This summer will be known for the heat and stormy weather.
This year, we’ve already had 25 tornado warnings. We only had one tornado warning through June 20 last year in Michigan. After a relatively quiet period of several years, we’ve had more tornado warnings in Michigan through June 20 than in the previous 8 years combined.
Several areas saw popup storms yesterday with torrential rain and hail but no tornadoes were reported touching the ground. We had no rain in Otsego. Today we have around a 20% chance of rain and storms with the heat and humidity sticking around. Yesterday we had 90° for a high temperature and the low was 70°.
Weather History
1988: The hot summer of 1988 got off to a sizzling start with record highs of 98 degrees at Grand Rapids and Lansing.
1996: A tornado struck from near Weidman to the west of Rosebush in Isabella County. Three homes were damaged and four barns were destroyed, along with several other outbuildings. Several silos and farm machinery were damaged. Other tornadoes hit near Frankenmuth and Imlay City.
On June 21, 2006, severe thunderstorms moved across mainly Lenawee and Monroe Counties. Rainfall in excess of 5 inches created widespread flooding, resulting in three high water rescues in Lenawee County. The severe thunderstorms produced up to golf ball size hail, estimated wind gusts to 75 mph, and one F1 tornado south of Addison.
On June 21, 1996, severe thunderstorms developed along a warm front across central lower Michigan during the evening on the 21st. The storms moved southeast across the Saginaw Valley and the thumb region during the period from late evening on the 21st through the early morning hours of the 22d. The result was an extremely damaging weather event, as flash flooding caused millions of dollars of damage to property, and 3 documented tornadoes touched down. The worst damage was done to the resort town of Frankenmuth, where an F3 tornado caused about 5 million dollars of damage. The tornado completely destroyed 4 houses and damaged 130 others. No one was injured or killed. Elsewhere, tornadoes damaged homes in Lapeer and Saint Clair counties, and strong straight-line winds uprooted trees in northern Genesee County and did severe damage to a mobile home dealership in southern Bay County. Flash flooding was widespread throughout the Saginaw Valley and the Thumb region as well. In Bay County, an elderly man was killed when his car was swept from a bridge while he was attempting to cross the Kawkawlin River. Elsewhere, flooding did widespread damage to roads and houses. Dollar damage amounts were difficult to estimate until the growing season actually came to an end, but initial rough estimates placed total damage to crops in the area at several million dollars.
Also on June 21, 1987, an F2 tornado touched down in Novi at the Chateau Estates on 13 Mile Road. The tornado was only on the ground for .3 miles but one death and 6 injuries were reported. 57 mobile homes were destroyed while another 170 mobile homes were damaged.
Forecast Discussion
- Chance of thunder today, better chance Saturday and Saturday night The frontal boundary that triggered storms Thursday is now south of the cwa and pretty nondescript. In it`s wake, we`ll have a little less instability today, however, precipitable water values will remain north of 1.75 inches. We probably won`t see much precipitation this morning. However during the afternoon, the frontal boundary to the south will begin to move back north and there may be a 3-6 hr window beginning around 20z in which we see some convective development over the southeast cwa. There will likely be a decent lake shadow with any convective development due to persistent west winds. Gusty winds and torrential downpours are the main threat with any storms that develop today. Highs around 90 today and dewpoints in the lower 70s will send heat indices into the mid 90s again; no changes to the Heat Advisory. After a dry night tonight, chances for storms will increase Saturday from north to south. Showers/storms will likely be ongoing Saturday morning over northern Lower along the warm frontal boundary. Once the the attendant low moves east, the cold front will begin to drop south during the mid to late afternoon. Showers and thunderstorms will likely develop along the front and will mostly affect the northern cwa Saturday afternoon. SPC has placed the entire cwa in a Marginal Risk for severe storms Saturday/Saturday night. Heavy rain will also be a threat with PWATs closing in on 2.5 inches. Will maintain high probabilities (80-90 percent) for showers and thunderstorms on Saturday night as lead shortwave and sfc cold front pass through the region. Severe weather and heavy rain threat will linger in the evening then wane overnight with the passage of the cold front and departure of the 2"+ PWAT air. The frontal passage will also bring an end to the persistent heat and humidity. -Drying out Sunday; Pleasant Monday On Sunday the primary nrn stream H5 shortwave drops into the nrn GrtLks Rgn and a cooler/less humid air mass filters in on the heels of northwest winds. Morning clouds and lingering showers/drizzle giving way to decreasing clouds in the afternoon. Monday still looks like a pleasant day as the sfc ridge builds in. -Strong storms possible Tuesday/Tuesday night Tuesday could be an active weather day as the warm/humid air makes a quick return from the southwest and temps push toward 90 again. Fast northwesterly flow aloft could send an MCS or two our way from Wisconsin, thriving off cape values possibly in excess of 3000 J/KG. -Dry and cooler Wednesday through Friday The push of warmer air is short-lived as the passage of a cold front on Tuesday night/early Wednesday ushers in another installment cooler/drier air. Northerly winds on Thursday ahead of an advancing sfc high sends dew points down into the 40s/50s. Lows in the 50s and highs in the 70s expected later in the week as high pressure settles overhead by 12Z Friday.
Absolutely horrible weather today! Bring on the cold front!
Golfed in an outing in Tecumseh today. Total sweat fest. After 14 holes, we got rained/stormed out. Lots of lightning and very heavy rain. Everyone got soaked.
2.5 inches of rain yesterday! Incredible rainfall rates! It was some much needed rain and it was incredible!
I got 3 phone alerts during the tornado warnings yesterday. One was the official NWS tornado warning alert and 2 came from Ionia county 911. One stating to take shelter then a while later stating the warnings have been canceled/expired.
Tornado warnings were going off all over the place yesterday, but thankfully minimal damage!
Wasn’t expecting one of the two tornado warnings to include house yesterday. There was a wall cloud to my southwest with that storm. Ionia county had 2 tornado warnings one for the southern and SE portion and the other for the NW corner. We got some heavy rain probably close to an inch of rain or so would be a guess.
While there was 0.30” of rain at the airport here in MBY I only had 0.02” of rain as the storms were to the east of here. The overnight low in MBY was 70 and at the current time it is 71 with a DP of 68 with cloudy skies.
Slim
The official H/L yesterday at Grand Rapids was 89/71 there was 0.30” of rainfall the highest wind guest was 37 MPH out of the N. There was 64% of possible sunshine. For today the average H/L is 81/60 the record high of 98 was set in 1988 the coldest high of 60 was set in 1902 the record low of 40 was set in 1969 the warmest low of 70 was set in 2011 and 1923 the most rainfall of 3.36” fell in 1914.
Slim
Multiple storm reports in this area last night. We dodged a bullet here.
Very foggy this morning and absolutely no breeze.
Here at my house I only had 0.02″ of rain. I work for the Whitecaps and at the ballpark there was a brief very heavy shower. Things are getting dry in my area to say the least.
Slim