Damp and Dangerous First Signs of Spring in Superior

Spring-like temperatures are melting snow fast.

SUPERIOR, Wis.-  The city of Superior is particularly prone to standing water with it’s flat land. And with March and Spring like temperatures rolling in, the fire department has a message for the city’s residents.

Spring blizzards are still likely, but we’re not short of snow already on the ground. Or should we say puddles thanks to the Spring warm-up beginning to take shape.

“Hopefully it’s not as bad as it has been in other years,” Superior resident Ivy Marnati said.

Superior fire officials love the warm up as much as residents of the city because it gives them a chance to clear fire hydrants and storm drains covered in snow. But there are a number of dangers that come with Spring temperatures.

“Spring time ice can get really sketchy,” fire chief Cameron Vollbrecht said.

We’re about to enter something called the freeze–thaw cycle.

“Everyday we’re going to start melting snow and then it’s going to freeze again at night. It’s going to make conditions really slippery in the mornings,” Vollbrecht said.

It can be extremely dangerous for drivers when they’re not driving through ponds of water. But that’s not the only concern of fire officials in the Spring.

“Worst time of year, I think, for getting people into the water,” Vollbrecht said.

Ice fishing and other lake activities become dangerous since the ice is so brittle.

“We get complacent. We’ve been on the ice since November, December. Everything’s been really safe,” Vollbrecht said.

Overall, officials think spring weather is something to enjoy as long as you’re smart about it.

“The melty spring I like. ‘Cause you see a little bit more sunshine and the different changes in the weather than just the constant… And then being stuck inside all the time. I can still get out and about every once in a while,” Marnati said.

Fire officials also warn residents that frost bite can be even more dangerous in Spring due to people not dressing appropriately for cold temperatures in the evening.