Major Storms

It's been a year since the devastating ice storm. Poles and wires have since been replaced, but some residents wonder whether it makes more sense to bury them out of the reach of increasingly damaging snow, wind and ice.

Ice storms in 2025 devastated areas across northern Michigan, leaving entire grids down for weeks. President Trump recently reversed FEMA's decision to deny member-owned utilities disaster relief.

The group said these funds will go to local branches helping the hardest hit areas by Friday's tornadoes and storms, like St. Joseph County United Way, which has been helping Three Rivers residents recover.

State police are offering new details about approved FEMA recovery aid for northern Michigan communities hit by March's ice storm.

The Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op says they’re raising their rates on each of its locations by $20 per month this fall. The co-op says the rate hike will pay down interest payments on several emergency loans following the March ice storm.

As the storm swept across northern-lower Michigan, more than an inch and a half of ice collected on tree branches, power lines, homes and vehicles.

State and federal authorities are assessing damage to private property this week in 12 counties in northern Michigan.

The Alpena Power Company filed a petition with the Michigan Public Service Commission, requesting the state board waive customer credits.

With more ice storms expected in the decades ahead as the climate changes, utilities are trying to figure out how to be ready for the next ice storm.

Hundreds of thousands of people lost power in northern Michigan after an ice storm hit in late March 2025. Below are moments captured by WCMU's Teresa Homsi while she was on the ground reporting on the storm.