Fallen branches from ice-laden trees obstructed roads, leaving many area residents without electricity, and many intersections without traffic signals.
Authorities are warning that more power outages could occur as winds were expected to pick up and ice-coated tree branches may break and take down more power lines.
According to Erica Donerson, the spokeswoman of DTE Energy, about 119,000 of their customers are already without power in southeastern Michigan.
Donerson added that the effect of ice storm could be felt for several days in northern Oakland County, Lapeer County and Livingston County.
"While many customers lose power soon after the storm hits, electrical outages may continue to occur over the next several days, as branches -- still loaded with ice -- break and bring down power lines," she said in a statement.
"A quarter of an inch of ice is the equivalent of 500 pounds of weight on a span of power line."
Also the spokesman for Consumers Energy said that 180,000 of their customers are dealing with outages elsewhere in the state particularly around Flint and Lansing.
Thousands of other people are without power in northernmost reaches of New York and Vermont. Two inches of ice had accumulated in the early morning hours of Sunday in upstate New York's St. Lawrence County, said Jim Chestnut, county dispatch operations supervisor.
National Grid has said over 17,000 customers are without power. The company says services may restore to some of the customers on Monday.
Officials are warning that the winds were expected to pick up, bringing more power outages.
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