Storm plays havoc with commercial transportation

A storm system rapidly intensified Sunday causing winds to howl and some lake effect snow to kick up across the Upper Peninsula. Gusts reached over 50 miles per hour from Copper Harbor to the Straits of Mackinac, and that snarled commercial traffic on the ground and on Lake Superior.

The Mackinac Bridge Authority was forced to close the five mile span connecting the Lower and Upper Peninsulas to all high profile vehicles, including logging trucks and tractor trailers. Even pickups with items in the bed were included in the order issued around 5 PM Sunday. Cars, SUVs, and light trucks were allowed to traverse the bridge at reduced speeds. The slowdown came as hunters attempted to return home following the first weekend of rifle season.

Here in the Copper Country, once visibility improves it is quite the maritime show on the leeward side of the Keweenaw Peninsula. Three vessels (the Victory, Atlantic Huron, and Michipicoten) have taken up safe harbor in the Bay of Bete Grise and another three (the American Century, Walter J McCarthy, and Stewart J Cort) are anchored from the lower entry down into Keweenaw Bay. The freighters have sought shelter from waves registering at 15 feet out in open water. The readings occurred yesterday evening at the Stannard Rock Lighthouse.