Michigan's Snowplow Names Get Cuter, More Precious For Winter '21

This all started as a way to engage the folks, especially the kids, maybe take our minds off the pandemic, and, maybe also to call attention to the hard work that snowplow drivers do every winter; giving names to the state's fleet of snowplows.

How It Started

According to reports, the idea started in Scotland. Then Minnesota picked up on it. After that, it's hard to tell. Longtime Michigan Department of Transportation spokesperson Nick Schirripa asked some folks on Twitter last winter, and WOOD-TV's chief meteorologist Ellen Bacca, loved the idea, reminding us Michigan winters are pretty snowy, too.

So the Michigan Department of Transportation officially asked our state's residents to submit names for the state's fleet of snowplows. Some 15,000 entries came in, and now, in what will be its first full year of having names attached to the state's snowplows, all 330 plows have names and you have to hand it to us Michigander for our cleverness and, let's admit it, cuteness.

Get our free mobile app

Schirripa shared some of the best names with WWJ Radio in Detroit. Some we knew about from last winter, like Plowy McPlowface and Gordie Plowe, but many of the others are new. Here are some of the most clever: (from the world of music) Alice Scooper (and maybe a related song title - Mr. Ice Guy), Kid Rock Salt, and Sir Plows-A-Lot. From Star Wars, there's Darth Blader, Han Snowlo. Plowing around Michigan is "Blades of Steel", but maybe the cleverest of all is "Control, Salt, Delete".

You can track all 330 on MIDrive.

Snowboarding Created in Michigan

All 83 Michigan Counties Ranked On The Amount Of Snow Per Year

Ever wonder where the worst places in Michigan are for snowfall? What about the places that aren't so bad for snow? This might affect your next move... Given, you won't see lightning strike in the same place twice, you can't be promised a lack of snow. We have all 83 Michigan counties ranked in order, based on data collected throughout the years.