On Monday morning, over 100 vehicles were involved in crashes or slid off Interstate 196 in Michigan, located southwest of Grand Rapids. The incident occurred as lake-effect snow blanketed the state. Michigan State Police closed both directions of I-196 for vehicle removal, which included more than 30 semitrailer trucks. Numerous injuries were reported, but no fatalities.
A driver, Pedro Mata Jr., described limited visibility from blowing snow while traveling between 20-25 mph before the incident. He was able to stop his pickup safely and moved it to the median to avoid further collisions, noting that he heard crashes behind him.
This Michigan event is part of a larger winter storm impacting several states, with warnings for extremely cold temperatures or winter storms issued for regions from northern Minnesota south and east into Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. The storm had previously brought snow as far south as the Florida Panhandle and affected playoff football games in Massachusetts and Chicago. Forecasters also predicted freezing temperatures overnight into Tuesday for parts of north-central Florida and southeast Georgia.
The Ottawa County Sheriff's office reported multiple crashes and jack-knifed semitrailers, alongside numerous cars sliding off the road. Stranded motorists were bused to Hudsonville High School for assistance. Authorities expect the interstate to remain closed for several hours for cleanup, with Grand Valley Towing and other companies assisting in removing vehicles.