Whiteout conditions caused almost zero-visibility conditions on Monday, as seen on Washington Street in Marquette. (Journal photo by Annie Lippert)

MARQUETTE — The Upper Peninsula was hit by a massive blizzard Sunday morning, which continued through Monday. The storm caused all

area schools to close as well as many businesses. All Marquette County government offices were also closed. Many people lost power.

“Obviously (snowfall) varies, but the last time we measured at our office we had 21.4 inches,” said Ryan Netzger, meteorologist at the National Weather Service. That measurement happened at the NWS office in Negaunee Township at 8 a.m. on Monday.

“Certainly we’ve had some spots in Marquette county that have seen 30 inches of snow, over just south of Ishpeming,” said Netzger. “In the western parts of the U.P. we’ve gotten a little less than predicted, here in the central and eastern U.P. it’s still to be seen because it’s going to be snowing throughout the day today. In our predictions we were saying 1-3 feet and we’re in that range, and we’ve gotten a bit of snow since last measured.”

As for whether this storm will go down in history, at the time of writing that was still up in the air.

“The county base record for one day snowfall is 27 inches, but we’re still trying,” said Netzger. “We have to be vetted, and not all observations are considered official observations. But this is definitely extreme.”

The National Weather Service reported that the storm combined heavy snowfall, at rates from half an inch to two inches per hour, with strong winds, which reached up to 60 mile per hour gusts near Lake Superior. These two combined forces resulted in near-zero visibility.

The Marquette Sheriff’s office advised that “travel should be restricted to emergencies only” on Monday. “Vehicles traveling on the road and vehicles that are stuck will slow the process of clearing roads. If you must travel, have a winter survival kit with you. If you get stranded, stay with your vehicle and call 911.”

“The roads are impassable at this point,” said Sargent Hass of the Michigan State Police Negaunee Post on Monday. “If you don’t need to go out, you shouldn’t go out. Visibility is less than the space between your windshield and the front of your car. We’ve had a couple people stuck.”

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer activated the State Emergency Operations Center on Sunday in anticipation of the incoming weather event.

“I am activating our State Emergency Operations Center to ensure coordination efforts are in place ahead of potential weather-related impacts across much of the state in the next 24 to 36 hours,” said Whitmer in a news release. “This action ensures the state can monitor and respond should any local communities need resources or support. Together we will work to keep all Michiganders warm and safe.”

Annie Lippert can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 550. Her email address is alippert@miningjournal.net.