Winter Storm Pictures (23-24 March 2016)

In the past 24 hours, Mid-Michigan has been hit by a winter storm that dumped as much as 5 inches of snow and half an inch of ice on the region.  All local schools closed for the day and many automobile accidents have been reported.  As ice-covered branches begin to fall, several areas have lost power.

I finally got out of the house this afternoon, in a steady rain, to take a few pictures in the park just down the street from my house in Alma.

Every tree is covered by a layer of ice.

Smaller plants such as this burdock are also covered.

Despite the weather, wildlife has been active.  I found two sets of deer tracks near the river

Man-made objects are not immune to the ice.

 

Looking back toward home, I could see every tree glistening with the icy coating.  A few branches have begun to come down under the extra weight.

Besides deer, other wildlife had been around.  I found tracks from squirrels, small songbirds, and these tracks from a Canada Goose.

This park is one of several in Alma that can be found along the Pine River.  The city's Riverwalk Trail connects several of these parks.  A pedestrian bridge connects the Euclid Ball Fields to the trail.  Crossing over the Pine River I found a pair of geese and about a half-dozen Mallard Ducks along the trail.  The geese slipped into the river before I could get close, but the ducks let me get close enough to take several pictures before flying the short distance to the river.

By this time, rainwater had soaked through my gloves and my camera was getting wet so I decided to call it a day.