A severe ice storm Sunday night in northern Michigan caused the collapse of the 630-foot broadcast tower for Top 40 106 KHQ (WKHQ-FM) licensed to Charlevoix, Michigan.
The tower in a rural area just outside East Jordan, succumbed to heavy ice accumulation from multiple days of sleet and freezing rain. This "apocalyptic" storm, as described by station staff, not only toppled the tower but also disrupted radio broadcasts across the Traverse City-Petoskey market, leaving 106 KHQ off the air.
The station’s Program Director and morning host, Ashley "Z" Elzinga, appeared on sister station 104.5 Bob-FM (WZTC Traverse City) the following morning, explaining that the tower fell onto the equipment shed during its descent, compounding the damage.
Operated by Macdonald Garber Broadcasting, 106 KHQ is known as "Hits 106 KHQ, Northern Michigan's #1 Hit Music Channel," boasting a 100,000-watt signal that reaches a wide audience. Its engineering team is now assessing the extent of the damage, but no timeline for resuming broadcasts has been confirmed. Elzinga noted the process could take significant time—potentially up to a year—based on industry insights, as replacing such a structure is a complex endeavor.
In the interim, staff are exploring options like streaming online or borrowing another station’s tower to restore some form of broadcast.
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