Winter storms are part of life in Marquette, Michigan, but severe snow, strong winds, freezing temperatures, icy roads, and prolonged power outages can create serious health risks. A major storm can turn an ordinary task such as shoveling a driveway into a cardiovascular emergency, leave someone exposed to dangerously low temperatures, make pharmacies difficult to reach, or increase the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning when residents use alternative heating and electricity sources.

Michigan emergency preparedness guidance emphasizes that winter weather can contribute to hypothermia, frostbite, heart problems, injuries, and carbon monoxide exposure. In Marquette, where winter conditions can be particularly persistent, residents should think about health preparedness before a storm arrives rather than waiting until roads are blocked or utilities are disrupted.

Understanding the warning signs of cold-related illness, knowing when to seek emergency care, and having medications and basic medical supplies available can make a major difference. The following risks deserve particular attention during significant winter storms in Marquette.

Snow Shoveling and the Risk of Heart Attack

Snow shoveling is one of the most physically demanding activities many people perform during winter. Heavy, wet snow can be especially strenuous because each shovel load may weigh considerably more than loose, powdery snow. Combining that physical effort with cold temperatures can place additional stress on the cardiovascular system.

Cold weather causes blood vessels to constrict, which can increase blood pressure and make the heart work harder. Vigorous activity such as repeatedly lifting, pushing, and throwing snow can then sharply increase the body's demand for oxygen. For someone with underlying heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, or other cardiovascular risk factors, the combination can be dangerous.

If you have a heart condition, check the Marquette winter storm warning today before deciding whether to shovel. During an active warning, particularly when snow is heavy and conditions are extremely cold, postponing unnecessary outdoor exertion may be the safer choice.

Michigan officials specifically advise residents to avoid overexertion while shoveling because the activity can place extra strain on the heart.

Anyone who chooses to shovel should take frequent breaks and avoid trying to clear an entire driveway or walkway in one continuous effort. Push snow rather than lifting it whenever practical. Use a smaller shovel load, dress in layers, and stay hydrated. People who have been advised by a physician to limit strenuous activity should follow that medical advice rather than assuming that snow shoveling is safe simply because they have performed it before.

Most importantly, recognize heart attack symptoms. These can include pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain in the chest; discomfort spreading to the arm, shoulder, back, neck, or jaw; shortness of breath; unusual sweating; nausea; dizziness; or unexplained weakness. Symptoms can sometimes be less obvious, particularly in older adults and people with diabetes.

Do not attempt to drive yourself to the hospital if you believe you are having a heart attack. Call 911. UP Health System–Marquette's emergency department is staffed around the clock, and its emergency guidance emphasizes calling 911 for medical emergencies so EMS can begin treatment and arrange rapid transportation.

Recognizing Hypothermia Before It Becomes an Emergency

Hypothermia occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce it, causing core body temperature to fall below 95°F. It can develop after prolonged outdoor exposure, but it can also occur indoors if a home loses heat during a power outage.

The earliest signs may look deceptively ordinary. A person may begin shivering, complain of extreme tiredness, or become clumsy. As hypothermia progresses, symptoms can include confusion, memory problems, slurred speech, drowsiness, poor coordination, and unusual behavior. Severe hypothermia can cause loss of consciousness and may eventually affect breathing and circulation.

This is particularly important during prolonged Marquette storms because residents may try to remain at home through an extended heating outage. Older adults, young children, people with disabilities, and individuals who have difficulty regulating body temperature can be especially vulnerable.

If someone develops symptoms of hypothermia, move the person into a warm environment as quickly as possible. Remove wet clothing and replace it with dry layers or blankets. Focus on warming the center of the body, including the chest, neck, head, and groin. A conscious person may be given a warm, nonalcoholic drink if they can swallow safely.

Do not give alcohol as a warming strategy. Alcohol can impair judgment and contribute to heat loss.

Severe hypothermia requires emergency medical attention. A person with severe hypothermia may not appear to be breathing normally or may have a very weak pulse. Handle them gently and seek emergency assistance immediately rather than assuming they are beyond help.

Frostbite: What It Looks Like and What to Do

Frostbite occurs when skin and underlying tissues freeze. In Marquette's winter environment, exposed fingers, toes, ears, cheeks, and the nose can be vulnerable, particularly when wind chill is severe.

