Unusual Storm Deals Spring Wintry Blow

Thoughts of spring, baseball and fishing trips were doused with an unusual April storm which dumped three inches of snow and ice on the Ann Arbor area Wednesday and today. The results included the predictable traffic jams and-workers arriving late, and some power blackouts. The snow storm also left weathermen scratching their heads. Thunderstorms like the one that struck the area last night and early this morning are not unusual for this time of year. They even occur sometimes in midwinter, according to Ora Lang, meteorologist at the U.S. Weather Bureau at Metropolitan Airport. "But the fact that we got snow along with it is fairly unusual," the meteórologist added. While snow of ten falls in early April and in some years heavy snowfalls have been recorded during the month, April 1975 has, so far, been much more wïntry than April 1974. Lee Vandecar. meteorologist at Metro, said last night's storm was the result of warm air mixing with cold. Vandecar said the storm started early Wednesday in the southwestern U.S. and developed "a wave" that formed over southern Missouri and moved up through southern Illinois, Indiana and northeastern Ohio. At 8 a.m. today the storm was centered over western New York and Pennsylvania, he said. "The close proximity of southern Michigan to the storm wave made us vulnerable, and strong northeasterly winds sweeping into the storm front produced freezing rain and snow showers." Vandecar said "as the storm cell moves away we will have clearing weather and diminishing winds." A total of 3 inches of snow were recorded by 8 a.m., an inch and a half of which accumulated since midnight, bringing the 'total for the season to 62.2 inches of snow, "but this is not a record," he said. Traffic was moving slowly around the county and adjacent areas, according to area police agencies, but blowing snow was making surfaces slippery and police advised against travel. No serious accidents were reported as I of mid-morning. Ann Arbor motorists, I however, were caught in early morning I traffic snags as autos crawled through I the city. Pólice said a malfunctioning traffic I signal at Washtenaw and Forest added to I the snarls. A car blocked traffic lañes I briefly on S. Industrial Highway during the morning rush hour, pólice said. But by 9:30 a.m., even the Washtenaw traffic tie-up was beginning to ease. Pólice said the hills and dips in Washtenaw's road elevation added to the confusión as car I tires spun in an effort to scale almost invisible rises in the road. At 10 a.m., Ann Arbor traffic was I "back to normal," joked Deputy Chief Harold Olson. As one harried Michigan State Police trooper at the Brighton put I it, "It's by no means a Sunday cruise out I there; it's tough driving." Troopers there reported US-23 in I Washtenaw County was unplowed at I mid-morning. They urged drivers to stay I off the roads, and they reported many I Brighton-area roads were impassable. I Freeway ramps were also snow-covered I and could easily trap a car in a dnit, troopers warned. 1-96 was blocked in I places east and west of US-23, they said I Most roads and expressways around the county were reported to have at least I one lane open and to be carry ing traffic I at greatly reduced speeds. No ma]or I -blockages oi major roads or expressways I were reported. Troopers at the Ypsilanti Post said a jackknifed truck blocked traffic bnefly I on US-23 at Willis Road early this morning Area authorities reported no strand■ ed motorists had to be evacuated frorn ( cars in marked contrast to the Dec. 1 I deluge when 19 inches of snow devastated the area and led to the emergency housing of hundreds. In the Pinckney area, however, troopers from the Brighton Post reported that 18 teenage girls, whose camping trip was interrupted by a snowstorm, were given emergency shelter by area residents. The only weather-related mishap occurred in Ypsilanti, where a tree feil across Miles Street and damaged a car parked in the 200 block there. Oscar Zahn, assistant maintainance superintendent for the County Road Commission, said crews were nol making much progress clearing snow from area roads. . , "We no sooner get the snow moved, when the wind blows it right back, he said "The blacktop roads are passable but they are nothing' to brag about John Millspaugh, Ann Arbor's street maintenance supervisor, said his crews salted until 2 a.m. and worked all mgnt, concentrating on the major streets. Privately owned road scrapers were being called in this morning to finish the work. Millspaugh said he hoped his crew could begin work on local streets around noon. Detroit Edison reported blackouts occurred between 5 a.m. and 7:45 a.m. in rural áreas including Freedom, Bridgewater, Dexter, Saline and Lima Townships. A small area of southeast Ann Arbor was also without service for a short time, but no major problems occurred, the utility reported. Ann Arbor Municipal Airport wat -■■níiiiiiniiiiníriiirmiillllliniM closed today by Manager jonn iuu"-". the first time it has been closed in severalHosaSals in the area reported higher than normal absenteeism because of the storm but said there were no senous PS?Snc., a locally based manufac tum f computer terminals, closed rts plant i" Ann Lor Industrial Park : but a number of people reported for work at hecompanymcesmWolverineTow The weather's effect on Hooyer Ball and Bearing Co. varied with the locations 5 itf ni. The Fowlervüle plant m Livingston County was closed and at the Whitmore Lake plant only 25 per cent of the hourly workers had come in during Ï e ÏÏJÏnomingliouB. Most of the employés at the S. State Street plant and the facilities in Saline made it to work Plans to maintain normal bcneauies L%L and other acties todjy. were announced by the U-M, Eastern Michigan University and Washtenaw Community College (Related Material on Page 27.)