Winters in the Great Lakes State are particularly brutal thanks to a combination of lake-effect snow, Arctic blasts, and infrastructure, specifically frozen pipes in states like Michigan, which get tested to their absolute limits. The huge numbers of households experiencing issues with their frozen pipes is akin to a statewide epidemic come wintertime.
Michigan winters don’t mess around. When temperatures plummet below zero, the entire state transforms into something that looks more like Siberia than the Midwest. We’re talking about a place where the average temperatures for January are a high of 31 degrees Fahrenheit (around -0.6 degrees Celsius) and a low of 19 degrees Fahrenheit (about -7 degrees Celsius).
The cold is just the beginning, however. Some areas of the state can receive over 200 inches of snow annually (508 cm). In particular, the Keweenaw Peninsula averages more snowfall than anywhere else in the east of the Mississippi River thanks to lake effects.
The Reality of Michigan’s Winter Landscape
To understand what winter is like in Michigan, let’s start with its location and geography. The state’s position in the U.S. is smack dab along the path of Arctic air masses from Canada. Meanwhile, its unique geography, i.e., being surrounded by the Great Lakes, and the resulting microclimate system can be both a blessing and a curse.
The Upper Peninsula (locals call it the UP) experiences what weather/climate experts describe as “serious winter conditions.” We’re talking about temperatures that can drop to -30 degrees Fahrenheit, wind chills that make it dangerous to be outside for more than a few minutes, and snow that starts falling in November and doesn’t really stop until April. Well, actually… sometimes it snows in May too.
Detroit, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and the rest of the Lower Peninsula also face their own set of challenges during wintertime. In particular, this part of Michigan feels the impact of lake-effect snow, which is heavy snow produced by cold air moving across the relatively warm waters of the Great Lakes. This cold air picks up moisture from the lakes and dumps it on the downwind shores.
The result? Some communities can get hit with several feet of snow, while towns just 20 miles away remain relatively clear.
When Pipes Freeze: Michigan’s Annual Winter Crisis
Here’s where things get expensive, and frankly, dangerous. The cold winter doesn’t just dump snow, it also results in frozen pipes, which is among the most common and costly problems Michigan residents face during the winter season. Unfortunately, in recent years, this issue has only gotten worse.
WXYZ-TV Channel 7 reported how an arctic blast created problems with frozen pipes for many homeowners. As a result, it was hard for them to make an appointment with plumbing companies throughout metro Detroit and beyond. Many of them had their hands full already.
“When we wake up about 6 to 7 o’clock, there’s no water whatsoever,” Northville resident Luis Alcalde told the publication. “We try to call plumbers, but we can’t find any. They’re so busy right now.”
The Insurance Cost of Frozen Pipes
Frozen pipes aren’t just inconvenient or in danger of bursting. They’re also costly to fix. According to insurance company State Farm, it paid more than $181 million for almost 9,000 claims from frozen pipe damage, with each claim costing them an average of over $20,000, in 2022.
Although Michigan’s frozen pipe damage insurance expense isn’t nearly as high as the top 3 in the list below, it is quite a significant amount. The Great Lakes States is ranked no. 4 with $7.2 million in insurance cost for frozen pipe damage. Meanwhile, Texas, New York, and Illinois had claim costs amounting to $64 million, $17 million, and $10.8 million, respectively.
Table 1. Top 10 States for Frozen Pipe Losses
| State | Claim Cost |
| Texas | $64 million |
| New York | $17 million |
| Illinois | $10.8 million |
| Michigan | $7.2 million |
| Colorado | $6.5 million |
| Washington | $6.4 million |
| Minnesota | $6.3 million |
| Pennsylvania | $5.7 million |
| Alaska | $4.3 million |
| Connecticut | $3.8 million |
Source: State Farm
The Cost of Heating During Michigan Winters
Let’s talk numbers for a moment. Aside from bursting or frozen pipes, Michiganders also have to deal with heating during winter, which costs a bit.
According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the average weekly residential heating cost per gallon (excluding taxes) in the U.S. was $3.444. In the Midwest as of May 12, 2025 was $3.197, whereas in Michigan, it was $2.958. Meanwhile, the average price of residential propane in the country was $2.518, $1.989 in the Midwest, and $2.228 in Michigan.
Table 2. Average Weekly Residential Heating and Propane Costs (as of May 12, 2025)
| U.S. | The Midwest | Michigan | |
| Residential Heating (dollars per gallon weekly average, excludes taxes) | $3.444 | $3.197 | $2.958 |
| Residential Propane (dollars per gallon weekly average, excludes taxes) | $2.518 | $1.989 | $2.228 |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
A separate report from Home Gnome, an online marketplace for home services, states that heating in 15 places in Michigan would cost you more than average. Their list contained 499 of the largest cities in the country ranked by average electricity and gas bills, average home sizes and weather conditions.
Table 3. Places in Michigan Where Heating Costs More Than Average (the lower the score, the better)
| Cities | Ranking | Energy Score |
| Flint | 5 | 70.48 |
| Lansing | 22 | 65.12 |
| Detroit | 26 | 64.66 |
| Southfield | 34 | 62.58 |
| Westland | 38 | 62.34 |
| Dearborn | 46 | 61.98 |
| Warren | 48 | 61.93 |
| Wyoming | 56 | 60.64 |
| Grand Rapids | 79 | 58.85 |
| Sterling Heights | 92 | 57.76 |
| Livonia | 97 | 57.41 |
| Farmington Hills | 107 | 56.94 |
| Ann Arbor | 111 | 58.68 |
| Rochester Hills | 125 | 55.92 |
| Troy | 132 | 55.48 |
Source: Home Gnome
How to Survive Michigan Winters
Surviving winters in the Great Lakes State is all about preparation, not reaction. When it comes to dealing with Michigan’s harsh winters, the expert advice is that preventive measures save not only money but also headaches in the long run.
In particular, Michiganders should pay extra attention to preventing frozen pipes. Several key strategies include allowing faucets to drip, keeping cabinet doors open to allow circulation of warm air, and knowing the location and how to operate the main water shut-off valve. The last recommendation is crucial, as frozen pipes could burst, which can result in hundreds of gallons of water lost in just a few hours.
Moreover, don’t lower the thermostat during cold snaps if you’re away from home. The cost of heating an empty house for a few days can’t compare to the expenses associated with water damage and frozen pipes.