Early warning signs include numbness, tingling, or loss of sensation. Skin may become pale, white, grayish-yellow, or waxy and feel unusually firm. Michigan guidance advises residents to seek medical attention for suspected frostbite, particularly when symptoms are significant.

The first priority is getting out of the cold. Move indoors and remove wet clothing, jewelry, and anything else that could restrict circulation as swelling develops.

If medical care is not immediately available, affected areas can be gently rewarmed using warm—not hot—water. The goal is gradual rewarming rather than intense heat. Do not rub or massage frostbitten skin. Do not place it directly against a heating pad, stove, fireplace, or other intense heat source because numb tissue can burn easily.

Do not rub frostbite with snow. This traditional practice can cause additional tissue damage. Michigan's winter health guidance specifically warns against rubbing affected areas or exposing them to extreme temperatures during treatment.

If the area becomes blistered, severely swollen, darkened, or remains numb after rewarming, professional medical evaluation is important. Deep frostbite can cause lasting tissue injury and may require specialized treatment.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning During Power Outages

Carbon monoxide, or CO, is one of the most dangerous storm-related hazards because it is colorless and odorless. People can be exposed without realizing anything is wrong.

Power outages create particular risk because residents may turn to generators, grills, portable fuel-burning equipment, fireplaces, or other combustion sources. A generator operated inside a home, garage, basement, shed, or other enclosed space can allow lethal concentrations of carbon monoxide to accumulate.

Generators should only be operated outdoors and positioned well away from doors, windows, and air intakes. Never use a gas range or oven to heat a home. Michigan emergency preparedness guidance also recommends battery-operated carbon monoxide detectors near sleeping areas.

Blocked exhaust vents can create another serious hazard. Heavy snow and drifting can cover furnace vents, dryer vents, or other exhaust outlets. If combustion appliances cannot exhaust properly, carbon monoxide may enter the living space.

Residents should check exterior vents when conditions safely allow, but they should not take unnecessary risks during blizzard conditions. A blocked vent can be especially dangerous because the people inside may have no obvious warning.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can include headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, confusion, and unusual sleepiness. Several people in the same household becoming sick at approximately the same time is an important warning sign.

If carbon monoxide poisoning is suspected, get everyone into fresh air immediately and call 911. Do not return indoors until emergency personnel determine that it is safe.

Mental Health and Seasonal Affective Disorder

Winter storm health risks are not limited to physical injuries. Prolonged periods of darkness, isolation, limited outdoor activity, disrupted routines, and repeated storms can affect mental health.

Seasonal affective disorder, commonly called SAD, is a form of depression that follows a seasonal pattern and is often associated with the reduced daylight of winter. Symptoms can include persistent sadness, low energy, social withdrawal, difficulty concentrating, changes in sleep, changes in appetite, and loss of interest in activities.

A major winter storm can temporarily intensify some of these challenges. Residents may be unable to leave home, visit friends, exercise outdoors, attend work, or participate in normal social activities.

Maintaining a routine can help. Keep regular sleep and meal schedules, stay physically active indoors when possible, maintain contact with family and friends, and seek natural daylight during safe periods. Even brief exposure to daylight can help maintain a normal daily rhythm.

People who already receive treatment for depression or another mental health condition should avoid allowing a storm to interrupt prescribed treatment. If medication supplies are running low, contact the prescribing clinician or pharmacy as early as possible.

Severe depression, thoughts of self-harm, or an inability to safely care for oneself require urgent professional assistance. Mental health emergencies deserve the same seriousness as physical emergencies.

Pharmacy Access When Roads Are Closed

Medication access can become a major health issue during a long winter storm. A person who depends on insulin, heart medication, seizure medication, anticoagulants, asthma medication, or other essential prescriptions may face serious consequences if supplies run out.

The best time to address this problem is before a storm. Residents who take regular medication should monitor their supply and avoid waiting until they have only a day or two remaining. Ask the pharmacy about refill timing, delivery options, emergency refill policies, and whether prescriptions can be transferred if the usual location becomes inaccessible.

Keep medications stored according to their specific instructions. Some medicines require refrigeration, which creates an additional challenge during an extended power outage. Patients who depend on refrigerated medications should ask their pharmacist or clinician in advance about safe storage and backup arrangements.

It is also useful to keep a current medication list that includes prescription names, doses, prescribing clinicians, allergies, and important medical conditions. A paper copy can be valuable if internet or cellular service becomes unreliable.

