Damaging Winds in Michigan, July 17, 1997

Name: Damaging Winds in Michigan, July 17, 1997
Start: 1997-07-17T07:30
End: 1997-07-17T07:57
Location: Michigan

July 17, 1997 · NWS GRR · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

2 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

The radar

The Grand Rapids radar (KGRR), 59 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 12:32 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Ottawa

When: July 17, 7:30 AM EST
Where: Ottawa County, Grand Haven
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 43.070, -86.230

Thunderstorm winds downed trees and power lines across the Tri-Cities (Grand Haven, Ferrysburg, and Spring Lake) area. A few trees were downed onto power lines in the area of Savidge and Fruitport Road in Spring Lake and lightning sparked a few minor house fires. The Grand Haven Board of Light and Power reported scattered power outages. Heavy downpours brought 2 to 4 inches of rain to much of northern Ottawa County, which resulted in minor street flooding.

Thunderstorm Wind, Kent

When: July 17, 7:57 AM EST
Where: Kent County, Walker
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 43.030, -85.530

The Walker Police Department reported large tree limbs and power lines downed in Walker, in the northwest quadrant of the Grand Rapids metropolitan area.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Michigan in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history Warnings in Michigan, July 1997

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5617737, 5617738.