Closing in on second; snow days turn into hours

by Peter Jakey, Managing Editor

The snow continues to pile up in Presque Isle County. The quick-hitting storm that brought 8 inches of snow in most areas, makes the 2008-09 winter season the third snowiest since they?ve been keeping records in the 1950s at the Presque Isle County Road Commission.

Second place is only a puff or two away. The total snowfall measured at the Rogers City garage Monday morning, where the snow has been measured since 1955, was eight inches, bringing the 2008-09 total to 154 inches. March?s first major snow event equals the total from all of March ?08. THE TOTAL at the beginning of the month was 146 inches, but this latest batch of snow helped the area surpass the season of 1966-67, 146.3 inches; 1995-96, 150.5 inches; and 1964-65, 152.6 inches.

Approximately a half-inch of snow is all that is needed to tie the season of 1996-97, which had 154.5 inches.

It will take quite a blast of snow the final three weeks of March to s

et a new record, as the season of 1970-71, which brought 184.9 inches, remains the record, and a figure many folks would much rather not reach. The road commission tracks the snow through the end of the month, even though there have been some power-packed storms in April.

MONDAY?S STORM closed all of the county?s schools, as well as Alpena Public Schools. Alpena Community College was delayed until 10 a.m. For students in Rogers City Area Schools and Posen Consolidated School, with the exception of Posen Elementary, the cushion of hours is eroding fast, before time is going to have to be made up in June.

Rogers City has 10 hours left at both the elementary and secondary, with 6 hours equaling one day. The time used for delays also is taken off. Posen secondary has 8.25 hours, but the elementary is still in fairly good shape with 23.25 hours.