PICS: Remembering Michigan’s Ice Storm of 2013

The National Weather Service issued an Ice Storm Warning for much of Mid-Michigan this week, and while the storm was certainly significant, most people who were around Lansing for the last one say it paled in comparison. In other areas of Lower Michigan, the 2023 storm was worse.

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Just days before Christmas in 2013, a major ice storm caused up to a half-inch of ice to accumulate across parts of Lower  Michigan including Lansing, Flint, and Grand Rapids, with some areas seeing as much as three-quarters of an inch. According to WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids, nearly 400,000 Michiganders found themselves without power as the heavy glaze downed trees and power lines across the region. Electricity wasn't restored for some families until after New Year's Day 2014.

According to The Weather Network, the 2013 storm resulted in the deaths of 27 people and caused upwards of $200 million in damages from Michigan to Maine, including parts of Canada.

The National Weather Service remembered the 2013 storm in Michigan this way:

The I-69 corridor was especially hard-hit, with ice accumulations of over 0.50" causing tens of thousands of people to lose power.  Numerous trees and wires were downed, and a state of emergency was declared in Shiawassee County due to unsafe traveling conditions.  South of M-59, much of the precipitation occurred as rain, with some locations receiving over 1.50" rain.  North of M-46, much of the precipitation occurred as snow, with up to 4 inches reported.

Comparatively speaking, the February 2023 ice storm didn't drop as much ice as Michigan saw in 2013. However, the affected area was much larger during the more recent storm and more than 700,000 Michiganders lost power, according to the Detroit Free Press. It's unclear how many casualties will be attributed to the 2023 storm, but it too has been deadly.

Here's a look back on the ice storm of December 2013.