 degrees, with a windchill reading below zero.

There was considerable drifting, but the heavy winds that were forecast didn’t arrive in the Ironwood area.

It snowed heavily up to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, causing Hurley K-12 school officials to call off classes early. At about that time, the sun came out and the ice and snow on roadways quickly melted, but more snow followed and there were numerous accidents in Gogebic County on Wednesday.

Gogebic Range residents weren’t accustomed to the sunshine and around 7 p.m. Tuesday, a 23-year-old Bessemer woman called the Ironwood Public Safety Department to report the Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church was on fire. She said she could see flames and smoke. It turned out to be the sun setting on the church and there was no fire.

A year ago today, a high reading of 67 degrees in Ironwood set a 100-year record as the Ironwood area basked in extended March sunshine.

Following the most recent heavy snowfall, the ground total stands at 26 inches and the seasonal snowfall has increased to 154.5 inches.

The forecast called for highs in the low 30s through Sunday and there was a 60 percent chance of snow today.