Detroit, MI
Detroit handling dozens of water main breaks amid frigid stretch
DETROIT (FOX 2) – The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) is dealing with dozens of water main breaks around the city as a cold snap continues.
Gary Brown, the DWSD director, said Tuesday morning that there were “at least a couple dozen” water main breaks.
Water main break flooding:
At least three of those water main breaks led to flooding, which then resulted in frozen streets.
People on Laing near Britain, not far from Morang, have reportedly been complaining about a water main break since Monday, and 911 dispatchers have fielded calls about vehicles stuck in the ice and water.
Another water main break flooded about ⅔ of Bringard near Barlow, which is south of Eight Mile, before freezing.
Also on the east side, a water main break with less severe flooding was reported on Dequindre near State Fair.
What they’re saying:
“This is historic, regionally, to have this deep of a freeze for this long of a period of time,” Brown said.
According to Brown, the breaks have been the result of frigid temperatures and shifting.
Dozens of water main breaks reported in Detroit
The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department is going to be busy Tuesday, handling dozens of water main breaks around the city. Department director Gary Brown said a historic deep freeze is leading to a high number of breaks all at once.
What’s next:
Brown said the department is prioritizing which breaks get repaired first.
“The prioritization is any person or street that may be completely out of water,” he said, noting that as of Monday night, no residents were out of water.
While crews work to repair the breaks, the water department is urging residents to be patient.
“When you’ve got 30 or 40 water main breaks, we can’t get to everyone at the same time,” Brown said.
The Detroit Zoo welcomed a new giraffe, Nguvu, to the herd, officials announced on Wednesday.
Officials say 1-year-old Nguvu came from Utah’s Hogle Zoo as part of the zoo’s “long-term plan for the giraffe herd.”
“This move was recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Giraffe Species Survival Plan, which promotes the health, genetic diversity and overall sustainability of giraffe populations in zoos – and we’re eager to support Nguvu as he adjusts to his new home,” the Detroit Zoo says.
Officials say Nguvu has been working with the animal care teams for several days and will be introduced to the herd soon.
According to Utah’s Hogle Zoo, Nguvu was born in February 2025. His name means “strength” in Swahili.
The Detroit Lions are taking part in the NFL’s International series for the first time since 2015 by hosting the AFC Champion New England Patriots Week 10 in Munich at Allianz Arena on Sunday, Nov. 15 at 9:30 a.m. ET (3:30 p.m. local time in Germany) on FOX.
The Patriots represented the AFC in the Super Bowl this past February after a 14-3 season and their 22nd AFC East title. They beat the Los Angeles Chargers (16-3), Houston Texans (28-16) and Denver Broncos (10-7) in the playoffs to earn their 12th Super Bowl appearance, which they lost to Seattle (29-13).
Patriots QB Drake Maye is one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL entering his third season and New England’s defense is coming off a 2025 season in which they ranked fourth in points allowed (18.8) and eighth in total defense (295.2).
This is the second of Detroit’s 2026 matchups to be announced early (Week 2 TNF in Buffalo). The rest of the Lions schedule will be revealed Thursday evening.
4Warn Weather – Metro Detroit is getting a bit of everything this week: from freezing temperatures to summerlike heat.
Mixed in are rain chances.
Tuesday night will feature scattered showers and a chance of a few thunderstorms as a cold front moves through Southeast Michigan.
The strongest storms Tuesday night are not expected to be severe, but a few downpours and gusty winds will be possible before the rain tapers off overnight.
Overnight temperatures will settle into the 40s and 50s in most locations.
Cooler air will arrive first across the Thumb and northern communities, with lows dipping into the mid- to upper 40s near Lapeer, Port Huron, and Sandusky.
Detroit and Downriver communities will be in the lower 50s.
Wednesday
Wednesday will feel noticeably cooler and breezy behind the front. High temperatures may struggle to climb much beyond the mid-50s in Metro Detroit, while communities farther north could remain even cooler at times under mostly cloudy skies.
A stray shower cannot be ruled out during the day, but much of Wednesday looks dry.
That cooler air will greet fans heading downtown Wednesday evening for Game 5 between the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers at Little Caesars Arena.
Temperatures around tipoff at 8 p.m. will hover near 50 degrees with cloudy skies. By the time fans leave the arena later Wednesday night, readings may slip into the upper 40s.
Anyone heading downtown may want a jacket, especially with a lingering breeze making it feel a little cooler outside.
After the chilly midweek stretch, temperatures will rebound quickly heading into the weekend.
Looking ahead
Friday evening looks comfortable for the Detroit Tigers’ series opener against the Toronto Blue Jays at Comerica Park.
First-pitch temperatures around 6:45 p.m. should be near 60 degrees under partly cloudy skies.
Saturday may end up being one of the nicest days Metro Detroit has seen in a while. Temperatures are expected to surge into the lower 80s.
Plenty of sunshine and warm conditions should make for ideal baseball weather and a busy day across parks, patios, marinas, and outdoor events across southeast Michigan.
Sunday remains warm, with highs in the upper 70s and approaching 80 degrees, though the atmosphere may become more unsettled later in the day.
Flower Day at Eastern Market in Detroit should still feature decent weather for shoppers and visitors during the morning and early afternoon, but a few showers and isolated thunderstorms could develop later Sunday as moisture increases again across the Great Lakes.
That means people heading to Eastern Market may want to keep an umbrella nearby, especially if spending several hours outdoors later in the day.
Even with the chance of rain, temperatures will remain warm and pleasant for browsing flowers, plants, and outdoor vendors.
The warming trend continues into early next week, with highs climbing into the 80s again on Monday with additional rain chances.
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