GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- With just about a week left to go until December, this month is quickly shaping up to be a November to remember when it comes to winter weather.
While snowfall totals across West Michigan have been breaking records, the early onslaught of winter weather has already started to break the bank for some county road commissions.
The Kent County Road Commission is now looking at a final price tag of $1 million or more for plowing and salting during this month's snow event.
"Always with the first snowfall you would like to have something less than 29 inches, no matter what," said Gerald Byrne, deputy manager with the road commission.
But Mother Nature had other plans, dumping enough snow on Grand Rapids in November to break a 119 year old record of 28.2 inches, according to the National Weather Service.
The record breaking snowfall means this past week's weather ranks fifth among the top ten all-time snow totals in just a four day span.
Grand Rapids also broke records for daily snowfall, daily snow depth and coldest max temperature, all records dating back to 1989.
Byrne said the Kent County Road Commission has spent 15 percent of its winter budget, spending about $10,000 an hour in just a 24 hour period snow event.
Crews also spread about 6,400 tons of salt on Kent County roads during the course of the week, according to Byrne.
"We would've rather seen a six or eight inch event to start off versus 29 inches, and some parts of the county saw over 33 inches in a five-day period," he said.
"It was a tough first snowfall for everyone to deal with."
But Byrne said he's not concerned about the overall budget for winter given the strong start to the season.
