Alert archive / Michigan / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 21, NWS Gaylord, MI
NWS Gaylord, MI issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 17, 2026, 6:17 PM EDT for Benzie County, Manistee County, Michigan. It was in force for 58 min. 3 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.
The facts
- Issued
- May 17, 2026, 6:17 PM EDT (22:17 UTC)
- Expired
- May 17, 2026, 7:15 PM EDT
- In force
- 58 min
- Issued by
- NWS Gaylord, MI
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Hail
- 0.75 in
- Wind
- 60.0 mph
Counties Benzie County, MI, Manistee County, MI
The radar
The NCL Michigan radar (KAPX), 120 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:16 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.
Open the radar archive at this moment
The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 17, 6:55 PM EDT | TSTM WND DMG | Bear Lake, MI | Delayed report. Images shared by broadcast media of damaged/collapsed roof of an outbuilding. Time estimated via radar. |
| May 17, 7:00 PM EDT | TSTM WND DMG | 5 Wsw Thompsonville, MI | Delayed report. Public report, with photo evidence, of multiple trees down along Psutka Rd near the Betsie River. Time estimated via radar and public. |
| May 17, 7:00 PM EDT | TSTM WND GST 40 | 2 Se Pierport, MI | Mesonet station MIOBL Onekama. |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
The nearest sounding before it
Detroit, MI (KDTX), launched 12:00Z, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 292 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 77 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -179 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1215 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 31 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 42 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 46 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
952
WUUS53 KAPX 172217
SVRAPX
MIC019-101-172315-
/O.NEW.KAPX.SV.W.0021.260517T2217Z-260517T2315Z/
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Gaylord MI
617 PM EDT Sun May 17 2026
The National Weather Service in Gaylord has issued a
* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
Benzie County in northern Michigan...
Northern Manistee County in northern Michigan...
* Until 715 PM EDT.
* At 617 PM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line
extending from 16 miles west of Pierport to 12 miles northwest of
Orchard Beach State Park to 9 miles west of Manistee, moving
northeast at 40 mph.
HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.
* Severe thunderstorms will be near...
Arcadia and Pierport around 630 PM EDT.
Frankfort, Onekama, Elberta, Bear Lake, and Wildwood around 635 PM
EDT.
Norwalk around 640 PM EDT.
Beulah and Benzonia around 645 PM EDT.
Thompsonville, Kaleva, and Honor around 650 PM EDT.
Copemish around 655 PM EDT.
Other locations impacted by these severe thunderstorms include
Wallin, Blaine Township, and Pere Marquette State Forest.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.
&&
LAT...LON 4436 8627 4456 8624 4461 8626 4475 8590
4451 8582 4443 8582 4429 8632
TIME...MOT...LOC 2217Z 242DEG 39KT 4447 8656 4440 8651 4427 8652
HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH
$$
JLD1 follow-up statement
350
WWUS53 KAPX 172304
SVSAPX
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Gaylord MI
704 PM EDT Sun May 17 2026
MIC019-101-172315-
/O.CON.KAPX.SV.W.0021.000000T0000Z-260517T2315Z/
Benzie MI-Manistee MI-
704 PM EDT Sun May 17 2026
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 715 PM EDT
FOR SOUTHEASTERN BENZIE AND NORTHEASTERN MANISTEE COUNTIES...
At 703 PM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line
extending from near Benzonia to near Copemish to near Brethren,
moving east at 30 mph. This storm has a history of producing at
least 44 mph wind gusts.
HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.
These severe storms will be near...
Thompsonville and Copemish around 710 PM EDT.
Other locations impacted by these severe thunderstorms include Wallin
and Pere Marquette State Forest.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.
Torrential rainfall is occurring with these storms, and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 4435 8611 4444 8610 4454 8618 4467 8588
4451 8582 4443 8582
TIME...MOT...LOC 2303Z 251DEG 33KT 4453 8608 4446 8603 4433 8604
HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH
$$
JLDThe office that day
Everything else NWS Gaylord, MI issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 17, 4:51 AM EDT | Small Craft Advisory | APX | 3 days | |
| May 17, 5:20 PM EDT | Special Marine Warning | APX | 85 min | |
| May 17, 6:43 PM EDT | Special Marine Warning | APX | 17 min | |
| May 17, 7:11 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | APX | Benzie, Grand Traverse, Manistee, Wexford | 49 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Michigan, 2026Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2026
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.