Burst pipes disrupting facilities as cold snap begins to thaw

ROCHESTER, Mich. (FOX 2) - Water main breaks and burst pipes have disrupted operations at several facilities in Michigan amid bitterly cold weather, including a Detroit court and a university library.

The 36th District Court is closed Friday amid flooding caused by a burst pipe. The damage follows this week's subzero temperatures. A restoration company will work through the weekend to get the court ready to reopen Monday.

In suburban Detroit, the Kresge Library at Oakland University was closed Friday due to flooding caused by a water main break. And in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the city of Escanaba was cleared to resume using water after a water main break.

Similar problems are expected amid a rapid thaw. A flood warning remains in effect along the Muskegon River in western Michigan due to an ice jam.

Forecasters say the temperature swing we'll be experiencing in the next few days is unprecedented, and could cause bursting pipes elsewhere, as well as flooding rivers and crumbling roads. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report