Weather History for This Week

July 22

1953: Severe thunderstorms struck during the late evening as a cold front moved through. High winds downed numerous trees, and several streets in Grand Rapids were blocked by falling trees.

July 23

1883: A half mile wide violent tornado killed three people as it moved southeast from near Eaton Rapids to south of Leslie.

1999: Severe weather struck central Lower Michigan, with two weak tornadoes touching down in rural areas. One struck near Mount Pleasant, but only lasted a few seconds and produced no damage. Another brief touchdown was reported during the early evening hours in Tustin, in Osceola County, where it produced minor damage to one home.

July 24

1934: Extreme heat continues for the fifth consecutive day with Lansing equaling their all time high temperature of 102 degrees. Grand Rapids hits 103 degrees, part of a string of five out of six days at or above 100 degrees there.

July 25

1943: The USS Muskegon, named after the Michigan city, is launched from Superior, Wisconsin on a day with scattered showers and high temperature of 86 degrees at Muskegon, Michigan. The ship saw duty in World War Two, escorting convoys across the Atlantic. The ship also took weather observations and served as as radio and light ship for trans-atlantic flights until after the end of the war.

2005: An extended round of severe weather from the evening of July 25th into the morning of the 26th produced widespread wind damage across Lower Michigan. A tornado struck three miles west of Baldwin and downed hundreds of trees at a campground. Fortunately, most of the campers had left just hours earlier, and there were no injuries.

July 26

1896: A tornado struck a few miles northeast of Battle Creek, seriously injuring one person as it destroyed a farm home and barns in Pennfield Township, Calhoun County.

1973: A tornado damaged a mobile home and some farm wagons two miles southeast of Clare, Michigan.

1977: Canadian high pressure brings record cold temperatures of 46 degrees at Muskegon and 47 degrees at Grand Rapids.

July 27

1894: The temperature hit 100 degrees at Lansing during the second record heat wave of the month, the first of which occurred a week earlier, when Lansing set its all time record of 102 degrees

1955: Temperatures reached the upper 90s for the second day in a row across West Michigan in one of the hottest months on record. At Grand Rapids, 15 days had high temperatures above 90 degrees during July, 1955.

2002: A severe weather outbreak produces tornado and downburst wind damage. A tornado with top winds around 80 mph touched down about one mile east of Augusta in Kalamazoo County. The tornado passed through Fort Custer in western Calhoun County, about one mile northwest of the Battle Creek airport. The damage path was approximately 800 yards wide and path length was 3 miles long. Extensive tree damage occurred in the Fort Custer area and the roof was blown off a firing range shelter. After the tornado ended, downburst damage continued for several more miles in Calhoun County. A severe thunderstorm struck a campground and mobile home park along Swan Lake in southern Allegan County. Trees were blown down onto mobile homes and small boats were blown out of the lake. Two minor injuries occurred. Top winds with the downburst were estimated at 70 mph.

July 28

1959: A steady rain brought relief from drought conditions across West Michigan. Dry weather began in April, resulting in water rationing in Grand Rapids by the middle of July.

1976: A tornado injures five people northwest of Grand Rapids as it damages a warehouse.

1996: A weak, short-lived tornado damaged a pole barn near Evart on Osceola County.

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Today could be our last day in the 80s for the rest of the month.  After three weeks of above normal temps we will drop into the 70s with night time lows in the 50s.  I am wondering if we will see 90 for the rest of the summer – I am sure we will still have plenty of days in the 80s.

A strong cold front will be pushing through around midnight bringing with it the chance of storms mainly west of 131 – east of this the storms should fall apart.  It may be cool enough Friday morning to bring in some lake enhanced rain showers.  I will be happy to turn off the air conditioning and have the windows open.

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