We’ve all heard the saying, March comes in like lion but goes out like a lamb.

Well, Mother Nature must’ve forgot after packing a punch that put several Michigan counties in a state of emergency, the last few days of the month. And sadly, the beginning of April is expected to be just as tough.

So, hold off on setting up the patio furniture, keep those golf clubs in the garage and delay any thoughts of boating on Lake Michigan. At least for the next few days, as more severe weather is on the horizon.

Wild Week Continues

Scenes around the state were wild, to say the least, following the March 28 storms. Freezing rain impacted communities up north with power lines accumulating ice, while severe winds and tornado sirens terrorized those in the south.

One thing was true statewide – Mother Nature left hundreds of thousands of Michiganders without power.

But as always, our lineworkers remain calm, cool and collected – rising to the challenge while preparing for the next severe weather threat.

Over the last week, our more than 8,000 co-workers teamed up to care for the communities we serve. Whether hearing from concerned customers in the contact centers, managing downed trees on icy Northern Michigan roads, guarding wires or repairing lines, our team won’t rest until every neighbor has their power restored.

‘Worst Storm’

“This is the worst storm that I’ve seen in my 25 years on the job,” said Mark Peterson, a senior manager for electric operations, as he watched the storms unfold from a mobile command unit up north. “And it’s not even close. This weekend will be remembered for a long time.”

With one eye toward the bleak weather outlook, our crews continue to battle the elements while restoring power – and prepping for what’s to come.

‘What we do’

“This is what we do,” said Cleveland Reid, a lineworker who saw substations frozen solid and power lines sagging due to the ice accumulations up north.

“We are prepared for whatever weather is thrown at us,” said Reid. “It’s what we are trained to do when the weather becomes unstable. And this is about as unstable as it gets. Rest assured we will be ready for the next one, whether it’s today, tomorrow or days away.”

With 800 crews staged around the state, you can count on us to be there when the storm hits.