The last few days in and around the Upper Peninsula have provided a much-needed respite from the frigid temperatures that have dominated the region this winter.

Mind you, while it hasn’t been too terribly warm out there, temperatures have reached into the upper 30s in many places and maybe a bit warmer in others, with some sunshine to boot.

Regrettably, with the melting has come an early dose of what is known locally as “pothole season,” when the thawing streets and roadways reveal pavement craters made by traffic and freezing temperatures.

It seems just about every roadway we travel is pocked fairly well with potholes of varying sizes and depths, providing challenges for local public works departments, the county road commissions and the Michigan Department of Transportation.

We’re confident local and regional road maintenance agencies will step up to the task and get their crews out on the roads with at least some early-season pothole patches to ease the frustration of drivers and wear and tear on their vehicles.

For now, though, motorists will have to put up with the annual pothole season, which includes slowing down a little, keeping a closer watch on the road and being glad that spring is just around the corner.