KALAMAZOO (WKZO AM/FM) — As the polar vortex finishes its reign over the Midwest, local communities have a new problem to worry about.
— FLOODING AND POTHOLES —
Temperatures are supposed to start rising Friday night and forecasters say they could be in the upper 40’s to low 50’s by Monday, which means melting ice and snow could cause serious flooding issues.
MDOT is warning drivers to be on the look out for potholes as this winter warm up begins.
— BACK TO NORMAL —
Life will be slowly getting back to normal despite the frosty start on Friday morning.
The State of Michigan will open its offices, and most of its Universities and Colleges will resume classes.
The Secretary of State will be extending hours on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday.
However, some public schools have canceled classes again, making what seems more like a snow week than a snow day.
Marshall Schools remain closed on Friday because they are having trouble getting the diesel engines in their buses to start.
Mail carriers will get back to their appointed rounds.
The Warming center at the Douglas Community Association will close at noon Friday, and the shelters at the two churches in Downtown Kalamazoo will close Saturday morning.
The ice rink in Millennial Park in Portage has been closed for the last few days, not because it wasn’t cold enough but because it was too cold even for ice skating. Portage officials say it will reopen Friday afternoon.
— RECORD LOWS —
Forecasters say the polar vortex broke a couple of temperature records in Southwest Michigan.
Both Kalamazoo and Battle Creek hit 18-below on Thursday which beat their daily lows set back in 1899 when it was 15-below in Kalamazoo and 10-below in Battle Creek.
But everyone’s focus will quickly switch from snow removal to flooding issues, as temperatures climb into the 40’s to low 50’s by Monday.
That would be a nearly 70-degree swing in temperature in just a few days.
You may feel like breaking out the sun tan lotion, but some will be searching around their closets for the waders, because all this snow will be melting at once.
