Northern Michigan Forests Hit by Second Blizzard in a Year

Severe ice storm causes widespread damage to trees and wildlife habitats in the region.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 9:23pm

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A powerful blizzard and ice storm swept through northern Michigan over the past weekend, causing significant damage to forests and wildlife habitats in the region. This marks the second time in just one year that the area has been hit by a major winter storm that has coated trees and vegetation in thick layers of ice.

Why it matters

The back-to-back ice storms have raised concerns about the long-term health and recovery of northern Michigan's forests, which are vital ecosystems that provide habitats for diverse wildlife and support the region's tourism and outdoor recreation industries.

The details

The latest storm brought heavy snow, freezing rain, and ice accumulations of up to an inch in some areas, weighing down and snapping branches and tree trunks across a wide swath of forests in the Grayling region. This follows a similar ice storm that hit the same area just last year, causing extensive damage that is still visible today.

  • The latest blizzard and ice storm hit northern Michigan over the past weekend.
  • A previous ice storm struck the same region just one year ago.

The players

Grayling, Michigan

A city located in northern Michigan that was impacted by the recent blizzard and ice storm.

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What’s next

Forestry experts and state officials will be assessing the full extent of the damage to northern Michigan's forests in the coming weeks and determining what recovery efforts may be needed.

The takeaway

The back-to-back ice storms in northern Michigan highlight the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme winter weather events driven by climate change, which can have devastating impacts on sensitive forest ecosystems and the communities that rely on them.