Do not ration prescription medication by taking smaller doses or skipping doses without medical guidance. If access becomes difficult, contact a pharmacist or healthcare provider rather than making medication changes independently.

Preparing for Hospital and Emergency Medical Needs

Winter storms can affect healthcare systems at the same time that they increase the number of people who need medical attention. Emergency departments may see patients with falls, fractures, cardiac symptoms, respiratory problems, frostbite, hypothermia, and carbon monoxide exposure.

Hospitals therefore have to prepare not only for ordinary patient care but also for transportation problems, utility interruptions, communication challenges, staffing difficulties, supply-chain disruptions, and sudden increases in emergency patients.

UP Health System–Marquette describes its emergency preparedness program as an all-hazards approach that includes planning for severe weather, utility outages, communication failures, supply-chain interruptions, and mass-casualty incidents. The hospital conducts exercises and drills and coordinates with regional hospitals, EMS, health departments, emergency responders, and other organizations.

The hospital's role is particularly important because UP Health System–Marquette serves as a regional medical center for patients from throughout Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Its Marquette facility is a 222-bed specialty care hospital with emergency services available 24 hours a day.

Emergency preparedness also involves staffing. During severe weather, healthcare workers may face the same hazardous roads and transportation problems as everyone else. Hospitals and emergency agencies therefore plan ahead to maintain essential staffing and operational capabilities during difficult conditions.

Residents should still understand that emergency medical systems can be stretched during major storms. That is another reason to prepare before severe weather arrives. Keep essential medications available, maintain basic first-aid supplies, know how to contact emergency services, and make sure family members know what symptoms require immediate medical attention.

When You Should Call 911

During a severe winter storm, people sometimes hesitate to seek medical help because they are worried about dangerous roads. That hesitation can be dangerous when symptoms indicate a life-threatening emergency.

Call 911 for suspected heart attack, stroke, severe breathing difficulty, unconsciousness, severe hypothermia, serious carbon monoxide exposure, or another condition that appears immediately life-threatening.

For example, sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body, difficulty speaking, sudden confusion, severe chest pressure, or significant difficulty breathing should not be dismissed as something that can wait until the storm passes.

EMS personnel are trained to operate during emergencies and can determine the safest way to transport a patient. UP Health System–Marquette specifically advises calling 911 when someone is experiencing a medical emergency rather than attempting to arrange emergency transportation independently.

Preparing Before the Next Marquette Winter Storm

Good winter health preparation begins well before snow starts falling. Residents should maintain a supply of necessary medications, food, drinking water, warm clothing, blankets, flashlights, batteries, and basic medical supplies. Michigan recommends preparing to shelter in place for several days during winter emergencies.

A home should also have functioning smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Heating systems should be maintained, and fuel-burning equipment should be properly vented. Residents should know where exterior vents are located so they can be checked for snow and ice buildup when it is safe.

People with chronic medical conditions should discuss storm planning with their healthcare providers before winter emergencies occur. This may include asking what to do if electricity is interrupted, how to protect temperature-sensitive medication, and how to respond if regular appointments become inaccessible.

Neighbors can also play an important role. During extreme cold, check on older adults, people with disabilities, and individuals who live alone when it is safe to do so. A quick phone call may identify a heating problem or medical emergency before it becomes critical.

Staying Healthy Through Marquette's Winter

Winter storms do not have to become medical emergencies, but they require respect for the risks created by cold, snow, wind, isolation, and disrupted services. The most effective strategy is to reduce exposure before conditions become dangerous.

Avoid unnecessary outdoor exertion during severe storms. Take snow shoveling seriously, especially if you have cardiovascular risk factors. Recognize early signs of hypothermia and frostbite. Never operate a generator indoors. Keep vents clear of snow. Protect essential medications from storm-related access problems, and know when symptoms require 911.

Marquette's healthcare infrastructure and emergency responders maintain extensive preparedness systems for severe weather and other emergencies, but individual preparation remains an important part of community resilience. By planning ahead and responding quickly to warning signs, residents can reduce the chance that a winter storm turns into a serious health crisis.

For Marquette residents, winter readiness is therefore more than keeping a shovel by the door or stocking the pantry. It means protecting the heart during strenuous work, keeping the body warm, preventing toxic exposures, maintaining access to medication, supporting mental health, and knowing how to obtain emergency care when weather conditions are at their worst.